Apr 25 2007
Popular Home Remedies for House Fly Control
Houseflies make up 98 percent of flies that invade homes, and considered to be one of the filthiest insect pests. The housefly generally breeds in decaying organic matter and feed on manure, garbage, and food left out by humans. Flies contaminate everything they touch and spread many human diseases. There are many chemical means of killing house flies, but there are some people that prefer home remedies of insecticides in getting rid of the pests. Home remedies can be used for everything from treating the common cold to cleaning the toilet, and may be a safe and effective means of ridding the home of house flies.
A home remedy that is not really a remedy, but it is a natural means of control, is simply preventing flies from breeding in and around the home. Flies lay their eggs on decomposing organic matter, so it is important to keep lids on trash cans indoors and out, and to always cover food scraps left in the kitchen.
Flies breed where manure and garbage accumulates, so it is important to keep the perimeter of the home clean and clear of garbage, and to clean up any pet manure. Garbage cans should be cleaned with disinfectants on a weekly basis to reduce the attraction of the house fly. The cans should also be equipped with tight-fitting lids, and trash should be disposed of on a weekly basis, and even more in the summer, if possible. Pet waste should be disposed of promptly, and should not be allowed to stand in a garbage can for more than two days, which will definitely attract flies. Food should also not be allowed to stand, as the old food will attract flies and encourage their breeding. There are many herbs and spices that can be used as home remedies, and that work to repel flies from the home.
Growing basil in flower pots or placing fresh-cut basil in vases and places where it is needed, will work as a natural repellant and flies will be apt to invade the home. Eucalyptus leaves can be burned outside, and used to repel flies as well as mosquitoes. A natural pests’ barrier can be made around the home to discourage flies from entering. The barriers are like barbed wire that keep the flies out of the home. Growing certain plants around the periphery of the home can make barriers. The plants will look nice while deterring nasty flies from entering the home, and even the yard. For flies, mint and basil should be grown to repel them, and keep them from entering the human household. These plants may smell nice to humans, but they are absolutely disgusting to house flies.
House flies can also be controlled by making natural fly traps. It is not commonly known, but flies are attracted to wine, particularly Chardonnay. There are a few ways that wine can be used to help eliminate flies. First, fly traps can be made by leaving an open bottle of wine out, but lining the bottom of the wine bottle with mango peels; in this instance, flies will fly into the wine bottle and get stuck, and eventually die inside the bottle.
Another home remedy using wine involves directly poisoning the house flies; a saucer should be filled with white wine and poisoned with dish detergent. Then, the saucer can be left around for the flies to feed on; flies will drink the wine and eventually die from the poisoning.
Homeowners can also make their own fly paper to attract and kill flies. To make the fly paper, owners will need boiling water, sugar and corn syrup combined together. The sticky mixture should be spread on a brown paper bag, and then placed at fly entryways for the best results.
Related posts:
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- Non-toxic and Natural Ways to Rid your Home of Spiders
- Decorating With House Plants
- Growing House Plants With Organic Indoor Gardening
- Ban Raccoons and Squirrels with Common Household Ingredients
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I am going to try all the suggestions listed, but I really am very concerned. I have never had but a few flies in my house, and I’d go around killing them, and that would be the end. For over two weeks my house has become injested, and I can’t find the reason, or where they are nesting, and they must be, because some of the flies are very little. Any more suggestions. We have a kitty in the house also.
We’ve also just become infested with flies and bc we have kids and a housecat we want to avoid chemicals. Thanks for the tips!
Is it possible to give more instructions for the mixture that goes on the brown paper (water, sugar and corn syrup) to make fly paper?
I will try these tips also.
We have a home on the Northern California Delta and have had the same problem. Have never had this before. At any given time we have 50 houseflies on our sliding glass door screen. It’s gross!
Probably a result of global warming, huh?
we have a home in the Carolinas ,I too am going to try the basil and wine tips i think these are pretty easy we too have small children and house cat and a dog.. and curently moved to the country so i am sure this will help.
I’ve killed over 400 flies in my home over the last few days. Some of the flies don’t even have wings yet. They seem to be coming out of the walls. I just moved into this home and I have a feeling something died under the house. I’m going crazy trying to get rid of the flies!. I will try fruit juice and detergent. Thank you~
If anyone has tried any of these, will you please let me know? I’d like to know a little more about the brown paper bag.
We’ve lived in our house in Northern California for my entire life & have only had this problem ONE time…when a rat died in our wall!
We have a large dog but we clean up after her 2 times a day. No garbage is anywhere around our house. I’d like to know why they’re here. Thanks!
I found 2 site w/ good instructions for the brn paper bag ttrap and another one not tried them yet but plan to the next next 48 hours
http://www.makeyourown.net/fly_trap.shtml
http://www.tipking.co.uk/tip/4353.html
I’ve made the homemade fly paper before , a bit differently though.
I used cider vinegar and 1 cup sugar
enough vinegar with sugar to make a wet looking sand.
and 1 tbsp corn syrup.
Bring to Boil over medium heat till sticky like molases.
Spread with paint brush on the dull side of butcher paper cut into strips.
tack to under side of eves of house where flies like to rest at night.
sweet I am a wine lover so this is cool. I have everything i need right here at home
I have to let you all know what i had immediate success with. I tried all three things suggested and was waiting, waiting, waiting. Then i popped over to another site which suggested a spray bottle of warm water with a few drops of dishwashing liquid. IMMEDIATE results! woo hoo!!!
Realy hope this works i cant stand it i have to feed my dog inside because they will all sit on top of his food, ……..i never seen so may in my life i cant enjoy my back yard:( i will try each one and tell you what is best out of them all!
The flies circle around my dick, next to my back door, there isn’t any garbage or food there. Please help.
Um Cathy…you may want to double check your spelling…
I am going to try planting purple coneflowers and russian sage around my periameter…I have heard it helps too.
Continued…I purchased some large basil plants from a greenhouse and placed them near all my doorways…as well we moved our garbage cans farther away from the house, put some crushed garlic in our dogs food and burn incense on our kitchen counter before prepping food…I think we are winning!!!
As well, the plant Tansy is supposed to deter flies, cockroaches and ants FYI.
P.S. …and yes…I know it is spelled perimeter…I was going for a shot of humour!
One last note..garlic works with my big dogs and I have my Vet’s ok…it can be toxic in large doses for small dogs I have heard.
I am so sick and tired of these flies. Have a BBQ and there goes the fun of being outside. Kill hundreds in the house then prepare a meal. Watching TV is out if the question. I will be trying these remedies in the next 15 minutes as I have the wine.
The dishsoap in a mist bottle worked immediately!! Thank you for the tip. I have 2 parrots in my home and it isn’t safe for them to spray any chemicals.
Yea, I am so hoping these ideas work. I live in the country in a very old house with lots of crack and crevices and down the road from a cow farm. These flies are so disusting and messy. I’m all for natural remedies and I can certainly do these.
I feel everyone’s pain! I just started having a problem with flies last summer. And now it’s starting again. I’m determined to not use toxic chemicals. Right now, I’m using fly ribbons which are O.K. but 1. the flies have to come near the ribbons in order to get stuck (they usually do) and 2. these ribbons are embarrassing when you have visitors, with all the fly carcasses stuck to them. My family gets tired of seeing them too.
I want to try the basil and the spray bottle with water and dish detergent. Has anyone tried mint or Ziploc bags 1/2 filled with water? I’m going to buy a device that looks like a space heater that has glue boards and special lights that will fry these nuisances.
Just used the dishsoap in a mist bottle around the garbage cans and the flies all flew away! Hopefully they stay away! Not a wine drinker. Will try planting basil in our window boxes. Thanks for the suggestions.
I am going to try these remedies. I was visiting my grandmothers house and they are resting at the bottom of her steps outside waiting for the opportunity to come in. I told her that I WAS COMING ON THE INTERNET AND FIND A SOLUTION AND FAST!! Thanks for all the advice I will keep you updated.
Thank you for the info,as a lot of peps now living in the country, cows and sheep in the fields havent seen so many flys in my life….will def try the mint and basil first………
The Ziploc bag half full of water, tacked above the door did not work for me. I have resorted to using the handy dandy fly swatter and chase them around for several minutes and create a massacre. I had a problem with fruit flies recently, after checking the pantry for any spoiled potatoes, fruit or onions; I had no clue where they were coming from until I discovered that they were coming from my kitchen drain, weird to me because I don’t have a garbage disposal. I used a whole box of baking soda and a large bottle of lemon juice. Voila’ no more disgusting fruit flies! I WIN!!!
Sudsy water in the squirt bottle seemed the cheapest AND most immediate gratification and – Guess What?!? The 25 flies that had moved indoors over the last 3 days of upper 90’s heat in the SF Bay Area were ALL struck down, within 2 minutes. Oh yeah!
Thanks a million!!
The warm water and dish soap spray worked wonders!
OMG! There is a swarm of flies on my deck outside near my sliding glass door. There is no garbage or anything they would be attracted to out there. I have tried every remedy on this website and a few others and nothing is working! They don’t even move out of the way when you walk through them. Seriously i bump into them when I walk!! They are posessed what else can I do?????
WELL, I’V READ ALL OF THE REMIDIES BUT I WILL TELL YOU, I LIVE IN A FARMING AREA IN THE NORTHWEST AND I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH FLIES EVER SINCE I MOVED HERE 10 YEARS AGO AND HERE IS THE PROBLEM. THERE IS A FLY THAT IS CALLED THE “CLUSTER FLY” THAT EVOLVES FROM AN EARTHWORM. THE ADULT FLY LAYS ITS EGGS IN CRACKS IN THE GROUND AND ATTACHES TO EARTH WORMS AND THERE YOU HAVE IT. THEY FEED ON FLOWERS AROUND YOUR GARDEN. WHEN FALL COMES, THEY CRAWL IN YOUR WALLS, FALSE CEILINGS AND WHERE EVER IT IS WARM AND DARK. THEY STAY THERE UNTIL SPRING WHEN THEY LEAVE. THE ONLY WAY TO KILL THEM IS TO USE “FOGGERS” (bite the bullet) THAT WILL GET INTO THESE AREAS. THEN NEXT SUMMER, SPRAY YOUR EVES OF YOUR HOUSE WITH A PESTICIDE THAT WILL KEEP THEM OUT!!!! I HAVE KILLED SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND IN THE LAST FEW DAYS!!! YES, SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND!!! AND I WILL SET OFF MORE FOGGERS IN A FEW MORE DAYS TO KILL THE REST!! LET THEM SETTLE DOWN AND GET BACK IN AND DO IT WHEN IT IS FREEZING OUT SO WHEN THEY LEAVE THE HIDING PLACES, THEY WILL DIE!!!
GOOD LUCK AND “DEATH TO THE FLY”