The buzzing and ever-increasing number of gnats is extremely annoying. This makes it necessary to get rid of them at the earliest.
Gnats are small tiny insects, resembling fruit flies. They too get attracted to rotten food and fruits, and breed in drains or wherever there is filth. They are also found around saturated houseplants. In spite of having a very short life span, they multiply very fast. One single gnat can lay 200-300 eggs. Hence, to get rid of them, you first have to stop their breeding.
Following are some tips which should be followed to stop gnat breeding easily.
- Keep all the fruits in covered vessels or in the refrigerator, where gnats cannot enter.
- Get rid of all rotten fruits and vegetables.
- Do not pour extra water in plants. Keep them damp, but do not allow water to float. Saturated water is one of the main breeding grounds of gnats.
- Do not leave any dishes in the sink.
- Repair the leaking faucets, as gnats can lay eggs there.
- Do not leave any damp clothes on the cloth line for many days.
Here are some simple ways for getting rid of gnats in your house.
Apple Cider Vinegar Trap
This is one of the easiest ways to get rid of gnats. To make this trap, pour some apple cider vinegar and detergent in a saucer, stir it. Stirring is necessary as it creates bubbles. The gnats will get attracted to the smell of the vinegar, and get caught in the bubbles. Repeat the procedure for a couple of days. Remember to keep the trap overnight, because gnats do not jump in directly. They will swarm around it for a long time and then jump.
Trap Using Banana
As we know now, gnats are attracted to rotten fruits. So keep a ripe banana inside a bowl, and cover it with a paper. Now fasten a rubber band on the paper so as to get a smooth surface. With a needle, poke some holes on the surface, through which the flies can go in. The next morning, you will see a number of them dead in the bowl.
Avoid Their Breeding in the Kitchen
As earlier stated, drains are one of the main breeding grounds for gnats. The kitchen sink, containing dirty water with particles of rotten food, is almost like a danger zone. Hence, we need to keep the drains clean, but technically, that is not always possible. So, the most simple solution is to pour vegetable oil around the kitchen sink drain. Gnats will not be able to breed on the oily surface. If you are allergic to vegetable oil, you can pour a cup of ammonia down the kitchen sink.
Hair Dryer Method
The hair dryer is one unique weapon against such flies. Switch on the hair dryer on full heat, and use the back of the dryer to suck the gnats inside the vacuum.
You could also hang yellow fly papers, but those are highly poisonous. Instead, follow the cleanliness rule, and also change the outdoor bulbs to sodium lights, as they attract less gnats. All these ways will definitely help you in getting rid of gnats from your home.
