1 Flies are attracted to food sources and organic matter like garbage cans, compost, and pet waste. The best way to get rid of flies is by removing food and moisture sources where they breed, but setting traps or using repellents can also help by temporarily reducing the population.
Keep your backyard clean and free of garbage, dirt, and food waste. Plant flowers and herbs that have a strong scent to repel flies. For example, basil, lavender and rosemary can be great for keeping flies away. Use fly traps to catch them before they get in your house or yard.
In general, flies swarm to wet organic material, ranging from what you're cooking on the barbecue to an unsealed garbage can. Other attractors include animal droppings and wet spots in your yard from heavy rain.
Curiosity and Light: Flies are naturally curious and are attracted to light. Open doors or windows can draw them inside. Presence of Other Insects: If a home has other insects (like aphids or decaying organic matter), flies may follow these food sources inside.
House flies are known to dislike the smells of certain herbs and essential oils such as lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint, and basil. Therefore, these scents can be used as a natural fly repellent.
Homemade fly 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 and a tablespoon each of vinegar and baking soda per cup of water. A few sprays of this mixture can be an effective fly repellent.
Create a fly and wasp repellent.
This DIY pest repellant should be a staple in the Southern home. Pour equal parts water and Pine-Sol in a spray bottle to spritz on outdoor furniture, the deck, and indoor areas where flies are most likely to flock, such as kitchen countertops.
Flies are attracted to standing water around your property. Remove buckets or birdbaths that hold stagnant water after rainfall and check for debris that holds hidden puddles. Getting rid of these water sources can keep flies from multiplying.
House flies pick up bacteria, fungi, and viruses and then spread these pathogens by contaminating food and water. Several health problems can develop from house fly infestations. These include food poisoning, dysentery, and tuberculosis. Regular cleaning will limit areas where house flies are able to breed.
One common treatment uses cayenne pepper steeped in water as a spray treatment. Spritz in doorways and around windowsills and the sharp odor will keep the flies away. Pepper spray is non-toxic, but the smell may be unpleasant to some people. Consider using common garden plants to repel flies.
Most of the time, flies live in organic materials. Check for flies in places like the soil around houseplants or in your trash. They're also commonly found in bathrooms or in areas around or inside drains. You should also check for gaps along your house's foundation, windows, and doors.
Choose from either chemical sprays, household cleaners, or hairspray. Chemical sprays kill flies instantly upon contact, though they contain harsh chemicals. You can also spray the flies with household cleaners, like Windex or Formula 409, or with an aerosol like hairspray. All of these sprays will help you kill a fly.
Cayenne pepper is an excellent natural fly repellent that also deters many other insects. Mix one cup of water and one teaspoon of cayenne pepper in a misting bottle and spray it near entryways and wherever you see flies. Other natural fly repellents include lemongrass, peppermint, eucalyptus, camphor, and cinnamon.
Some soaps with essential oils can repel insects for a short time but, “Irish Spring soap specifically doesn't have enough quantity to register for mosquitoes [and] no ingredients that would repel flies,” he says.
Vinegar attracts, not repels flies; however, a container with vinegar and dish soap will function as an attractant trap as the vinegar lures flies to enter the trap and the dish soap will cause the flies to sink and die. Oils like lavender, mint, lemongrass, clove, rosemary and eucalyptus may help in repelling flies.
Vinegar and Dish Soap - Fill a bowl slightly with apple cider vinegar, wine or honey with some dish soap (washing up liquid). Cover the bowl with plastic wrap with punctured holes or leave uncovered. Flies will be attracted to the smell and will get stuck within the liquid.
Flies can emerge from several sources including food that's been left out, garbage that needs to be taken to the curb, windows or doors left open, and even as larvae in new houseplants. Drains are a common culprit, too, if water is rarely turned on in a sink or shower.
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. Apple cider vinegar – Flies love the smell of apples and vinegar.
The entire life cycle of a cluster fly generally takes four to six weeks to complete. However, by invading and overwintering indoors, a cluster fly infestation can persist for several months and continue to be a nuisance until proper removal measures are implemented.
Flies appear in outdoor locations wherever there are food sources and moisture. Dark areas also encourage breeding, while warm areas like open doors or vents attract flies preparing for hibernation. Here are the most common sources of fly infestations outside: Pet waste.
Overgrown vegetation, piles of leaves, and even outdoor lighting can attract bugs by providing ideal hiding spots or warmth. Scented candles, perfumes, and body lotions can also lure mosquitoes and flies closer, as they are attracted to strong odors and carbon dioxide exhaled by humans.
In addition to making your house smell minty fresh, herbs like spearmint and peppermint can also keep flies at bay. Mint grows quickly and makes an excellent addition to your backyard garden or your windowsill. For those who lack a green thumb, spearmint or peppermint essential oils can also prevent fly infestations.
How to Get Rid of Hover Flies on Patio? White Vinegar Spray: Simply mix equal parts of water and white vinegar in a spray bottle. Shake well before use. Spray the mixture on areas where you have seen hoverflies or on plants that are being attacked.
Laundry Detergent – Dilute a few drops of laundry detergent or dish soap in water and use the mixture as a spray. This works particularly well against flies when you spray the mixture into any areas where you have noticed flies or other insects.