Wondering how to eliminate all of those annoying gnats flying and landing all over your kitchen this summer?
Gnats can be an issue all year around, but they really seem to become a problem in late summer and fall, especially when there is all kinds of fresh garden produce coming inside. Not only do they hover around fresh fruit and vegetables on the counter, they also love setting up shop in trash cans, sinks and more.
But perhaps most annoying is the persistence of gnats finding their way to a dinner table. Gnats can all but ruin a meal as they fly around your food. And who hasn’t had the experience of having gnats land in their favorite beverage!
One thing is for sure, gnats can be quite the problem. And once they find a suitable location, it can seem all but impossible to get rid of them. But here’s the good news – with a little diligence and a few handy tricks, you really can keep them out of your home!
With that in mind, here is a look at the common causes of gnat infestations, and how to keep them out of your living spaces forever.
What Attracts Gnats To Your Home
In order to stop gnats from living in your home, you first have to know what is attracting them to your space in the first place – and then, of course, eliminate the source.
Gnats love two things more than anything else: moisture and organic residue. Wherever both exist, gnats will exist. One of the biggest culprits that provide both quite easily for gnats inside of a home are sinks. Especially kitchen sinks!
Gnats love to live in or near kitchen sinks because they provide plenty of food and moisture bits. The sink basin, the drain basket in the bottom of the sink, and the drain trap all easily collect and hold both moisture and food remnants.
Not only does it provide gnats with water and food, small crevices in the drain baskets and traps also provide them an excellent place for laying their eggs. And when they do, the problem multiplies!
Beyond sinks, gnats also love to hover and live in garbage cans, recycling bins and in the open soil of potted house plants. Again, all three provide them with plenty of moisture, nutrition and egg laying locations.
So now that we know what attracts gnats and where they live – let’s take a look at how to stop them in their tracks!
3 Simple Secrets To Eliminate Gnats – Forever!
Keeping gnats out of your living spaces all comes down to a simple, three-prong approach. The first is to eliminate the main sources that attract them. The second is to kill off the existing population of gnats to stop the breeding cycle.
Lastly, it is also important to keep something in place to take care of any small populations of gnats that might find a ride into your home in the future. Luckily, as you will see below, there is a great solution that will handle steps two and three is quick fashion!
#1 Stop Attracting Gnats – How To Eliminate Gnats
When it comes to eliminating the source of attraction, it starts with keeping the food they love out of reach. That means not putting fruits and vegetables on kitchen counters. It also means not keeping peels or remnants in open trash cans or in the sink.
Tight fitting trash can lids can seal out gnats. In addition, regularly clean sinks out to keep food particles out. And most importantly of all, clean your sink drains and garbage disposals regularly!
Metal pipe brushes are excellent to help clear drains of food particles. But even better, using a solution of vinegar, baking soda and salt will help clean your drains and disposals – and kill off the gnats! Simply mix 1 cup of vinegar with 1/4 cup of salt and 1/4 cup baking soda. Use this once a week and scrub with the brushes and you will be set! Affiliate Product Link: 10 Pc. Metal Pipe Tube Cleaning Brushes
Finally, make sure the drain basket is well sealed in your sink. Food particles, moisture and gnats all love to get into any cracks and crevices in around the seal of the drain. By putting a bead of silicone around your drain seal, you can eliminate that space – and keep gnats from living large in it.
#2 Houseplants & Gnats – How To Eliminate Gnats
Another big source of gnats can be the houseplants growing in your home. Or more specifically, the soil that your houseplants grow in.
The wet, moist soil is a goldmine for gnats. They can live and feed from the soil and build their population up quickly. One of the best ways to help eliminate or at least minimize gnats on houseplants is to not allow the soil to become overly saturated. In addition, do not allow water to pool and lie in the plant saucers below either.
Unfortunately, even with these preventative steps, sometimes gnats still can find a way to live around plants. The best answer at this point is to control populations with an all natural spray.
Peppermint oil is quite effective, as are lemon eucalyptus and citronella oil. You can also use an all-natural organic spray that kills the gnats on contact on soil and foliage surfaces. These products have the added effect of killing off mites as well. Affiliate Product Link: EcoVenger by EcoRaider All Purpose Insect Control 16 OZ
Unfortunately, without taking all the preventative steps mentioned above, gnats are always going to find what they want. And, of course, keep coming back.
How To Get Rid Of Gnats – And Keep Them Away!
There are a multitude of ways to trap and kill gnats around your house. One of the easiest and most cost effective ways is with a homemade vinegar gnat trap.
Begin by mixing a 1/4 cup of vinegar, a tablespoon of sugar, and 4 to 6 drops of liquid dish soap. Pour the mixture into a shallow plastic or glass container. The mix attracts the gnats, and the dish soap traps them in the liquid. This can also be done quite effectively with wine as well – but who wants to waste good wine on gnats!
UV Lights – How To Eliminate Gnats
So how can you effectively kill gnats without messy sprays or chemicals? The answer is an indoor UV light trap. And speaking from experience, they really can do wonders in keeping your living spaces free of not just gnats, but even mosquitoes, fruit flies and moths. Product Link : Katchy Automatic Indoor Gnat Mosquito Killer with UV Light
No, we are not talking about an old-fashioned bug zapper. A UV light trap works without chemicals. And without zapping! The light and air flow brings them in, and the gnats stick to a hidden sticky glue board within the unit. When it becomes full, you simply replace the sticky board with a new one and the protection continues.
They have worked wonders in our kitchen for controlling gnats. They are clean, look great, and attract gnats quickly. It is important to note, their performance works hand in hand with practicing good preventative measures as well.
Here it getting rid of gnats from your home, and enjoying your food and beverages without worry. For more on dealing with pests, check out our Pest Control page on the site! Happy Gnat Free Living – Jim & Mary
Old World Garden
Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.
As always, feel free to email us at thefarm@owgarden.com with comments, questions, or to simply say hello! You can sign up for our free email list in the subscribe now box in the middle of this article. Follow us on Facebook here : OWG Facebook. This article may contain affiliate links.