House flies are a common pest. While flies might seem like an unavoidable nuisance, there are some easy steps you can take to get rid of flies and keep them away.
We spoke to pest eradication expert Danny Kelly from Pest Ex to get his professional advice on how to get rid of flies. The best bit? With Danny’s three simple steps below those pesky flies will buzz off in no time.
The problem with flies
Flies are widely considered one of the most disgusting pests for homeowners (and food preparation businesses) to deal with. They quickly develop in four life stages — egg, larvae, pupa, and adult — and are known to carry 65 different diseases and infections. So getting rid of them is a common goal, just like getting rid of cockroaches – and any other pest or unwelcome insect that can invade your precious home.
Every home has it’s dirty and unhygienic spots — like bin zones or areas with fecal matter — and it’s those areas that flies are commonly found. But, you can get rid of them with these three simple steps.
1. Clean up and break the cycle
Flies reproduce rapidly and at scale (ew!). The key to managing flies and their populations is to break the lifecycle and reduce conducive areas (including sanitation) in and around buildings or homes.
Danny recommends regular cleaning of food preparation areas like kitchen countertops. Speedy removal of any pet faeces is also crucial in order to make your home less appealing to flies. It’s also a good idea to use rubbish bags and cover rubbish bins to prevent population increase.
2. Call in the professionals
According to Danny, proper identification of the flies and appropriate treatment is crucial to ensure that one or two flies buzzing around does not turn into a more serious problem.
While preventative measures, fly sprays and natural remedies can be effective methods to get rid of flies, if all else fails it’s time to call in the professionals. Pest removal professionals will use specific treatments to remove flies at every stage of their lifecycle and make the home undesirable for new flies to move in.
3. Try DIY fly removal remedies
There are a number of DIY remedies you can try at home to get rid of flies.
Non-chemical fly traps
Typically made from long strips covered in sticky glue, non-chemical fly traps are available to purchase from the supermarket. Danny says these can also be made from scratch by cutting cardboard strips, mixing honey with the sticky glued and painting the strips.
Just make sure to throw them out when a large number of flies have been caught on the strip.
Camphor and camphor fumes
Flies don’t like the smell or fumes from camphor. “Fresh camphor can be placed in a small bowl around the home as a natural deterrent,” says Danny.
Lemongrass oil
This oil is also a known natural deterrent for flies around the home due to its scent. Danny recommends placing the oil in a small container with the lid open around the home or kitchen.
Cloves
While the smell of cloves might be refreshing for us, it’s undesirable for flies. Danny says small amounts of cloves in a bowl or container can be placed around the home or kitchen to deter flies.
Mint leaves
“Crushed mint leaves give off an immediate smell that is proven to ward off flies,” says Danny. So you can have your mojito sans flies. Now that’s a happy hour.
Vodka spray
“Yes, believe it or not this is one of the fastest deterrents for house flies,” says Danny. Simply add some cheap vodka into a spray bottle and spray onto the affected fly area – this will give off an immediate odour that the flies will despise.
This article was originally published as How to get rid of flies in 3 simple steps by www.realestate.com.au and written by Erin Morris