If you’ve noticed that you suddenly have a swarm of tiny flying insects buzzing around your indoor plants and trash cans, it’s safe to say you probably have a gnat problem. Fungus gnats and fruit flies can be a bit of a nuisance, and if not dealt with immediately with a homemade gnat spray, your small problem can quickly turn into a gnat infestation.
These tiny insects are often found, in mass, around houseplants, because the gnat larvae feed on the organic matter until they metamorphosis into adult gnats.
You can significantly reduce their presence in your house by eliminating the conditions that gnats find attractive, as well as using home remedies to kill gnats.
- Can I Kill Gnats with Dish Soap?
- How Can I Get Rid of Gnats with Vinegar?
- What Can I Spray to Keep Flies Away?
- Recipe for Homemade Gnat Spray
Can I Kill Gnats with Dish Soap?
You can quickly get rid of gnats with a soap spray, by far the best DIY insect killer spray you can find. You can treat the leaves of your plants that are infested with gnats by making homemade insecticidal soap and DIY fungus gnat spray.
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DIY Insecticidal Gnat Spray
- 2 tablespoons liquid Castile soap
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 gallon of water
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Before your gnat problem will turn into a gnat infestation, add the ingredients to a one-gallon container. Replace the top and shake the bottle to mix. Transfer some of the bug spray into a spray bottle.
Spray the tops and bottoms of the leaves to kill and prevent additional gnats. It may be necessary to repeat the process daily for several weeks to completely rid your house of gnats, but it is an effective gnat control solution.
Use this DIY mosquito spray for your yard, too. It eliminates gnats, mosquitoes, and other unwanted flying insects. It’s also a great fruit fly killer spray. Keep a bottle handy for flying bugs you find in the house.
How Can I Get Rid of Gnats with Vinegar?
One of the best ways to get rid of house flies with vinegar is to create a gnat trap using apple cider vinegar or red wine. Black flies, or gnats, are attracted to the sweet smell of the vinegar.
To trap gnats, pour an inch of apple cider or white vinegar into a small container, like a Mason jar. Add a few drops of dish soap to the liquid. Cover the opening of the jar with plastic wrap and secure it with a rubber band.
Use a toothpick to pierce small holes through the Saran wrap, giving the gnats a way to get to the vinegar trap. When the gnats fly into the container, their wings and legs will become covered with dish soap, leaving them unable to fly back out.
What Can I Spray to Keep Flies Away?
To answer the question “What can I spray to keep flies away,” we need to turn to essential oils. Essential oils have long been used to repel insects, including drain flies and gnats. There are several essential oils that you can use in your gnat repellent.
Some of the best gnat repellent on the market contain essential oils. The best essential oils to use to repel gnats are peppermint, eucalyptus, rosemary, cedarwood, tea tree, geranium, patchouli, and neem.
Dealing with gnats in and around your home can be incredibly frustrating because of how quickly they reproduce. With these simple gnat repellent solutions you can get your gnat infestation under control and finally rid your home of these pesky flying insects.
Recipe for Homemade Gnat Spray
Materials
- 1/2 gallon tap water
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper powder
- 1 tbsp canola or other oil
- 1 tbsp liquid natural soap
Tools
- 1/2 gallon container with a lid
- 16-ounce sprayer
- Teaspoon
- Tablespoon
Instructions
- Mix the liquids in the container.
- Replace the lid and shake to combine.
- Pour some of the gnat repellent into the sprayer.
- Spritz flying bugs.
- Add more liquid to the sprayer as needed.
Notes
Castile is a trusted natural soap.
We hope you enjoyed learning about how to make a homemade gnat spray to take care of the gnat problem in your home. If you found the information useful in this article, please don’t hesitate to share it with your friends and family.
FAQs
Homemade gnat killer spray: A mixture of half a cup of water, half a cup of isopropyl alcohol, and a teaspoon of dish liquid can be filled in a spray bottle. This mixture can be sprayed on the gnats directly to kill them.
What is the best homemade spray to kill gnats? ›
If you just have a couple scouts checking out the accommodations—as in, the gnats aren't swarming yet—fill a spray bottle with a cup of water, a tablespoon of vinegar, and a few drops of liquid dish soap and give it a good shake. Spritz gnats in flight to put an end to the infestation before it begins.
What kills gnats immediately? ›
One method includes setting a bowl near the infestation and pouring apple cider vinegar, a teaspoon of sugar and a teaspoon of dish soap into the bowl. The sugar will attract the gnats, the dish soap will prevent them from escaping and the vinegar will kill them.
What smells make gnats go away? ›
The only way to get rid of gnats without killing them is to repel them with scents they don't like: vinegar, vanilla, pine oil, peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus, and lavender. Even dryer sheets could help. Of course, the first line of duty would be to get rid of the infestation's root cause.
What's the best gnat repellent? ›
Picaridin 20% is the safe and effective alternative to DEET and protects you for up to 12 hours against tickets, mosquitos, and other biting insects.
Can I spray my plants with vinegar to get rid of gnats? ›
You can certainly use vinegar to kill gnats, but don't just pour it directly on your plants! Instead, you'll want to make an apple cider vinegar trap, or a 50/50 spray of white vinegar and water.
Does spraying gnats with vinegar kill them? ›
Vinegar itself does not get rid of gnats, but it is a good luring tactic to attract gnats into a trap. Vinegar smells sweet, so gnats will fly into a trap to get a drink. Using another substance like liquid dish soap helps to trap the gnats, that way they end up dying in the vinegar mixture.
Do dryer sheets keep gnats away? ›
Dryer sheets can also be used to protect houseplants from annoying pests. Since they have been proven to repel fungus gnats, placing several dryer sheets near your houseplants could protect them from these root-eating pests.
What kills gnats and their eggs? ›
Hydrogen Peroxide
A peroxide solution apparently kills larvae and eggs on contact, effectively killing off all infant gnats and disrupting the lifecycle. You should be able to buy hydrogen peroxide from any high street pharmacy or online. Mix 1 part 9% hydrogen peroxide with 6 parts water.
What does baking soda do to gnats? ›
Baking Soda
Fungus gnats are also sensitive to baking soda. An ideal household remedy. Sprinkle some baking soda on the soil and then moisten it. The larvae that are in the soil absorb the baking soda and die over time.
Combine equal parts vinegar and soap and then add a few tablespoons of sugar – once you mix it all together you can place the bowl wherever the gnats have been gathering. They will be attracted to the sugar and vinegar and drown in the mixture.
How do I stop gnats from biting me? ›
Cover Up - Wearing Long Sleeves, Head Nets and Long Pants to reduce bodily exposure to biting gnats is helpful.
How do I keep gnats from flying around my skin? ›
Use an insect repellant on the clothing you wear and on your skin and in your hair. Many lotions contain insect repellant that will keep gnats away. Use a nontoxic spray in and under your hair and around your neck. Use insect repellants only as directed for safety.
Can you spray for gnats? ›
Use a spray to get rid of gnats
Simply mix one cup of warm water with a few drops of liquid detergent. Use a spray bottle to spritz this solution at gnats flying around your home. You can also use this mixture to get rid of gnats that live in your potting soil and around your houseplants.
What attracts gnats the most? ›
Vinegar and honey are almost irresistible to gnats. In fact, there are home remedies that suggest using glass jar traps with either vinegar or honey inside as the lure. There are also many other household items that will draw gnats and flies, such as scented candles, fragrant oil burners and potpourri.
Will bug spray work on gnats? ›
To kill and prevent fungus gnats on and around indoor plants, lightly mist your houseplants and their soil with Cedarcide All-Purpose Bug Spray once each week. For any other gnats or flying bugs you see, a quick, direct spray with All-Purpose Bug Spray is all it takes.
Will rubbing alcohol kill gnats in plants? ›
An alcohol spray is effective for killing red spider mites, mealy bugs, whiteflies, aphids, fungus gnats, and scale. To make the spray, mix 1/2 to 1 cup of rubbing alcohol with 1 quart of water in a pump-spray bottle. It's a good idea to test spray one leaf of an infested plant and wait a day to check for damage.
How do you make vanilla spray for gnats? ›
If the smell is too harsh, then try making your own bug spray. Simply add a few drops of vanilla extract to a small spray bottle of water. Play around with it and see what works for you.
What gets rid of fruit flies and gnats? ›
To create a DIY fruit fly trap, mix a quarter cup of either apple cider vinegar or white vinegar with a few drops of dish soap. The idea is that the irresistible vinegar attracts the fruit flies, while the soap breaks the vinegar's surface tension and drowns them.
How do I get rid of drain gnats permanently? ›
A few natural options include using a pipe brush to try and clean out the slime or film around the drain and using white vinegar or apple cider vinegar to kill them. Others will pour a cup of vinegar down the drain along with a cup of baking soda, resulting in a rapidly expanding foamy mess.
