Top 10 Home Remedies to Get Rid of Flies

Flies inside or outside the house are always troublesome. Now-a-days the flies are common in every house and everyone wants to get rid of them. We often use various methods to stay away from them and end up being tired.

Flies always develop in the garbage, dustbins, sewages, faecal matter and almost found in the moist atmosphere. So, they carry the disease causing pathogens along with them and infect the humans causing diseases like typhoid, diarrhea, leprosy, tuberculosis etc. Though flies have a very small life time but they multiply quickly because a female fly can lay 200 eggs at a time.

There are variety of disinfectants available in the market which can destroy the flies but they are highly toxic and harmful to humans especially to small kids.

To overcome the risk we have listed out few of the natural techniques to stay away from the flies. These methods are very easy to follow and are not poisonous.

These DIY home remedies not only destroy the flies but keeps your home free from bacteria, insects and other virus. Below we have described few of the methods which you can follow and get rid of flies.

Top 10 easy and effective measures to get rid of flies:

Method 1: Fly paper strips

How does it help?

Flypapers are one of the oldest techniques used to get rid of flies. The sugar content attracts the flies and corn syrup makes them stick there on the paper. Thus, flypapers strips are helpful in getting rid of flies

Ingredients:

1. A thick sheet of paper
2. ¼ cup sugar
3. ½ cup corn syrup

How to prepare?

• Take a thick sheet of paper and cut it into a strip measuring 2 inches wide.
• Make 2 small holes at the edge of this sheet to tie a thread and make loop like structure.
• At the other side mix sugar and corn syrup to make a paste and coat on the paper.
• Now, just hang it on the corner where you find more flies.
• Then, flies get attracted with the sweet smell of sugar and come near and sit on the sheet.
• The sticky nature of sugar attracts flies and makes them stick on the sheets.
• You can replace the sheets alternatively and easily get rid of flies around you.

Method 2: Apple cider Vinegar

How does it help?

Apple cider vinegar has a very strong smell and this smell attracts the flies. Once the flies land in this liquid they are unable to fly back and end up strucking there. The acidic nature of ACV destroys gems and flies all around you.

Ingredients:

1. ½ cup apple cider vinegar
2. 1 jar

How to prepare?

• Take a pan and pour ½ cup of ACV and start heating.
• Once heating is over you can pour it completely into the jar.
• Take the lid of the jar and make holes to allow flies to go inside.
• Or you can make a funnel out of paper and place it above the opening of the lid.
• You can keep this jar where you find more flies or keep near the window or door.
• Change the vinegar everyday and repeat the process to avoid flies from coming inside.

Alternative method:

• Take a shallow dish and add apple cider vinegar along with 1 tablespoon of sugar and fruit scented soap.
• Mix it thoroughly and close the bowl using a plastic with few holes on it.
• The sweet smell will attract the flies and make them to come near this mixture.

Method 3: Plastic water bag

How does it help?

This method is quiet interesting and easily keeps flies away from your home. Flies cannot recognize the water bag because of the structure of their eye and the reflection of water will look like a illusion.

Ingredients:

1. 1 plastic bag
2. Water

How to prepare?

• Fill a plastic bag with water and tie a knot at the upper side.
• You can also use rubber band of thread.
• Now, hang this plastic water bag at the entrance or where the maximum numbers of flies are there.

Method 4: Lavender oil

How does it help?

Lavender oil method is a traditional method to stay away from flies and insects. The strong smell of the lavender oil keeps flies away from the home. Lavender is known as insect repellent and it has various other household uses.

Ingredients:

1. A piece of cloth
2. 1 cup lavender oil

How to prepare?

• Take a cup of lavender oil and soak the cloth or sponge inside it.
• Now, keep this soaked cloth inside the tin can and close the lid.
• Allow it to sit for about 24 hours and then open the lid.
• Place this tin wherever you find maximum number of flies.
• Replace the sponge repeatedly for effective results.

Note:

• Lavender oil can cause irritation on the skin so, be careful and do not touch the oil with bare hands.
• You can also make use of peppermint oil, citronell, lemongrass, eucalyptus oil and pennyroyal etc. which are helpful to get rid of these flies. They are more effective when they are combined using the alcohol or water in the 1:3 ratio.

Method 5: Lemongrass

How does it help?

Lemongrass oil has good aroma and it also has fly repellent property. This works because the strong smell of lemongrass is disliked by flies and they stay away from this.

Ingredients:

1. 10-15 drops lemongrass oil
2. ¼ cup hot water

How to prepare?

• Take an empty spray bottle and put 15 drops of lemongrass oil along with ¼ cup of hot water.
• Now, close the lid of the bottle and shake it thoroughly to combine all the ingredients.
• Then, you can spray this liquid all over the home including windows and doors.

Method 6: Cloves

How does it help?

Cloves have an attractive aroma but it is very strong and flies cannot withstand this smell and they move away. So, the combination of lemon and clove is perfect for repelling house flies.

Ingredients:

1. 1 Lemon
2. Few cloves

How to prepare?

• Take a lemon and cut it into 2 halves.
• Now, insert the cloves into the lemon facing the bud of the clove upwards.
• Keep these lemons in a plate and place them near the entrance or window.

Alternative method:

• You can just take a muslin bag or a piece of cheese cloth and wrap them by placing cloves inside them. You can hang them on the corner where flies are more.
• Take 1 teaspoon of clove oil and mix it with 10 teaspoons of olive oil and apply it on the skin as a lotion.

Note:

• Do not use clove oil directly on the skin as it may cause irritation and burning sensation. It may also affect the nerve and leads to damaging.

Method 7: Wine

How does it help?

Wine has a very strong and attractive smell, which attracts the flies and traps them because the smell of wine is mostly liked by flies. You can either use red wine or white wines, both are effective.

There are totally 3 different ways of using this method:

1. Take a glass and pour ½ cup of wine into it. Now place this glass near the window or corner side. After sometime you can see flies floating inside the wine. You can repeat this method till you are completely free from the flies.
2. You can mix wine with some dish wash and destroy all the flies. All you need to do is just add some wine into a bowl and mix dish wash with it. Stir well and place this bowl near your home. Flies will get attracted and try to sit on this liquid but they end up getting trapped.
3. Easiest way is to leave some wine in the bottle and keep this near the place where you see many flies. If the bottle has very wide mouth then, you can close it using a plastic with holes in it.

Method 8: Milk, pepper and sugar

How does it help?

The sweet smell of the sugar and ilk attracts flies and drag them near this. But once they sit on this liquid they get suffocation and fall into the solution.

Ingredients:

1. ½ litre milk
2. ¼ cup sugar
3. 4 tablespoons pepper powder

How to use?

• Take a pan and pour ½ litre of milk into it.
• Now, put ¼ cup of sugar and 4 tablespoons of black pepper into it.
• Stir the mixture properly and heat for about 15 minutes to mix thoroughly.
• Then, keep this liquid in plates or bowls and place them at the corner.
• Flies gets attracted and come near the solution.

Method 9: Honey

How does it help?

Honey has very sweet taste and sticky nature. So, all the flies and insects get attracted towards it and try to eat honey. But they stick their and will be unable to fly.

Ingredients:

1. A bottle
2. Water
3. Honey
4. Few drops of dish wash liquid

How to prepare?

• Take a plastic bottle with narrow mouth and cut it into 2 pieces in the 1:2 ratios being upper side smaller.
• Now, take bottom part and add half of the water along with few drops of dish wash and stir this mixture well.
• Then, take the upper part which has 2 openings i.e. small opening and big opening. Keep this part inside the bottom portion by reversing it.
• This will now look like a funnel with large opening facing upwards. For this you can apply honey or fruit jam on the inside part.
• Now, place this bottle near the area with higher number of flies.
• You can repeat this method and get rid of flies forever.

Method 10: Camphor

Using camphor is a very old method, people used to burn camphor to freshen the atmosphere and get rid of insects and flies. Camphor has a very strong smell and insect repellent nature so; this is best option used to purify the environment.

We can use camphor in 3 different ways:

1. You can take a metallic plate with wooden handle and place camphor inside it and burn this camphor. The strong smell of camphor makes all the flies go away and purifies the air.
2. You can simply keep the camphor tablets all in different corners of the house. The flies get the smell and fly away from the home.
3. Take a bowl filled with hot water and add 2-3 camphor tablets to it. You can place this bowl near the flies’ area and get rid of them.

Note:

• Do not use camphor if you are a pregnant women or nursing women and sometimes small children may also have some allergy towards camphor.

Do’s

• Keep your floor clean by cleaning it with water and disinfectants.
• Put screen on your door and windows. This minimizes the entry of flies.
• Check for water around your house and avoid standing water, which is main cause of occurrence of flies.
• Always cover the dustbin with a lid or newspaper.
• Try to keep slices of cucumber on the garbage bag to avoid flies from coming.
• Electronic fly’s killer machine or some electric traps are also beneficial in destroying flies.
• Use clove oil as the disinfectant to clean your house to stay away from flies.
• You can also make a mixture of cayenne pepper and water to spray on the windows and doors to avoid flies.
• Take a jar and place few slices of ripen fruit into it. Cover the jar with plastic having holes in it. This will attract the flies.
• Pour 2-3 drops of eucalyptus oil on the ribbon or a piece of cloth and place it near the flies infected area.
• You can grow basil, lavender, bay leaf, rue, tansy, marigold etc. which keeps insects away from entering the home.
• Ginger spray and basil spray are also effective in getting rid of flies.

Don’ts

• The sweet smell of fruits attracts the flies and they come inside the home. So, don’t store fruits for long time.
• Keeping pet faeces open in the dust bin is the main reason for growth of flies.
• Highly toxic disinfectants are harmful for health so; do not use them
• Do not keep your windows or doors open during the evening time because flies come more during the evening time.
• Wash all the utensils immediately because storing them in the sink is main cause of flies.
• Do not ignore a small crack or tear in the screen of the window or door.
• Make sure your home is dry because the moisturized atmosphere leads to growth of flies.

Frequently asked questions:

1. Why do we have lot of flies inside our home?

Whenever eggs are placed near or inside the home then, break out and search for food. During this time they find a moist place where they can lay their eggs and eat the food that is open or thrown nearby your house. Usually these flies lay their egg near the garbage bag or dustbin.

2. What diseases occur due to flies?

Flies are responsible for various different types of diseases such as typhoid, cholera, dysentery, tuberculosis, etc. These flies don’t bite the skin directly but they lay eggs on the food items and contaminate the food. Through these it affects the human health and causes diseases.

3. How do flies reproduce?

Female flies lay their egg on the faecal matter, garbage, dustbin etc. where the eggs break out themselves and maggots come out. These maggots start eating the dirt around them and slowly learn to fly.

4. How do i get rid of house flies?

House flies are generally seen during the rainy season and these come in group. These flies are very attractive towards the fermented food. So, you can use the apple cider vinegar method to get rid of these house flies.

5. What is most attractive food for flies?

Flies usually get attracted towards the ripen fruits, sweet dishes, rotten meat etc. These flies are also attracted towards the dirt around the house such as dustbin, pets faeces, garbage, uncleanliness etc.

Summary:

House flies in the home are very problematic. Everyone wants to get rid of them as soon as possible because they may lead to various different diseases like diarrheal, nausea, vomiting etc.

In this article we have mentioned different methods to get rid of them. You can follow any of the method and say good bye to flies.

If you know some other methods to stay away from flies then, please write down in the comment section.

If you have any queries write to us in the comment section. Our team of experts will reply them as soon as possible.