How to Repel Flies
Key Takeaways
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Prevention is key: Good sanitation is your best defense. Seal entry points, manage trash, and remove organic matter before flies get comfy.
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Know your repellents: EPA-registered insecticides are proven to be safe and effective, while natural options require some trial and error.
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Traps are your teammates: Fly traps, sticky strips, and light traps work best when paired with good cleaning habits.
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Natural options can help: Herbs like mint and lavender may discourage flies, but they won't solve a serious infestation on their own.
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Call in the Pros for big problems: If you have a large or recurring fly problem, your Orkin Pro can create a targeted plan to eliminate them.
Flies are more than a backyard annoyance. They can carry over 100 pathogens, including salmonella, and contaminate your food. They also reproduce at an alarming rate; a single female housefly can lay 75 to 150 eggs at a time. However, with the right mix of prevention, repellents, and traps, you can take back your home.
Fly Prevention Tips
Prevention is the most important and effective part of fly control. Stopping flies before they settle in is far easier than evicting them later. A few key habits make a big difference:
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Manage your trash: Use garbage cans with tight-fitting lids and empty them as soon as they're full.
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Clean up pet waste: Remove feces from your yard promptly, since it's a prime breeding ground.
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Maintain your lawn and garden: Spread grass clippings evenly so they break down quickly. Clumped, mildewing clippings and dead leaves are fly magnets.
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Position your compost wisely: Keep compost piles in a far corner of the yard, away from the house. Fruit in the pile will almost certainly attract fruit flies.
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Seal up your home: Make sure windows, doors, and vents are properly sealed and free from gaps, since flies can squeeze through the smallest cracks.
Types of Fly Repellents
Fly repellent products generally fall into two categories:
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EPA-registered insecticides: These have been tested for safety and effectiveness by the Environmental Protection Agency and assigned a registration number. That number signifies the product is approved for use when applied according to the label directions.
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Natural fly repellents: These are not evaluated or registered by the EPA for effectiveness or safety, since their benefits are supported mainly by anecdotal evidence.
Natural Fly Repellents
When considering the use of natural fly repellents, it’s important to test and experiment with different products or methods since they are not registered by the EPA for efficacy and safety.
Some publications suggest that using herbs and plants such as Mexican marigolds, mint, rosemary, lavender, yarrow and pitcher plants will help keep flies away, so adding these to your garden may be helpful. Eucalyptus, peppermint and lemongrass essential oils may also have some potential to deter flies.
Does Vinegar, Dish Soap, Essential Oils Repel Flies?
Vinegar attracts, not repels flies; however, a container with vinegar and dish soap will function as an attractant trap as the vinegar lures flies to enter the trap and the dish soap will cause the flies to sink and die.
Oils like lavender, mint, lemongrass, clove, rosemary and eucalyptus may help in repelling flies.
Does citronella repel flies?
Yes, citronella can help repel flies. It produces a strong odor that flies do not like. You can burn citronella candles or use citronella oil to help keep the flies away however it is not an effective method of killing flies.
While repellents and natural options like citronella can help reduce fly activity, they typically work best as part of a broader approach. Eliminating flies completely requires addressing the source, removing active flies, and preventing new ones from getting inside.
How to Get Rid of Flies
Getting rid of flies usually requires a combination of methods, including sanitation, trapping, and exclusion. Here's a step-by-step approach homeowners can follow:
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Find and remove the source. Flies breed in decaying organic matter. Check for overflowing trash, pet waste, rotting produce, compost, and damp grass clippings, then clean these up first.
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Set traps. Use sticky traps, light traps, or a homemade vinegar-and-dish-soap trap to capture active flies indoors and out.
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Apply repellents or insecticides. For larger problems, EPA-registered insecticides labeled for indoor use can knock down populations quickly. Always follow the label directions.
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Seal entry points. Repair torn window screens, fix worn weather stripping, and keep doors closed to stop new flies from getting in.
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Keep it clean. Wash dishes promptly, wipe down counters, store food in airtight containers, and take out the trash regularly to remove what attracts them.
For a heavy or persistent infestation, these steps may only go so far. That's when it pays to call a professional.
An Orkin Pro can help identify the source of the problem, recommend effective fly treatment options, and provide ongoing prevention strategies to keep flies under control. If flies continue to be an issue around your home, contact your local Orkin branch for guidance and customized fly control solutions.
More Fly Control Resources
Although it depends on the species, flies are usually attracted to decaying substances, organic materials, or sugary food items.
How Do I Get Rid of Fruit Flies in My Kitchen?
The first way to get rid of fruit flies is to remove their source of food and breeding location, which is typically overripe produce. To learn how exterminators get rid of fruit flies, contact an Orkin Pro.
How Can I Prevent House Flies in Spring?
If you're seeing an influx of flies during springtime, you may have a cluster fly infestation in your house.
Discover what to do if you’re combating a sewer fly infestation.