10 Home Remedies For Gnats
Gnats is the blanket term given to many species of small flying insects. You are most likely to encounter them on hot sunny days and they can become a real nuisance when they swarm. Some can also bite, which is likely to leave us feeling very itchy. Some people can also have adverse reactions to their bites.
Although usually encountered outside, gnats can also be a pest in the home. They are often attracted to garbage and any food that might be left in the open.
There are various ways to help get rid of them but this often involves chemicals that we would rather not have in the home. There are also some home remedies that can help to deal with the problem.
Home Remedy #1: Get Cleaning
Gnats will generally take advantage of whatever food may be available to them. To them, this will often mean unwashed dishes, dirty worktops, and even garbage bins. If you do have a problem with gnats in the home, it might be because you need to get cleaning.
Make sure that all surfaces are thoroughly cleaned and all dishes are washed or placed in the dishwasher. Don’t keep trash in the house, or at least use a trash can that has a lid. Put cookies away in jars and basically make sure that no food is accessible to any gnats that enter your home.
Home Remedy #2: Red Wine
Wine is popular all over the world, with many preferring red wine over white. When it comes to choosing wine for meals, the best choice depends largely on what you are eating. Gnats tend to have a preference for red wine over white, largely because of the fruity aroma it gives off.
You can use red wine to make a trap for unwanted gnats in the home. Pour some red wine into a tray and cover it tightly with plastic. Then, make some holes in the plastic that are large enough for the gnats to get into. Then leave the tray close to where you find a lot of gnats and the trap is set.
Home Remedy #3: Lemon Soap
Many dish soaps come with a lemon aroma because it helps overcome bad smells and keep the kitchen fresh. In addition to getting your dishes clean, it can also be used to help keep gnats at bay. It can be particularly useful when gnats are infesting your house plants.
To use this remedy, take 4 cups of water and then mix in 2 tablespoons of lemon-scented dishwashing soap. Add the solution to a spray bottle and then spray the leaves of any plants that have been infested. The gnats will be attracted to the lemon scent and the soap will kill them when they come into contact with it.
Home Remedy #4: Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is something that many households have around the home. Not only can it be used in cooking but it can also be used as a remedy for various illnesses. It can also be used to help set a trap for unwelcome gnats in and around the home.
Add the apple cider vinegar to a jar, then cover the jar with plastic wrap. Add holes to the plastic wrap that are large enough for gnats to pass through. Gnats will be attracted to the fruity smell of the liquid and become trapped and drown. Heating the liquid will help the aroma spread, attracting more gnats into the trap
Home Remedy #5: Rotten Fruit
If you don’t eat fruit in time, it will inevitably become rotten. When this happens, we will usually just throw it away but it can often be put to good use. It can be used to set a trap so that you can deal with any gnat problem that you might have.
Take your rotten fruit and place it in a jar, you should then cover the jar with plastic wrap. Make holes in the top that are big enough for the little insects to get through. The gnats will often swarm toward the rotten fruit and you can then immerse the jar in soapy water to kill them. The jar will also help attract gnats to one area, keeping them away from other areas in the home.
Home Remedy #6: Lemongrass Essential Oil
Essential oils can be used to help fill the home with wonderful scents. These oils are thought to be able to help maintain good mental and physical health, especially when it comes to helping us relax. They can also sometimes be used to help keep pests away from the home.
Gnats generally don’t like lemongrass and will do their best to steer well clear of it. Add 15 drops of lemongrass essential oil into hot water and add the hot water to a spray bottle. Use the bottle to spray surfaces where you will usually find gnats and they should hopefully keep away.
Home Remedy #7: Milk, Sugar, and Pepper Mix
Milk, sugar, and pepper—most Western households will have these three ingredients already. If you don’t, then they are very easy to get hold of. Not only are they useful for recipes, but they can also help to get rid of gnats.
To use this remedy, add 2 cups of milk to a saucepan. Then add 1 tablespoon of sugar and 4 tablespoons of ground pepper. Simmer the solution for around 10 minutes. Once done, pour the solution into a shallow dish and leave it close to where you see a lot of gnats. They will be attracted to the solution and will usually end up drowning in it.
Home Remedy #8: Bleach
Bleach is another product that is found in many households. It is a very powerful disinfectant that kills all pathogens and is often used in toilets, drains, and other places where pathogens might breed. It is also very caustic and can help to deal with pests such as gnats.
Gnats will often breed and gather in and around drains and from there they can be a real pest. Pour some bleach into the drainage system, though, and you can get rid of them once and for all. One cup of bleach should do it, unless the gnats are deep in the system. Remember to be careful because bleach is very caustic.
Home Remedy #9: Vegetable Oil
Gnats will quite often be getting into your home from the drainage system. They can come up through the kitchen sink, for example, where they can then make a real nuisance of themselves. Stop them from getting into the home in this way and you could get rid of them for good.
One trick is to pour around a quarter cup of vegetable oil down your drain. Also, rub the edge of the drain with some of the oil. You should also cover the drain with tape and leave it for as long as you can. The oil will trap many of the gnats and you should also notice that some are stuck to the tape when you remove it.
Home Remedy #10: Honey
For many people, honey is a very welcome addition to any breakfast table. This sweet, sticky substance can be considered to be one of nature’s candies and it is not only humans that like it. Many other animals are attracted to honey, including gnats, and you can use this to your advantage.
To use honey as a trap, take a piece of brightly colored card and smear it with honey. You can attach a toothpick or similar to one side of the card to make a stand for it. Stand the card in the soil of any plants that might attract a lot of gnats. The gnats will then be attracted to the honey and get trapped in it.
