How to Get Rid of Gnat Bugs in Your House

Although gnats are harmless, they can be extremely annoying. In addition, they can populate your house in a hurry --- one gnat can lay 200 to 300 eggs in just a few months. People often confuse gnats and fruit flies, but they are not the same insect. Distinguishing between the two is often difficult, but fortunately, you may be able to eliminate both pests with the same remedies. With a little cleaning and a bit of ingenuity, you can remove the flying annoyances in your home using homemade all-natural remedies. Does this Spark an idea?

Instructions

1

Clean your countertops, cabinets and other areas in which food or organic matter may be present. Gnats are attracted to food, grease and similar materials. Keeping your house clean will help to reduce the number of gnats that want to enter and feast on what you are offering.

2

Dampen your houseplants, but do not saturate them. Gnats are attracted to over-moisturized plants and will lay eggs in their soil. Use pots that allow excess water to drain out to prevent your plants from becoming too wet. In addition, replace the top layer of dirt with sterilized soil and place peat moss on top, which can help to deter gnats.

3

Place all of your food in airtight containers. Keep your fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator or in a bin the gnats cannot penetrate. Gnats are especially attracted to the strong smell of fruit, so keep your fruit in an area the gnats cannot access.

4

Empty and clean your trash can regularly. Gnats are attracted to the smell of rotting food.

5

Place a piece of banana into a small dish. Pour enough vinegar in the dish until it reaches the top. Place plastic wrap tightly over the dish and poke small holes in the wrap that will allow the gnats to enter, but not exit. Gnats are attracted to vinegar and fruit; therefore, you will likely find a few gnats drowned in the vinegar or feasting on the banana. Discard the gnats in an outdoor receptacle.

6

Place a piece of raw potato in your plant's pot to keep gnat eggs from hatching. Remove the potato in two days, along with any larvae that are on it. Continue this process until you stop finding gnat larvae on the potato.

7

Place sticky traps around your home. These traps, available at most hardware and home improvement stores, trap the gnats and prevent them from flying away. Discard the traps outside when they are full.

8

Keep your sink clean and regularly sanitize the drain. Gnats are attracted to food matter and grease and will often hang around sink drains. Pour vegetable oil inside the drain so that the gnats will become coated when they enter. The oil that coats the gnats will prevent them from being able to breed.