How to Get Rid of Drain Flies Guide to Banishing These Pesky Pests

Disposing of drain flies be extremely annoying. If you’ve ever experienced them flying around your drains, sinks or even damp areas within your home, then you’re aware how irritating they are. If you’re trying to figure out how to eliminate these pests, the first step is understanding the root of the issue and then making the necessary steps to get rid of their sources of reproduction. Let’s explore the steps you need to take to get the pests from your house permanently.

What Are Drain Flies and Why Do They Show Up?

They are known by various names like sewer gnats, filters moth flies, and sewer gnats–drain insects are tiny fuzzy insects that prefer to infest areas that are swarming with organic material and moisture. They’re attracted to the slimy buildup in the drains of your home, which is the perfect spot for them to reproduce. The more organic matter that’s stuck in your pipes the higher chance you’ll experience problems with drain flies.
Although they do not bite or hurt, these flies can be a real nuisance when they swarm in drains, sinks, and bathrooms. While the larvae are harmless but their presence is usually a sign to poor plumbing or faulty sanitation.

How to Identify Drain Flies

Before you tackle the issue, you must to ensure that you’re dealing with drain flies and not some other type of flies, like fruit flies. Drain flies measure 1/8-inch long and sport an appearance that resembles a moth. They are usually found floating around slow-moving water, drains that are clogged or other areas covered with organic matter.
A good way to determine if you have the presence of an infestation is to search for larvae or slimy deposits within your drainage. The flies thrive in moist or humid areas, so make sure you check the areas carefully.

Are Drain Flies Harmful?

Thankfully, drain flies don’t pose dangerous to humans. They do not bite, and do not transmit disease. However, their connection to sewage and drains that are dirty is a risk of carrying bacteria from these environments. Although the risk is minimal however, large infestations can cause a sour indoor environment and impact your hygiene.

Practical Ways to Get Rid of Drain Flies

After you have a better understanding of the causes of drain flies as well as their causes and why they are there, let’s discuss ways to eliminate these pests. Here are some tried and true ways to get rid of them:

Clean and Sanitize Your Drains

The most common cause is the organic buildup you see in your drains. This is the ideal environment for larvae of drains to flourish. Here’s how you can get rid of your drains

• Use the help of a pipe brush to clear them of any debris.
• Pour boiling water into your drain to eliminate any remaining rodents and gunk.
• To give your drain a deep cleaning mix baking soda with salt and pour it down the drain. Follow this up with white vinegar and allow it to rest for a night. At dawn, rinse it with boiling water to wash out any larvae or eggs.

This simple, natural remedy can break down organic material, and will help to keep flies away.

Set Up Drain Fly Traps

Cleaning your drains may be the most efficient solution to get rid of the source of the problem installing some fly traps could assist in eliminating the adult flies population at the same time. Here’s how to achieve this:

• The trap for plastic cup: Cover the interior of your plastic container with petroleum jelly or vegetable oil and then place it upside down on the drain. The flies will fly over and become trapped.
• The insect glue board: Set one of the glue boards above the drain. When flies fly around it, they’ll become stuck.

Eliminate Moisture and Standing Water

Flies that feed on drains thrive in moist conditions, which is why it’s important to get rid of any standing water from your house. There are several locations to inspect:

• Damp spots or wet laundry around the houseplants.
• A pool of water is formed under the refrigerator.
• Drains for floor and sump pump.

The less moist your house, the lower chances you have for drain fly breeding.

Try Natural Solutions

To go greener using a few everyday items such as vinegar and baking soda. This combo is great to wash your drains and remove the larvae of drain fly. It is also possible to use apples cider vinegar-based traps in order to capture the adult flies and stop the spread of the problem.

Consider Professional Drain Gel

If the problem is particularly persistent, biodegradable drainage gels could be a solution. The gels stick to the edges of your pipes and slowly dissolving organic matter in the course of time. They’re safer for your plumbing as well as the environment. They also are a long-term solution as when compared to chemical cleaners that are harsh.

How to Prevent Drain Flies.

To prevent the flies that drain from returning You must eliminate their food sources and water sources. Here are some ways to prevent them:

• Make sure to clean your drains frequently to prevent organic matter from accumulating.
• Check traps frequently. If you do not see any insects for a few days relocate the trap to a different location that you think they could be.
• Take a look outside: Make sure there’s not any moisture or decaying organic material around places such as garbage bins, gardens or in the vicinity of outdoor drains..

Plastic Cup Trap

• Cover the interior of a plastic cup petroleum jelly or vegetable oil.
• Place the cup upside down over an area of drainage where you believe that flies are coming from.
• Examine the cup every day for any flies that may be trapped.

Insect Glue Board

• Install an insect glueboard over the drain.
• Place it in the sun for a few days.
• Make sure to check it frequently to see if there are any trapped flies.

The Science Behind Drain Flies

Studies have shown that flies in drains are particularly attracted to organic materials in humid environments. One study published in The Journal of Insect Science found that drain flies reproduce in sludge accumulations that are found in kitchen and bathroom drains. If you eliminate this organic matter you can effectively reduce the number of drain flies. Actually, natural solutions like baking soda or vinegar have been proven to be equally effective than chemical cleaning products in killing larvae.

Conclusion: How to Get Rid of Drain Flies for Good

How do you eliminate drain insects? The solution is easy to clean your drains, eliminate the moisture and then use traps. Regular maintenance is the key in keeping your home free of fly. If you follow these steps to eliminate drainage flies and keep them from returning. Be consistent and your house will remain fresh and clean, as well as free of these annoying pests.