These tiny insects are drawn to stagnant pools of water, especially in pipes and other drainage locations, where organic matter accumulates easily and quickly. This accumulation of organic matter provides the ideal feeding and breeding ground for drain flies.
What Causes Drain Flies? 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.
In conclusion, borax can be an effective and natural way to get rid of drain flies. By pouring a mixture of borax and boiling water down the affected drain, the borax can work its way through the drain and eliminate the drain flies by drying out their exoskeletons.
Use a pipe brush to scrub around and inside the drain. Try boiling water: A super simple fix is to pour boiling water down the drain to eliminate drain flies. Boil a medium-size pot of water once or twice per week, and pour down and around the drain.
its usually because they love moisture. The drain might be full of moist matter which attracts them. Female flies will lay dozens of eggs each day.
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.
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.
Drain flies are most often the result of a drain or sewer clog, one that limits the flow of wastewater. Unused toilets, refrigerator drains and leaking pipes can also cause them. As we previously mentioned, these insects thrive in stagnant water.
Mix together 1/2 cup of salt, 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar. Pour the mixture down the drain. Let sit overnight, then flush the drain with hot water in the morning. This should kill all flies and the organic material they've been feeding on.
Many insects are attracted to humid, moist environments. If they're stuck in your sink, they're probably wingless, like the silverfish. Drain flies like standing water in your bathroom pipes. Cockroaches like unkempt toilets and showers.
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.
On the other hand, fruit flies are attracted to plumbing fixtures that gather moisture, such as shower and sink drains. These flies dwell and reproduce in the warm, damp atmosphere. The larvae and eggs often go unnoticed because bathroom drains are not immediately accessible to householders.
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.
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.
If you're noticing small black flies in the bathroom, these might be drain flies. Also referred to as sewer gnats, these annoying little bugs are usually harmless, but they can be an indicator of a much bigger problem with standing water and drain clogs.
Drain Flies are seasonal and you'll notice them in the spring... or not! Biochem Environmental Solutions Inc.
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.
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.
Pour Vinegar and Baking Soda Down the Drain
This will clear out the buildup in your drains, eliminating drain fly habitats.
Sewer or drain flies
They lay their eggs in the sludge left as water evaporates. In the summer, infestations can occur in areas such as puddles on flat roofs and blocked outlet drains or gutters, and from these areas the flies can migrate indoors.
As drain flies are a species of moth, mothballs provide a straightforward solution for eliminating them. The active ingredient in mothballs, naphthalene, is toxic and effectively kills drain flies. Directions: Place a few mothballs over the opening of your drain.
Keep Drains Dry
After cleaning and addressing leaks, maintain dry drains by wiping them dry after use. Consistently dry drains discourage drain fly infestations.
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.
Drain flies are both a pest problem and plumbing problem because they infest your bathroom and/or plumbing fixtures. Even though flies can live pretty much anywhere, you can prevent them from living near you.
Drain flies feed on filth and scum that can build up in areas such as drains, drain openings, sewers, septic tanks, and kitchen sinks. A great way to identify which drain-source the flies are coming from is to put clear tape over the drain so that they will fly into it and get stuck.