Household Gnats?

Question

I know moisture breeds them. What can I do to be rid of them? An exterminator was no real help.

Answer 1

Gnats Come From Water, trash, poop, food, dead things, and even live animals with dirt or infection. Clean up everything, sometimes it can be things you don't even see like food residue from your hands on the wall.


If you don't want gnats around, you have to cut off their food supply. This means fruits and vegetables have to go in the refrigerator or a bin the bugs can't penetrate. Make sure house plants stay damp, but not wet, and they must have the proper drainage. Gnats just love over-watered house plants. Empty trashcans regularly and don't allow rotting food to sit in the house. Make sure all trash receptacles and sink drains are cleaned thoroughly, and don't have any old rancid food stuck to them. Never let dirty dishes stand in the sink.

Your best recourse is chemicals. The supermarket and hardware stores have several flying insect spray options for you to choose from. Just about any one of these will take care of your gnat problem. Be sure to check the back of the label to make certain it isn't harmful to pets. If your home is experiencing an all-out infestation, you may need to look into a fogging product. This will require you to seal off cabinets and anywhere else food and eating implements are stored. Be sure to take the pets and leave the house for the day.

You can also get rid of gnats by using products found around the home. Since they are attracted to the scent of vinegar, fill a jar with vinegar and poke holes in the lid. The gnats will climb into the jar, but they won't be able to climb out. For those that remain in the house, try putting vegetable oil around your kitchen sink drain. Gnats finding themselves coated in the oil will be unable to breed. If you're not interested in potentially clogging your drain with vegetable oil, pouring a cup of ammonia down your kitchen sink is said to get rid of any flies hovering around that area. Let it sit for a couple of hours before using the sink again.

Answer 2

Seriously, the way to capture and eliminate gnats is to:
1. Get a glass.
2. Put something inside to attract like a piece of cut fruit.
3. Put Saran wrap over the top of the glass.
4. Poke holes in the wrap with a sharp knife... like 4 or 5 slits.

Now, within hours, you'll see those gnats, fruit flies, baby flies... even adult flies inside your invention!!!
I swear in 12 hours, all my gnats were inside the glass. It reminds me of them getting into my bread bags. They'll find their way in, but not their way out.
This will NOT let you down.
Leah

Answer 3

Do you have any house plants? Fungus gnats lay their larvae in the soil of house plants. You can get a product from GardensAlive.com that with a couple of applications will stop the cycle of breeding.

Answer 4

When I see gnats in my house I start hunting for a rotten potato or onion or piece of fruit. It's always there. m

Answer 5

don't leave vegetables out (esp bananas)