Gnats are attracted to the moisture and scum that builds up in bathroom drains.
Pour boiling water down the drain then put bleach. Wipe down everything with bleach and throw away anything you use to wipe surfaces as they may contain gnat eggs.
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.
"Combine 1/2 cup salt with 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar and pour down the drain." Leave it overnight, and in the morning, pour boiling water down the drain. "This is a natural remedy that will clean the plumbing pipes and remove the breeding grounds for these flies," he explains.
Bleach; it will kill the bacteria the gnats are thriving off of and kills any residual gnats or eggs. Best to use in ALL drains before bed, rinsing with a tiny amount of water to get it into the pipes so it has all night to do it's work.
Boiling Water: Pour boiling water down your drains to wash away gnats and their eggs. Baking Soda Solutions: Use a mixture of salt, baking soda, and white vinegar to foam away bacteria in your pipes. Chemical Cleaners: For intense infestations, consider using a chemical cleaner like Drano.
Vinegar: One of the most effective remedies for gnats is vinegar. Gnats are attracted to the scent of vinegar, so pouring a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water down your drain can help eliminate them. The vinegar will trap the gnats and prevent them from breeding in the drain.
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.
Fungus gnats are attracted to moisture and organic matter, often found in bathrooms. They might congregate in your bathroom because of overwatered houseplants, damp towels, or a leaky faucet. Reducing moisture and removing any potential breeding sites will help keep them away.
Lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint, lemongrass, and citronella are just a few of the scents that insects despise (with lavender probably being the most effective).
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.
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.
There is only one Drano® product recommended for use in slow-running toilets: Drano® Max Build-Up Remover. It contains microorganisms that break down organic matter in pipes that can slow water flow. (However, it will not open a completely clogged toilet. For that problem, see How to Unclog a Toilet.)
Keep Drains Dry
After cleaning and addressing leaks, maintain dry drains by wiping them dry after use. Consistently dry drains discourage drain fly infestations.
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.
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.
Clean out your drains with boiling water or nearly boiling distilled white vinegar to kill sewer gnats or fruit flies breeding in your drains. This should kill any larvae inside the pipes and destroy the type of habitat the flies like.
i tackle this issue by boiling a pot of water. and i pour half a cup of bleach down the drain. pour half of the hot water into the drain. then repeat half a cup of bleach.
Control Humidity: Gnats love moist environments, so try to reduce humidity levels in your bathroom. This is often as simple as turning on the fan, opening a window, and keeping the bathroom door at a minimum cracked.
Using a combination of baking soda and vinegar can effectively clean a drain, as it helps to break down grease, mineral deposits, and bacteria that may be causing clogs or unpleasant odors. This maintenance method is a natural and chemical-free alternative to commercial cleaning products.
The Short Answer Is: Drano and similar chemical drain cleaners can be harmful to home drain pipes as they contain corrosive chemicals that may deteriorate pipes over time, especially if used frequently.
PVC drain pipes are more susceptible to damage from boiling water compared to other plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene, and of course metallic pipe materials.
Vinegar and Baking Soda: Pour a vinegar and baking soda mixture down the affected drain. The fizzing action helps break down organic matter and kill gnats. Follow with boiling water to flush out debris. Boiling Water: Regularly pour boiling water down your drains to help kill gnat larvae and wash away organic material.
Many of these “gnats” are not attracted to vinegar traps and may not be breeding in the kitchen area of the home. If your pest control professional identifies these “gnats” as fruit flies, then and only then, can we consider using vinegar traps as a tool to capture the adult fruit flies,' he says.
Fruit traps - Some homeowners use a jar of rotting fruit covered with perforated plastic wrap to lure and then trap gnats. Red Wine Traps Vinegar - Similar to a fruit trap, this option uses the gnats' attraction to these pungent liquids to trap them inside a jar.