How To Free Your Home Of Gnats

Generally found in countries with warm climate, gnats are small creatures that take pleasure in staying around drains and garbage cans of the kitchen. Besides kitchen, they prefer to linger in bathrooms. These undisruptive creatures are often referred as fruit flies, as they tend to get attracted to food, especially rotten fruits, smelly food or saturated plants. Though not harmful as such, gnats irritate us, as they buzz around our heads and don’t go off easily. Moreover they can harm new seedlings, small plants and some of them can even give a painful bite. Because of their small size, they seem resistant to insect sprays and tend to multiply if uncontrolled. If you are also suffering from the problem of gnats, read on to know how to free your home of the pests.

Ways To Get Rid Of Gnats In Your House

Electric Swatters- If you can shell out some time to get rid of gnats, electric swatters comes your way. They look alike a tennis racket and deliver a current when swayed, which makes them quite powerful in killing gnats and other small insect.
Boiling Water- Gnats tend to lay eggs in damp areas, particularly around the sink and basin. So, the best way to get rid of them is by pouring boiled water in the area and plugging it, so that nothing goes in or out of it. It will kill the eggs hiding within the sink area.
No Food Supply- The best way to keep gnats away from your place is by not keeping food stuff in open; either put them in the fridge area or closed bins, so that the bugs don’t have access to them. Empty the garbage bins regularly and make sure to clean the bins and sink areas thoroughly on a daily basis.
Sticky Traps- Gnats tend to get attracted to yellow color and you can use this color to trap them as well. You can easily make sticky traps at home, by applying petroleum jelly or honey on a yellow card. The bugs will try to explore it and in the process will be trapped by the sticky substance.
Tobacco- Though tobacco has many harmful effects, surprisingly, it can save us from these annoying bugs. Open a few cigarettes and make a light layer at the top of the soil or sink area, with the content in them. The nicotine present in it will help in getting rid of gnats.
Vinegar- Fill a jar with vinegar and nudge holes in its lid. The gnats will be attracted to its smell, crawl into the jar and will find it difficult to crawl out. Finally, they will drown in it.
Vodka Spray- Mix vodka and water in the ratio of 1:3 and spray it on plants affected by gnats. Try spraying it on the leaf first, to make sure that alcohol isn’t harsh on it.

Other Tips

Keep sweet and sticky food or beverages in the kitchen area or a place that gnats frequent. They will get attracted to them and get trapped.
Pour a little vegetable oil in the sink. It will coat the pests with oil and disable their breeding.
Avoid watering plants for two weeks, if they are infected with larvae and let the surface dry out. Remove 1/4^th of the top soil and replace it with sand.
Pour a cup of ammonia in the sink at night and let it stand there for some time. It will kill the larvae and no room will be left for the gnats to breed.

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