How do I get rid of gnats for free?

Author: Carter Lang  |  Last update: Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Homemade gnat repellent spray: A mixture of dish soap, water, baking soda, and vinegar can be filled into a spray bottle. The mixture should contain a few drops of dish soap, a tablespoon of vinegar, and baking soda per cup of water. A few sprays of this mixture is an effective gnat repellent.

What gets rid of gnats asap?

Use a small saucer to mix a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, a few drops of dishwashing soap and a little sugar. Put the saucer near the gnats. Use more than one saucer, if needed. The gnats will be drawn to the sweet solution, fall in and get trapped.

Does Dawn and vinegar get rid of gnats?

Fill a glass or a bowl with 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, a half cup of warm water, and about 5 drops of liquid dish soap and stir well. Gnats will be attracted to the sweet sugar and pungent vinegar, but the sticky dish soap will disable them from escaping.

What scent keeps gnats away?

Peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus, vanilla, and lavender essential oils all have scents that gnats dislike. Place a few drops of any of these essential oils on cotton balls and set around entryways to your home or areas where gnats are a problem.

Why am I getting so many gnats in my house?

Inside the home, gnats can be attracted to unsealed produce, fresh flowers, houseplants, food spillage, and open or overflowing garbage cans. Gnats may also live in sink drains where food residue can collect. Dirty kitchen sink drains can provide food, water, shelter and breeding sites to many fly species.

Easy One Step - How To Get Rid Of Fungus Gnats - 100% Guarantee - Fungus Gnat Prevention

How to find out where gnats are coming from?

Where do gnats come from? Gnats come to find a breeding ground and place to lay their eggs. They seek out moist places, decomposing organic matter and damp soil of houseplants, and can be found around your trash or recycling bin.

What repels gnats in the house?

Make your own natural version by combining a cup of water with a tablespoon each of vinegar and baking soda, adding in a drop of dish soap. Shake the mixture in a spray bottle, and spray where gnats seem to congregate in your house. The solution is even safe to use (sparingly) around houseplants.

Do dryer sheets keep gnats away?

Conclusions. Based on the results obtained from our study, it is evident that Bounce original brand fabric softener dryer sheets repel fungus gnats.

What spray do gnats hate?

Summit Mosquito and Gnat Barrier spray contains permethrin, a proven residual insecticide that has been used in mosquito control for many years. In addition to mosquitoes, it also controls a wide variety of outdoor insect pests including ants, fleas, ticks, earwigs, and more.

What attracts gnats to your face?

Breath, Sweat & Tears

A gnat is always searching for moisture and salt, which are found in sweat and tears. Unfortunately, the pests are vectors for pink eye. They are also drawn to the smell of bad breath and to the carbon dioxide people expel when exhaling.

How to get rid of gnats fast without apple cider?

Homemade gnat killer spray: A mixture of half a cup of water, half a cup of isopropyl alcohol, and a teaspoon of dish liquid can be filled in a spray bottle. This mixture can be sprayed on the gnats directly to kill them.

Do bleach get rid of gnats?

If you see gnats hovering around your sink and pipes, bleach can do the trick. Mix half a cup of bleach with a gallon of water, and then slowly pour down the drain. Make sure to flush with hot water. You can always repeat the process if gnats return!

What is the best gnat trap?

Combine equal parts vinegar and soap and then add a few tablespoons of sugar – once you mix it all together you can place the bowl wherever the gnats have been gathering. They will be attracted to the sugar and vinegar and drown in the mixture. Traps can also be made out of red wine and dish soap, or rotting fruit.

What kills gnats and their eggs?

For hydrogen peroxide, mix one part 3% hydrogen peroxide with four parts water. Carefully pour this solution onto the top of the soil, ensuring it reaches the root zone. The hydrogen peroxide will help kill the gnat larvae and any eggs in the soil without harming your plant.

What is the best killer for drain gnats?

If you don't have vinegar at home, bleach will kill drain gnats, but it's a potent environmental pollutant, so you're better off running to the store for vinegar, which is actually more effective for cleaning your drain pipes.

How to get rid of tiny bugs on a kitchen counter?

The key to keeping pests out of the kitchen is to eliminate their access to food and water sources, which they need to survive. This can be done by practicing excellent sanitation in the kitchen: Make sure to wipe up all crumbs and spills on the floor, kitchen counters, cabinets and refrigerator in a timely manner.

What is the most effective gnat killer?

Hydrogen Peroxide

A peroxide solution apparently kills larvae and eggs on contact, effectively killing off all infant gnats and disrupting the lifecycle.

What makes gnats worse?

Additionally, houseplants can harbor gnats, particularly fungus gnats, which lay their eggs in moist soil. The larvae then feed on organic matter in the soil, potentially harming plants and causing an infestation. Overwatering plants only makes this situation worse.

How do you stop gnats from flying around you?

You can use nearly any type of cooking oil to keep gnats away. Choose olive oil, coconut oil, or vegetable oil for instance. Then, soak a cotton ball in the oil, and dab it over your forehead, behind your ears, and down your neck. The oil masks your scent from the gnats so they are less likely to notice you.

How do you get rid of gnats overnight?

Fill a pan with water and a bit of dish soap and add a candlestick with a tall, tapered candle in the middle. Light the candle, then make sure the rest of the room is dark. After a while, you'll notice that the gnats have been drawn to it and ultimately perish by the heat or by dropping into the soapy mixture below.

What smell keeps gnats away indoors?

Therefore, you can either use peppermint essential oil in its natural state and spray a diluted combination around regions where you are attempting to keep gnats away, OR you can even save some peppermint plants around areas where you are trying to keep gnats away. Both of these options are available to you.

What can I wear to repel gnats?

Insect Repellent Hats

Help keep mosquitoes, flies, and other biting bugs away from your face, head, and neck with Insect Shield Bug Repellent Hats. Our insect repellent packable hat, brim hat, sun hat, and caps also repel gnats and midges (no-see-ums).

Why do I suddenly have gnats in my house?

Inside the home, gnats can be attracted to unsealed produce, fresh flowers, houseplants, food spillage and open or overflowing garbage cans. Gnats may also live in sink drains where food residue can collect. Dirty kitchen sink drains can provide food, water, shelter and breeding sites to many fly species.

What is a natural spray for gnats?

All you will need is a spray bottle, dish soap, water and/or baking soda and vinegar. You just need to use a few drops of dish soap and a table spoon of vinegar for each cup of water. With this these destructive gnats will parish with just a few spritz of your new chemical weapon.

What annoys gnats?

Draw them with Vinegar.

This is a great way to eliminate a gnat problem, especially if they find their way into your home or swarm around your deck.

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