John Myers
There are several home remedies that you can use to get rid of flies. We present the most effective ones in more detail. In addition to essential oils such as eucalyptus, lavender, and laurel oil, this also includes classic fly traps, plants, and, for example, spices such as chili or cayenne pepper.
Essential Oils
The oils have a deterrent effect on flies. In particular, eucalyptus and laurel oil should help against insects in the apartment. Lavender also helps against flies: Drip a few drops of lavender oil onto a piece of cloth and close it in a jar. After a few hours, you can open the container, which then gives off an intense lavender scent. The flies stay away from this cloud of scent for a while.
Fly traps
Flies are difficult to get rid of in the kitchen, especially in summer – fruit flies feel at home in waste and organic waste. But what helps against the little flies in the kitchen? Fill a bottle with sugar water: the insects will be attracted to the sugar and will not be able to get out of the bottle. When there is a fruit fly infestation, vinegar is a popular home remedy for flies: mix a fruit fly trap with water, a drop of washing-up liquid, and a little sugar in a glass in no time at all. As soon as the flies land on the water – attracted by the vinegar – they sink to the bottom of the glass thanks to the detergent. A piece of paper on the wall that you previously spread with glue can also serve as a fly trap. If the little pests land on the paper, they stick. Commercially available adhesive rolls also work using a similar method.
Spices: cloves & lemon or chili & cayenne
Garnish half a lemon with cloves; the combination of smells keeps the flies away.
Water mixed with chili powder is also very unpleasant for the little pests. You can set up the chili water in a bowl in the apartment – or fill it in bottles and spray it on places popular with insects if necessary.
Special plants
Tomato plants smell very unpleasant to flies, so they stay away from them. If you plant your balcony or terrace with the nightshade plant, fewer flies will be attracted. But what to do against flies that are already in the house? Carnivorous plants can help here, since they have the small insects on the menu.
Matches
Flies like to lay their eggs in potting soil because it is nice and moist there. A match stick head down in the soil has high sulfur content and will kill the larvae in the eggs.
More tips about fly traps & Co
There are a number of chemical traps and aggressive pest sprays on the market. Ideally, you should not use these indoors, but only in the garden. So if you are looking for a remedy against flies when barbecuing or on the terrace, the “Chemokeule” can help.
There are also preventive measures to prevent a plague of flies in the first place. Ventilate in the morning – if possible with a draft. The reason: the flying insects don’t like wind. During the day, especially when the sun is shining, the windows should stay closed. Always cover fruit and other open foods in summer and wash the fruit thoroughly immediately after shopping. Because the eggs of the fruit flies are often already on the fruit in the supermarket. You can read here which types of fruit can even be kept in the fridge. In general, you should store your fruit correctly and not leave it overripe or even rotten in the fruit bowl. You should wash dirty dishes immediately or put them in the dishwasher and empty the garbage frequently in summer. The flies are particularly attracted to leftovers. If you have your own organic waste or compost, do not put it near windows. Otherwise, it is not far into the house for the flies.
