Combing, boiling water, vinegar and baking soda will kill drain flies, but will also help remove all the flies breeding ground which includes hair, grime and grease. It will create a chemical reaction and an clear the blockages caused by organic matter in the drainpipe.
Apple cider vinegar with a drop of dish soap: leave in a shallow plate or bowl (I used a tiny fish bowl from thrift store) near drains to catch those flying around. They will fly in and drown. Replace every day or every other day as needed.
Peppermint, eucalyptus, and tea tree oils are especially beneficial. Pour a few drops of the chosen oil with water down the toilet. The oils' pungent aroma repels drain flies and disturbs their breeding cycle. To keep the solution effective, reapply it every few days.
Pour in 1/2 cup of salt and 1/2 cup of baking soda plus a cup of white vinegar. Allow it to work overnight then flush the drain with hot or boiling water the next morning. This will sanitize the drain and kill the flies and their eggs.
Drain flies thrive in stagnant and standing water. Common sources include slow or clogged drains, rarely used and unused toilets, refrigerator drain pans, and standing water created by leaking pipes. They typically enter buildings through basements, windows, and drains.
Learn the Pest Biology
Knowing the life cycle helps you fight fly infestations. Life Cycle: Adult females lay 30–100 eggs in sludge around sewage and drainage areas. Eggs hatch in 32–48 hours, larval stage lasts 8–24 days, pupal stage 20–40 hours. Adults live about two weeks.
It can be difficult to prevent drain flies completely, but you can reduce the chances of them being attracted to your drains by keeping them clean. This is as simple as refraining from putting clog-inducing items down the drain, like coffee grinds, rice, solid foods, hair, and more.
Apple Cider Vinegar Trap
Set up a trap to attract the drain flies – mix 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar and a few drops of dishwasing detergent in a small bowl. Leave it around the drain and wait for it to attract the drain flies and cause them to sink and die.
The simple answer is yes but with a caveat. While bleach can kill drain flies and their larvae on contact, it's not the most effective method for long-term control. Bleach's caustic nature allows it to clean the drain pipes and kill some of the larvae.
At night, when they are active, they will congregate towards light sources, like lampshades. They will also feed and breed at night, so you'll see them near food sources or breeding areas. You'll most likely see only a few at a time, as you only rarely see drain flies in large numbers at once.
Vinegar and baking soda: Pour 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar down the drain.
Cinnamon – use cinnamon as an air freshner, as flies hate the smell! Lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint and lemongrass essential oils – Not only will spraying these oils around the house create a beautiful aroma, but they will also deter those pesky flies too.
Bleach is highly effective in killing bacteria and other microbes causing the foul smell. However, it should be used sparingly to avoid damage to your plumbing system.
Furthermore, there are essential oils that have insect-repellent properties, which can help deter drain flies, including peppermint, eucalyptus, and lavender oils. To use these oils as a deterrent, just dilute a few drops in water and use a spray bottle to wash down the areas that are infested.
The Santeen Sulfuric Acid Drain Opener proved to be the most potent among all the chemical drain cleaners we tested, effectively dissolving 80% of the hair, 80% of the organic matter, 40% of the grease and 76% of the paper products.
Pouring boiling water is quite risky as it might lead to a steam burn or scalding. Another thing to keep in mind is what type of material you are pouring in into. If you have a porcelain sink, it is likely to crack due to the heat. All in all, pouring boiling water down your drain will only cause issues down the road.
Boil a pot of water and pour it down the drain where you suspect the drain flies are breeding. Pour a 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain. Slowly pour a 1/2 cup of vinegar down the drain. Cover the drain with a drain plug, and let it sit for at least 5 to 10 minutes.
Yes, using Pine-Sol to keep flies away is safe. According to the Pine-Sol product page, it is biodegradable and safe for use around pets. However, Thaeler suggests waiting until treated areas have dried before letting children or pets near to be safe.
Another clue that the bug you're looking at is a drain fly is that it's bad at flying. They won't go more than a few feet, and it might seem as though they're hopping rather than flying. They also don't bite. Nine times out of ten, a drain fly problem will go away on its own.
The process of getting rid of drain flies is generally pretty simple. Usually, boiling water or baking soda and vinegar are enough to flush out their nest and send them on their way.
A quick DIY method would be to pour salt down the drain, followed by a half cup of baking soda and a half cup of white vinegar. It will quickly look like a science experiment coming out of the drain, but it will kill the flies and eggs.
If your drain fly issue persists, consider using commercial drain cleaners such as Drano. These solutions are formulated to clear out the drains and pipes effectively, removing any debris that might serve as a breeding spot for drain flies. Using these products can aid in preventing new eggs from hatching.
HydroScrub® Jetting is one of the most effective professional cleaning services available today. This system uses highly pressurized water—we're talking around 3,500 PSI—to blast all debris within your pipes into the city's main sewer line.
An ongoing or recurring infestation, despite careful sanitation of all drains, can indicate a broken pipe or leak under a slab or in a crawlspace beneath the home.
Another solution to more minor infestations is to pour one cup of vinegar with a half cup of baking soda down your drain. This will clear out the buildup in your drains, eliminating drain fly habitats.