Be it black or red gnats in house, gnats are one of the most annoying pests one can encounter. Swarms of them fly all around the house and some even fly to sit on your nose. Before their numbers increase, it is important to control their populations. This article provides information on how to get rid of gnats in the house.
Gnats are tiny insects that bear semblance to flies and can be quite annoying. Moreover, when you have company at home, gnats in the house can prove to be quite embarrassing. Actually gnats is the common name used to refer to different types of tiny, winged insects such as fruit flies, biting midges, hair flies, black flies, etc. The pests fly in swarms around and inside the house and devour specific things depending on their type. Some gnats are happy feeding on plants, fungi and food items, while others satiate themselves by sucking human blood.
How to Get Rid of Gnats in the House
The type of home remedy one uses will depend on the source of gnat infestation. If the gnats are coming from the drain, the mode of treatment will be different from that when they infest watered plants. Let us have a look at the different ways gnats can be eliminated.
Vinegar Bottle Trap
This is the most common method of getting rid of gnats in the house. Fill some apple cider vinegar in a bottle and pierce some holes into its lid. Place it in the vicinity of the gnats and wait for this trap to get hold of the pesky insects. The apple cider vinegar will lure the gnats to the bottle and though the gnats enter the bottle, they will not be able to climb out. Moreover, the vinegar inside will drown them.
Store Food Wisely
Gnats are lured towards ripe fruits and aromatic food items (well, aromatic also includes garbage!). One way to get rid of pesky gnats is by storing all fruits and vegetables into the refrigerator. Moreover, clean up spillage and crumbs quickly, so as to avoid attracting insects. Also, clear the garbage from the house. A messy house, improperly stored food items and improper garbage disposal results in gnat infestation. So these factors have to be looked into carefully.
Ammonia
Gnats also come from sink drains and if you spot them near your drains you need to do something about them, because drains are breeding grounds for gnats. Check your sink drains and look for some gnats there. If the answer is positive, pour half a cup of ammonia down the sink drain and refrain from using the tap for the next few hours. This will hinder gnats breeding sessions and will get rid of them, as they get repelled by ammonia. For the long run, pour vinegar into the drain once a week. This will clear the drain of clogs and help prevent gnat infestation.
Change the Lighting
Changing outdoor lighting can make a major difference. Gnats are attracted to our regular light bulbs, so you need to get rid of them and replace them with sodium bulbs. These bulbs will not attract the attention of gnats.
Stop Over-Watering Plants
Excessive watering of plants leads to moist soil, which in turn attracts gnats to lay their eggs. Moreover, drain excess water from the pot after watering them, as poor drainage leads to plant rotting, which again attracts gnats. Take the pots out into the sunlight to dry out after watering, as this will prevent the soil from being moist for extended periods of time. To prevent gnat infestation in the future, one should mix a tablespoon of detergent and a teaspoon of white vinegar into the water. Then use this solution to water the plants. The detergent will repel the gnats.
Detergent
In a bowl, pour some apple cider vinegar and detergent and leave it in the infested area. The gnats will get attracted to the vinegar and sip it up. The detergent kills the gnats and frees you from their annoying clutches.
Lemon Grass Oil
Lemon grass oil is available at most drug stores. Purchase a bottle of this oil and pour 10 to 15 drops of this oil into a spray bottle. Add 70 to 100 ml of hot water and shake well. Spray this solution in the gnat infested areas. For potted plants infested by gnats, take a few drops of lemon oil along with lemon grass oil and apply it on the rim of the potted plants. The smell of these oils will repel the gnats.
Banana
Take a ripe banana (overripe is better) and place a few of its pieces in a wide bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and secure it with a rubber band. Pierce some holes into the plastic wrap with a pen and leave it near the gnats. The banana attracts the gnats inside the bowl through the holes, however, gnats won’t be able to get out of the bowl. Eventually they will die and you and your house will be free.
It’s easier to prevent gnats from invading your house rather than grappling with different measures to get rid of them. Firstly, keep your house clean; not just on the weekends, but throughout the week. Clear food spillages, throw overripe fruits and stale food items. Use a lid to cover the garbage tin and dispose garbage on a regular basis. Put wire mesh screens on doors and windows to prevent entry of gnats.
