A Comprehensive Guide About How To Get Rid Of Drain Flies In My House?

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How To Get Rid Of Drain Flies In My House

Have you noticed flies that resemble moths around your drains? Learn why drain flies are attracted to certain foods and how to get rid of them. Stagnant water and bacteria accumulate in home drains, primarily if the drain is not used. When you notice many small, moth-like creatures hanging around your sinks, showers, or bathtubs, they are drain flies. It’s straightforward to get an infestation of these widespread pests within 48 hours, as they reproduce quickly.

Drain flies can be easily eliminated, unlike some other pest infestations. By using essential products and pantry items around the house, you can stop them in their tracks and devise a plan to deal with them going forward. The following guide will answer all your questions regarding drain flies and who you should call for professional assistance if you need to remove them permanently.

What do drain flies eat?

Generally, drain flies thrive on organic material found in standing water and sewage that builds up in humid areas of pipes while there is standing water, causing a film to form. Your drains are the perfect place for drain flies to multiply and thrive. Likewise, food and sewage can be found near garbage, animal waste, or compost piles.

Can drain flies be harmful?

The short answer is no, and drain flies cannot harm humans. They do not transmit diseases, but they may carry bacteria in large numbers since they consume sewage and live in bacteria. While they may be a nuisance in your house, they are not proven to cause harm to your health. If left unattended, drain flies can reproduce quickly, causing your pipes to be clogged with a swarm of nests that can be pretty costly to eliminate.

How do you get clear of drain flies for good?

Pouring boiling water down the toilet will eliminate drain flies and is a straightforward repair. Once maybe twice each week, cook a medium pot of water, pour it down the drain and surround it. Another simple choice is baking soda: Pour 1 cup of vinegar, ½ cup of bicarbonate of soda, and 1/2 cup of sodium chloride down the sink.

Could drain flies be found everywhere in the house?

Typically, your drains are not where drain flies enter your property. Drain flies usually enter homes through incredibly tiny holes, even though they may concentrate around drains & sinks with standing water. It’s still possible to create a drain even though you have closed your doors and windows completely.

How to get rid of drain flies in my house?

You may not realize that you have an infestation in your pipes until you begin noticing these tiny moth-like flies around your home. You can check if you have more drain flies in your lines by following these simple steps.

1. Tape test

You can seal your drain off overnight with a piece of duct tape. Drain flies will eventually attempt to make their way to the surface but will become stuck to the video on their way out. You can remove flies from your drain, but you can also see how they have spread. You should repeat the process several times to fully understand how the flies spread.

2. Look for larvae

It is common for drain flies to lay their eggs in the organic matter that gathers right at the drain opening. Look for thin, tube-like, drain-fly larvae by removing the drain cover, scraping some slime off the sides, and cleaning the drain. It may be that the eggs are being laid deeper within your pipes if you don’t see any here, but you are sure there is an infestation.

You can either take a natural or chemical approach to get rid of drain fly infestations, depending on the extent of the infestation. Many everyday household items can be used to rid your kitchen or bathroom of drain flies quickly.

Here are some natural ways to stop drain flies in their tracks.

In some cases, flushing out your drains will remove both the larvae of drain flies and the lure of drain flies returning to your gutters. These methods are helpful both in the prevention and management of infestations.

1. Heating water

1-2 times per day, pour boiling water down your drain for about a week to eliminate drain flies. Unless the water captured all the organic material, the flies would not return overnight.

2. Mix baking soda with salt and vinegar

Combine these pantry items to make a natural drain cleaning solution and pour it down the drain overnight. With vinegar, baking soda expands and reaches a greater area than boiling water. Let the solution sit overnight. The following day, flush out the pipes with boiling water.

3. Combine soap, vinegar, water, and sugar in a bowl

In a bowl of water, sugar, and apple cider vinegar, dissolve a few drops of dish soap. The sweet solution will attract drain flies to the lovely bowl if you leave it out for a few days. Adding soap to the water will thicken it enough to trap the flies.

4. Plastic wrap and apple cider vinegar will help too

Cover a bowl, jar, or mug as another common DIY fly trap using plastic wrap. Spread apple cider vinegar in the bottom of the container to prevent insects from getting inside. The plastic should be punctured on the top so that the flies can enter but not exit.

5. Tape the drain and the hole on the top

Additionally, you can use our drain fly detection method to eliminate some of your drain fly problems. Tape off your drain several nights to prevent flies from getting in.

6. Using Chemicals

Typical cleaners and substances used to clean drains can also get rid of drain flies since they often live in or around your pipes. When using chemical cleaners, always read the instructions and not combine them with natural or other cleaning products.

Repellents and sprays that contain chemicals

Most pest control products that kill fruit flies, gnats, or cockroaches can also kill drain flies when those pests are listed on the label. Check if you should keep them out of the kitchen since many contain caustic chemicals. Beware of damaged drains, too, since many contain caustic chemicals.

  1. This famous fly killer can go down drains, septic systems, and even garbage disposals without harming them.
  2. Natural Armour is a gel-based drain cleaner ideal for catching any additional nests or flies in pipes that require a more expansive cleaner.
  3. This is an extreme option for cleaning drains, especially those infested with drain flies. Usually recommended for commercial gutters, this option aims to eliminate bacteria from drains.

Read More: What Attracts Crickets In The House? 19 Useful Methods To Get Rid Of Crickets From The House

How to prevent drain flies?

Sewage and other organic material are found in pools of standing water where drain flies breed. For drain fly infestation prevention, it is essential to regularly flush pipes with water or clean solutions in more severe cases. When you have a drain that is usually unused for days or weeks at a time, close it with a stopper to prevent drain flies from making their home there.

Pay attention to standing water in other parts of your home, as well as in your drains. Clean mops should never be left in buckets of water, and your septic tank should be in good working order. If you see a few drains fly out of the blue, you may be seeing early signs of an infestation. It is essential to take steps to check for and treat potential problems.

FAQs

Are you unable to identify the source of drain flies?

Organic buildups in areas with standing water can cause drain flies. You should also check your sinks, shower, sump pump, sewage system, and floorboards where there may be a leak.

Can drain flies be eliminated from your bedroom?

Add five to ten drops of liquid dish soap to a bowl of sugar, water, and white vinegar to eliminate flies that have already invaded your home.

Are drain flies able to live in walls?

Within your plumbing pipes, these pests feed on decomposing matter, laying their eggs inside the gelatinous slime that collects along the inside walls of your drain.