How To Make A DIY Fly Trap
Flies are a nuisance everyone deals with among the bugs found in homes. Hovering around fresh produce and food, buzzing in your ear, keeping you up at night — they're an inevitable and irritating side effect of the warmer months. While there are ways to prevent them, such as disposing of food and washing dishes immediately after use, cleaning up spills immediately, and containing trash, according to The Spruce, flies can still easily bypass these measures and become uncontrollable.
There are various chemical and store-bought ways to kill flies, but these can be expensive and inefficient. Time is also key when getting rid of flies since they quickly reproduce and get out of control. This is why many people turn to DIY methods, which are quick, cheap, and efficient, and don't release chemical pollutants. Read on to find out some easy, budget-efficient ways to deal with fly infestations.
Cut up a plastic bottle
One way to get rid of flies is by trapping them in a bottle. According to The Spruce, this process requires an empty plastic bottle, scissors or knife, and bait, such as rotting fruit, sugar water, or honey. Begin by cutting off the top of the bottle to create a funnel shape and a base. Add your bait, and then place the funnel part on top. The flies will be attracted to the bait, and the funnel will keep them from escaping. Consider adding oil to the insides of the funnel to further trap them.
Vinegar and dish soap
From Ehrlich Pest Control, another easy way to get rid of flies involves vinegar and dish soap. Grab a shallow bowl, fill it with an inch of apple cider vinegar, then add sugar and fruit-scented dish soap. The fruit scent will attract the flies. Mix, and set out where fruit flies tend to congregate. While the mixture itself should trap the flies, you can also add plastic cling wrap to ensure they won't escape — poke holes in the top so they can get in, and ensure the sides are secure so they can't get out.
DIY sticky paper with honey
A popular way to trap and kill flies is sticky paper. To make your own, Love to Know says you will need paper, honey, water, and tape. Begin by warming up equal parts honey and water. Cut your paper into your desired size, and then liberally apply the water and honey mix to one side. Lay them out wherever the flies tend to be worse, and they should start to land on and get stuck to the paper. From here, you can kill them or let them die. Change out the paper when full.
Use essential oils
A low-effort and more visually and olfactorily pleasant way to repel flies is with lavender essential oil. According to The Country Chic Cottage, this method will require a lidded jar, sponge, and lavender oil. Place the sponge in the jar and add twenty or so drops of oil, then close the lid for 24 hours. Remove the lid and place where the flies frequent most often, adding more oil from time to time. This can also be done with eucalyptus oil, peppermint oil, or lemongrass oil.
Trap them in a jar
Like the soda bottle trick, you can also trap flies using a glass jar and plastic bag. Grab a jar, plastic bag, a sweet bait, fruit-scented dish soap, and white vinegar, per Love to Know. Add 1/2 cup of vinegar, your sweet bait, and a bit of the dish soap to the jar, and mix. Cover with your plastic bag, and use a rubber band, hair tie, or string to secure it in place. Poke a few holes to allow the flies in. Place the jar in an area where the flies are most dense, and empty when full.
Use lemons and clove
Another more pleasant option for fly repelling comes from cloves and lemons, according to The Country Chic Cottage. Simply cut a ripe lemon in half, and push a handful of cloves into the surface of the fruit. The flies will be put off by the smell of cloves, and avoid the area you place them. Make sure you discard and replace the lemons when they start to rot. This option will create a pleasant scent where you place them and keep away the flies.
Drown them in beer
Farmer's Almanac has a couple of very easy, low-effort ways to trap flies, the first of which utilizes beer. Add 1/2 cup of beer to a lidding jar. Add the lid and screw on tightly, and poke a few holes in the top, making sure they're big enough for the flies to fit through. They'll be attracted to the beer and drown. This is an incredibly economical option, as it can be made with old, leftover beer.
Trap them in a wine bottle
Another option from Farmer's Almanac involves wine and is arguably the easiest option from this list. When finishing off a bottle of wine, leave a little bit at the bottom. Place the bottle where the fruit flies are worse, and leave it. That's it! They'll be attracted to sweet wine, and the shape of the bottle will prevent them from escaping. Consider cleaning the outside and mouth of the bottle, even adding a little scentless oil, to prevent them from just climbing around the outside.
DIY fly repellent with eucalyptus oil
You can also repel flies with eucalyptus oil, per The Country Chic Cottage, and keep them from entering your house in the first place. Grab a strip of fabric, and add 20 or so drops of eucalyptus oil. Place them in front of the entrances to your house, including windows and doors. The scent of the eucalyptus will naturally repel the flies, and your home will be free of flies without the chemicals emitted from pesticides.