Flies can be quite disturbing as they are constantly around us, and we wave the hands to make them go away but they just keep coming back!
Moreover, they live for about a month during which time they constantly multiply, so the fight against them is far from easy. Plus, note that they are fast and fly!
Yet, there are perfectly effective natural ways to get rid of these pesky parasites.
However, they also have their own natural weaknesses, so if you know them, you can easily eliminate them. They are naturally attached to smell and light, so herbs and essential oils with strong scents can serve as natural repellents.
We suggest 4 ways to naturally repel flies:
- Cloves and Lemon
Flies hate the smell of cloves, and when you combine it with lemon, you will get a potent, safe, natural fly repellent.
You will need:
- Lemon
- Cloves
You should cut the lemon into halves, and stick the cloves into the pulp. Then, place the lemon on your table and you will have absolutely no problems with flies!
- DIY Fly Repellent Spray
You can successfully get rid of flies using a homemade repellent spray as well. You should avoid commercial repelling sprays as they are full of chemicals, and prepare this natural one instead. Due to their strong smell, you can use essential oils, like lemongrass and peppermint.
You will need:
- 2 tablespoons Liquid dish soap, diluted
- 10-12 drops Peppermint essential oil
- 10-12 drops Lemongrass essential oil
- Spray bottle
- Water – 1 cup
Mix the water and the dish soap in the spray bottle. Then, add 10 to 12 drops of peppermint essential oil, and10 to 12 drops of lemongrass essential oil after that. Close the spray bottle, shake to stir it, and spray all over your house. Also, to prevent flies, spray with this mixture on every 2 weeks.
- DIY Fly Trap
To prepare your own fly trap, you can mix apple cider vinegar and some dish soap in a Mason jar. You can also put a chopped up rotten fruit in a bowl, cover it with a plastic wrap, and again make several holes in it.
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) is fermented apple juice, and when you add the dish soap, the surface tension of the liquid will be broken and the flies will sink as soon as they touch it.
You will need:
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- A tablespoon of liquid dish soap
- Mason jar
- Plastic wrap
- Toothpick
Pour the apple cider vinegar in the Mason jar, add the liquid dish soap, and then stretch a piece of plastic wrap over the mouth of the jar. Then, use a toothpick to make punctures in it.
Then, place the trap in the house or yard, and it will draw the flies due to their potent affinity to the stimulus of odor and light. Moreover, the strong fermentation smell will also attract them to enter the trap.
The plastic wrap will serve as a wall, and they won’t be able to find the holes and escape, as there will be no strong smell from outside to attract them again. As soon as there are many dead flies inside, clean the jar.
On the other hand, the trap with the overripe or rotten fruit won’t kill the flies, but they will be captured successfully. Plus, it is much easier just to place the fruit in the bowl.
You will need:
- Fruit, overripe or rotten
- Bowl
- Scissors
- Plastic wrap
- Toothpick
Peel the fruit and chop it. Put it in the bowl, and cover it with the plastic wrap. Stretch it tightly over the top of the bowl. With the toothpick, make holes in it. When the trap is full of flies, place the bowl into soapy water for several minutes in order to destroy them. Then, wash it and use it again.
- Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender can also serve as a potent fly repellent, due to its intensive scent. You can use it on a sponge, and make it spill-proof.
You will need:
- Lavender essential oil
- Sponge
- Jar or can with a lid
You should apply several drops of lavender essential oil on the sponge, and then place it into the jar. Close it tightly, and leave it for several hours or until the next morning to concentrate the smell. Then, you can open it a bit and place it wherever needed in the house to keep flies away.
Additional tips:
- The bowls in which you place the rotten apples should be cleaned well as they might start smelling disgusting
- Before use, wash the Mason jar with hot soapy water
- You can also use eucalyptus and citronella essential oils to repel flies and other insects
- Prepare a potpourri of the dry herbs of peppermint, lavender, and lemongrass and effectively deter flies
- If you have a garden, you can plant lavender, lemongrass, and peppermint, and have them always at hand