Gnats are so easy to get but so difficult to get rid of! Even though these insects are tiny, they are no less annoying than large flies or mosquitos. They might be even more annoying since they tend to descend in swarms and don’t scare off easily. The good news is, there’s actually a simple solution to ridding your home of gnats.
Before we take a look at how to get rid of these pesky creatures, let’s see what kinds of things attract them in the first place. After all, preventative maintenance is your best friend when it comes to keeping your home gnat-free.
Let’s start outside the home. If you have fruit trees, a vegetable garden, or a flowerbed, gnats will likely be swarming outside. This is especially true if you overwater your plants. According to Terminix.com, “Over-watering your lawn or flowerbeds not only provides moisture but may also create fungus and molds that are the primary food source for certain types of flying insects such as the fungus gnat.”
We’ll move along to the inside of the house. There are commonly-known things that attract gnats, such as fruit and veggies being left out and stinky garbage. The lesser-known breeding grounds include fresh flowers, sink drains that haven’t been cleaned in a while, and house plants with warm, moist soil.
If that weren’t enough, gnats are even attracted to us sometimes! The key factor is moisture and scent. Perfume, body wash, lotion, deodorant, etc., all contribute to our appeal to these pesky little devils. If you’ve ever wondered why gnats tend to go for your nose, mouth, and eyes, the answer is simple – they are all often warm, damp places for the insects to land. As unpleasant as that thought is, it’s worth noting!
Okay, now that we’ve covered what causes gnats to invade your home, let’s get right down to the heart of it – how to get rid of them. You just need two things – dish soap and apple cider vinegar.
In a small bowl, combine 1 1/2 tablespoons of dish detergent (any kind will do) and two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Stir in just enough water to make a nice, sudsy mixture! It’s important to get those bubbles, as they are what help trap the gnats.
Simply place the bowl next to the problem area – kitchen counter, next to a plant, etc., and leave it there. That’s pretty much it. The gnats are attracted to the apple cider vinegar smell, which is much stronger than whatever plant or fruit caught their attention in the first place. You’ll notice your trap working within an hour or so. According to mom4real.com, you can leave the mixture out for a few days or until the gnats go away.
Keep this little trick in mind the next time you have a gnat problem! It works on fruit flies and most other little flying insects.