Learn how to easy eliminate and prevent gnats from figure your home .
Although they ’re tiny , gnat can cause a great deal of annoyance inside your home . While most people distribute with them , not many know how to get free of gnats quickly . We ’re breaking down precisely what gnat are , where they come from , and how to not only get rid of the I that are currently buzzing around but also how to foreclose gnats from reappearing in the future .
Kelsey Hansen
Credit:Kelsey Hansen
What Are Gnats?
The terminus gnats refers to small flying insects that may or may not bite . you’re able to remain well-heeled experience that most indoor gnats are not the biting form nor are they prone to spreading disease . But still , these unwished guests are a pain in the neck and it ’s important to deal with them before an infestation gets worse . The first whole tone to combating gnat is to make love what kind of gnat you have buzz around your outer space .
These are the three most plebeian types of gnat :
Gnats breed on decaying , organic issue and moisture , so you ’ll require to appraise the root of them . This should be comparatively obvious , as they tend to pull together around the problem , which will aid in identifying their case . Use the following ideas to get disembarrass of gnat and acquire how to fend them off for good .
Credit:Kelsey Hansen
How to Get Rid of Gnats in Your Home
The skilful news is that there are multiple ways toeradicate gnatsin and around your home . The even better news ? Most of these methods are easy , economical , and efficacious . Here are a few DIY result to try .
1. Trap Fruit Flies with Vinegar and Sugar
Place a trough near the infestation and make full it with vinegar before bestow a teaspoon of spare lucre , which is what the gnats will be take out to . The vinegar is what will ultimately toss off them , but you also need a way to keep them in the bowl long enough for that to happen . Either cover the bowl with plastic wrap and poke small holes on the top , or add a second of dish soap to the vinegar and sugar intermixture .
If you have an open wine bottle ( ruby put to work well ) that ’s gone rancid but you have n’t had the heart to toss out it yet , you’re able to swap it for vinegar and follow the rest of the steps .
2. Use Produce That’s Gone Bad
Forfruit fly , try a similar method tolure and trap them . Add a few pieces of rot yield , such as a banana tree or apple , to a bowl , cover tightly with charge plate wrap , and pry little holes in the plastic so that the gnats can get in but ca n’t get back out . They ’ll eventually die in the homemade trap . This is a good way to cue your house to eat fruit before it starts to spoil .
3. Battle Drain Flies with Bleach
Mix ahalf cup of bleachwith a full gallon of water and tardily pour the diluted mix down the drain to wipe out any gnats and possible larva . instead , you could usea commercial-grade drain cleanerto produce the same results . Be sure to ventilate the room well after using blanching agent .
4. Get Rid of Gnats with a Candle
Fill a pan with weewee and a bit ofdish soapand add a candlestick with atall , tapered candlein the center . Light the candle , then verify the rest of the elbow room is sullen . After a while , you ’ll mark that the gnats have been take out to it and ultimately perish by the heat or by drop into the buttery mixture below .
5. Stock up on Sticky Traps
If all else fails , or you ’re not concerned in spend a penny a DIY result , sample placing astore - bought fly front trapsuch as flypaper , cards , or medal near where gnat gather . Some of these products are even designed to sit in the soil alongside a potted flora to entrance fungus gnats . Once the sticky side is sufficiently make full , pitch it and add a novel one . you may also try abug zapperthat ’s aimed at catching small insect or , if the job really persists , call a reliable pest ascendence company .
Store - bought sticky traps can be harmful to pet if rust or chewed on , so be sure to read the promotional material carefully and keep an eye on your pets while they are in use .
How to Get Rid of Gnats in Your Garden
Gnats can still be pesky when spending meter outdoors with get it on ones or getting to work in your garden . utilize these tips to help eliminate gnats in your garden .
1. Switch Out Light Bulbs
Because gnats and otherflying pestsare draw in to vivid lighting , replace youroutdoor bulbswith white-livered bug light bulbs . Bugs have a limited vision spectrum , so they have trouble detect warm tones . Switching to yellow light bulbs will make it hard for them to read the light , leading to less swarming gnats in your outdoor place .
2. Clean and Relocate Water Features
gnat love congregating near stand water , so place any outdoor standing water features ( such as boo bath orfountains ) far from your house . Also , attempt to keep them as clean as possible to further deter gnat from get to themselves well-situated .
3. Fix Leaky Pipes
Fix allpipes that are leakingwater or sewage outside of your dwelling house . gnat love dampish spots , so the more you could limit and maintain your drain and sewage pipage , the less gnats will require to camp out out near your house . The same rule utilise to talebearing water spigots and hoses .
4. Use Mosquito Dunks
pretermit a mosquito dunk into a pail of water system , and let it full unthaw . As the stuff shot dissolves , a bacteria that is toxic to quick louse is released . After the dunk shot is fully dissolved , pour the water supply onto the soil in your garden .
Make certain your mosquito dunk is good for wildlife and darling before you dump the urine onto the soil in your garden .
How to Prevent Gnats in the Future
Once you ’ve successfully extirpate the gnat that have been disoblige you , it ’s clip to focalize on bar . So , how do you stop them from returning ? Be certain to apply the following habits on a regular basis to keep gnat at bay .
1. Maintain Low Humidity in your Home
Gnats are attracted to humid and tone down environments . So , ensure the AC is working properly in the summer , check for any leaks throughout the theater , andadd a dehumidifierto any rooms that tend to get dampish .
2. Tend to the Trash
Your garbage can , peculiarly in the kitchen , should have a lid that seals fast when not in use . The trash , along withany indoor compost , should be take out regularly .
3. Avoid Overwatering Houseplants
The wet dirt of indoor pot can make a breeding soil for gnats . So , take it slowly on watering them or look intolow - maintenance plantsthat require small amounts of weewee to thrive .
4. Keep Drains Clean and Dry
This is one of biggest the hotspots for gnat , so pay up extra attention to your kitchen sink and drain . strip it ( along with agarbage disposalif you have one ) on a reproducible basis , keep the area as dry as potential , and use a drain stopper overnight .
5. Clean As You Go
pick as you go about your day will make for a tidier and pest - free home . like a shot wipe up spills on the floors and countertops , particularly if lettuce is involved ( such as from a cupful of juice ) . Throw away all rubbish point , and ensure to put away food after meals are finished .
Frequently Asked Questions
Adult gnats live for approximately one week .
Gnats are attract to lovesome and moist spots , like puddles , spills , or leaks . They also are attracted to uncertain produce , flowers , and house plants .
The quickest solution to getting disembarrass of gnats is to clean your space and dispatch any trash or unsealed food . pass over down buffet , clean drains , and ensure there is no standing body of water in your sink .
Credit:Kelsey Hansen
“ Fungus Gnats in the plate . ”Western Pest Services , 14 Mar. 2024 , www1.maine.gov/dacf/php/gotpests/bugs/documents/fungus-gnats-utah.pdf .
Credit:Kelsey Hansen
Credit:Kelsey Hansen
Credit:Kelsey Hansen
Credit:Kelsey Hansen
Credit:Kelsey Hansen
Credit:Kelsey Hansen
Credit:Kelsey Hansen
