How to Get Rid of Gnats in Your House for Good
Gnats got you *bugging* out? Try these helpful home remedies!
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We've all been there: You left a single ripe banana out on your counter and now your home is buzzing with gnats. These pests can be a persistent annoyance, but you can effectively eliminate them with these foolproof ways to get rid of gnats.
First off, to tackle a gnat problem, you'll want to start by identifying the type of gnat you're dealing with. Fungus gnats have black elongated bodies and resemble mosquitoes, while fruit flies are brown and have rounder bodies. Drain flies are fuzzy creatures with large, moth-like wings, often found around sink drains. Once you know what kind of gnats you have, the next step is to target their breeding and feeding grounds.
Frank Meek, an entomologist with Orkin, says, "The most important thing to do is get rid of breeding sources. Fruit flies, fungus gnats, phorid and drain flies reproduce quickly in a variety of environments, so stopping the cycle is key in controlling an infestation. That means identifying the species you have and the most common breeding sites or materials for that species."
Fruit flies are often attracted to overripe fruits and vegetables, as well as spills and uncovered food. To address this, Meek recommends ensuring prompt cleanup of spills, storing food properly using high-quality food storage containers, and promptly disposing of overripe produce. He also suggests using trash bags to keep your trashcans clean as well as regularly cleaning the cans. Fungus gnats, on the other hand, thrive in moist soil, especially in overwatered houseplants. To deter them, allow soil to dry out between waterings, repot plants if soil remains consistently soggy, and employ sticky traps to capture adult gnats. Drain flies, meanwhile, breed in damp, organic matter found in drains and pipes. To combat them, be sure to regularly clean drains and pipes, repair any leaks to minimize moisture, and utilize drain cleaners or bacterial treatments to break down their breeding sites effectively.
If you still find yourself with gnats, Meek recommends using home remedies like sticky traps, apple cider vinegar traps, and fruit traps. Keep reading to learn about those and more effective methods for eliminating gnats from your home. And if all this gnat talk makes you want to say “bye” to the other bugs in your life, check out how to get rid of mosquitoes, too.
Potato Trap
This fun hack is so easy! Just put raw potato chunks into the soil of your infected plant to help draw the gnats away from the plant’s roots. Replace the potato chunks as needed until the fungus gnats have faded!
We know, it can be hard to believe that your beloved houseplants could be causing your gnat problem. But before you make the difficult decision to get rid of your greenery, try some traps instead. These cute and colorful sticky traps go right in the soil and will catch anything buzzing around the pot. They'll get rid of those annoying bugs and protect your plant pet, too. These traps work just as well in other areas of high small fly activity, Frank Meek of Orkin notes. "The traps usually last for a few months and use a solution to attract insects to the traps," he explains.
You can technically make this trap at home by covering a jar of rotting fruit with perforated plastic wrap. However, many people find these mason jar lids to work much better. You'll just put fruit into your own jar then screw on the cap. The fruit will draw the gnats in through entry holes, but they won't be able to leave. Plus, the lids are dishwasher safe as well!
When dealing with pesky critters, you really can't go wrong with fly paper! It'll catch any flying insects from gnats and houseflies to mosquitoes. That way, you can knock out several problems in one go. Just unroll the sticky paper using a twirling motion and hang wherever gnats are an issue. We promise they won't be bugging you anymore!
Make a gnat-catching solution with ingredients you have in your pantry! Start by filling a small container with a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, then add one or two drops of liquid dish soap and cover with plastic wrap, Meek recommends. Finally, poke a handful of holes in the plastic wrap with a toothpick. Replace the solution every other day to maintain it. "These DIY traps attract specific types of small flies and then block their exit, leaving them stuck inside the vessel," Meek says.
Red Wine Trap
Don't worry, you don't have to sacrifice your favorite bottle. This trap works best with wine that's turned vinegary. Mix some vino with a couple drops of dish soap in a small bowl, and wait for the gnats to accumulate.
Are gnats hanging out around your drain? Getting rid of them might be as easy as using this household cleaning product. Dilute a cup of bleach with about one gallon water, pour it down the drain, and your gnat problem will be history.
Burn, baby, burn! For this old-school trick, place a long tapered candle in a candlestick holder, then put the holder into a pan that's partially filled with water. Turn off all the lights and wait for the gnats to fly toward the flame. If they don't hit the flame directly, they'll fall into the water.
If indoor plants are the culprit behind your gnat problem, invest in these ready-to-use granules, which you can add to the soil of a potted plant. The pesticide will protect your plants from gnats (plus termites, mealybugs, and other pesky insects) for up to eight weeks. Note: You shouldn't use it for any edible plants!
Rotten Fruit
It might sound counterintuitive, but you can lure gnats with the same thing that might've caused your problem. Add rotten fruit to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, secure with a rubber band, and poke small holes on the surface. Gnats will flock to the overripe fruit, but they won't be able to escape!
Audrey is the assistant editor at Food Network Magazine and The Pioneer Woman Magazine.
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