Say Goodbye To Flies Around Your Trash Cans With The Help Of This Essential Oil

Flies around trash cans can be a persistent problem, especially if you dislike using commercial pesticides around your home. These pesky pests are searching for food, shelter, and a place to lay their eggs. If the problem goes unchecked, the consequences range from gross — the eggs develop into maggots — to frustrating, as the fly population increases out of control. Even if you do all the things you should do, like bagging food waste, cleaning the cans regularly, and securing the lids, flies will find a way to torment you. Essential oils have been found to deter some insects and could be an alternative for your trash can pests. For instance, ticks reportedly hate thyme and oregano oils and moths are deterred by peppermint, lavender, and cedarwood oils. Researchers have found that naturally occurring compounds in thyme (Thymus vulgaris) oil can be effective as alternative insecticides against many insects, including flies.

Thymol is the active ingredient in thyme that's believed to repel insects. It's also an antimicrobial and anti-fungal that's used for disinfection and preservation. Some believe it's the smell of thymol and not the compound itself that deters insects, but in practice, the distinction is the chicken or the egg proposition since the compound is responsible for the aroma. Thyme oil is a deterrent for house flies, but it also acts as a pesticide on fruit flies, another pest that's hard to get rid of, because it reliably kills male insects. Essential oil derived from the varieties of thyme with pest repelling qualities is considered safe for the environment and safe to use around humans, but high concentrations may harm pets.

The best way to use thyme oil against flies in the trash can is to dampen a cotton ball with oil and affix it to the underside of the lid. Essential oils lose their effectiveness quickly, so you'll need to change the cotton ball regularly. Or, you can try tossing a soaked cotton ball into the trash can every time you empty it. Spraying thyme essential oil into and around the can is also effective, but sprays are diluted, so you'll need to use it more frequently. If you keep your trash cans in an enclosed space, like the garage, consider using a diffuser to maintain a constant level of thyme essential oil in the air around the cans. Several other essential oils believed to be effective against flies can be used the same way. Tea tree, basil, lavender, lemon, and cinnamon may have fly-repellent properties. Thyme oil may also keep ants away from your house. 

If you're a frequent user of essential oils and you have a ready supply of plants to make them from, you can make your own thyme oil. The most common methods are distillation, where you extract the oil with steam, cold press extraction, and hot pressing. Once you've extracted the oil, store it in a dark glass jar with a tight-fitting lid to prevent deterioration of the container and protect the oil from sunlight. However, you can also buy essential oils that are ready to use. For an essential oil spray, mix equal parts water and witch hazel or rubbing alcohol, and add 25 to 30 drops of thyme oil.