Drain flies belong to the common pests found in a home. These pests can be found in your bathtub, showers, and sinks. The bad news is that drain flies can reproduce within 48 hours, leading to an infestation.
These pests are also called sink flies or moth flies. It has tiny wings like a moth and a round and fuzzy body.
They measure about 2 to 5 millimeters in length. Usually, drain flies come in the color gray. This pest can’t fly well and can be attracted to standing water.
How do drain flies get into your home?
Take note that drain flies can get into your home through small holes. Even though you properly closed your doors and windows, there is a possibility of a drain fly infestation. They may assemble near your sinks and drains with sitting water.
Drain flies don’t pose any threat, but they can bring an extreme nuisance to you. These pests can carry bacteria that can also cause disease. With this, you need to take action to get rid of drain flies.
How to know if you have drain flies exist in your home?
If you observe few drain flies in your home, you can’t be sure if there’s already an infestation in your pipes. To help you, the following are some methods to check if there is a drain fly infestation in your home.
Look for drain fly larvae
Usually, drain flies lay eggs on organic material, which can be found on your drain’s opening. With this, remove the cover of the drain and scrape the slime on the sides. Then, check for thin tube which is the larvae of the drain fly. If you can’t see here but still encounter infestation, it can be an indication that the eggs are placed deeper into your pipes.
Duct tape test for drain flies
Put a duct tape on the top of your drainpipe. Then, seal it overnight. The drain flies will come up to the surface, but they will be stuck on the tape. You can repeat this test for several nights to know if there’s a drain fly infestation in your home.
Natural methods of getting rid of drain flies
The following are some tips to get rid of drain flies.
Vinegar+Salt+Baking soda
Make a mixture of salt, vinegar, and baking soda to create a cleaning solution to get rid of flies naturally. You can pour it to the drain overnight. The baking soda can spread out with vinegar allowing it to reach more areas compared to boiling water. Then, in the morning, you can flash out your drainpipe using a boiling water.
Boiling water
One simple way to solve your drain fly problem is to carefully pour boiling water down the drain once or twice daily for one week. It is an effective method to avoid the flies from returning to your drain and catching the inside’s organic material.
Water + Soap + Vinegar +Sugar
You can make a mixture of sugar, dish soap, apple cider vinegar and water. You can place the bowl close to your drain for few days. So, you can use the sweet solution to pull in the drain flies .The thick soap can also help in trapping the pest in the water.
Drain and duct tape
You can seal your drain using duct tape overnight for few nights in a row. It will catch the files trying to enter the surface.
Apple Cider Vinegar and plastic wrap
Another DIY solution of getting rid of drain flies is using apple cider vinegar and plastic wrap. You can cover a mug, jar, or bowl with a plastic wrap. Then, you can fill the container’s bottom with apple cider vinegar of about one inch. Then, you can punch small holes on the plastic wrap’s top to let the flies enter but not allowing the flies to get out.
Now that you discovered ways in getting rid of drain flies naturally, let us learn about getting rid of them using chemicals.
Getting rid of drain flies using chemicals
Drain flues often dwell around or in your pipes. So, you can use common substances and cleaners to clear your drain at the same time getting rid of these flies. Make sure to read instructions first before using chemical cleaners.
Standard drain cleaner
Flush your drainpipe using warm water, and then use a pipe brush. Then, you can clear the leftover residue by using traditional drain cleaner products like Bio-clean and Drano. However, make sure that you’re only using safe products.
Repellents and insecticide sprays
You can also use repellents and chemical sprays for killing drain flies. Some of these products include American BioSystems, Natural Armour, and Green Gobbler.
Prevention of drain flies
If you want to avoid drain flies infestation, make sure to keep your pipes clean especially if these are regularly flushed out with water and cleaning solutions. It is also a good idea to check standing water inside and outside your home.
Don’t leave unclean mops with water and ensure to have a healthy septic tank. If you observe signs of drain fly infestation, take action immediately. It is better to take precautionary measures to prevent the infestation from getting worse.
You can also seek help from a professional pest control company. With them, you can make sure to get rid of drain flies safely and quickly.
Conclusion
To sum it up, getting rid of drain flies is essential. You can follow the tips we mentioned above to solve your drain fly problem. Keep in mind that drain fly infestation can be bad for you and your family’s health. Thus, they may carry bacteria that can cause illness. That’s why you need to be responsible for eliminating them in your home.
If you want a fast and easy solution to get rid of drain flies, you can hire Synergy2 . We have the best approach to give you a comprehensive pest control system to meet your needs. With our equipment and professional team, you can have a hassle-free experience getting rid of drain flies. We can perform our work in a safe and efficient way.
If you’re looking for the right team to handle the issue for you, Synergy² is here to help. We provide trusted services throughout the area, so contact us for the best pest control services around.
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