Flies in the house: 5 smells that attract them and 4 ways to drive them away
With the arrival of summer, flies re-colonize our homes, and pester us mercilessly. The arrival of these annoying insects depends largely on the climatic conditions: flies love humidity and a rainy climate will inevitably mean an increased presence in our homes.
What attracts them most of all, however, are strong smells - whether pleasant or not. Flies are, in fact endowed, with an extremely developed sense of smell - so much so that they are able to smell odors up to 6 km away. And it's often not enough to keep our homes clean, empty and wash out our trash cans regularly, and remove any food or plants that start to rot. There are many other odors that can attract flies to our homes.
We list below 6 smells that you may not know are a magnet for flies and midges and 3 remedies to get rid of them right away.
1. Pet food
We all know that flies are strongly attracted to our cats' litter boxes and our dogs' waste, but perhaps we have never considered that even their bowls of food can be an open invitation for flies.
2. Sweat
Sweat is very rich in mineral salts, especially sodium, which flies really like. For this reason, flies love to circle around us especially when we have sweated. A hot shower will help us not only feel better, but also get rid of these pests!
3. Red wine
If you are enjoying an aperitif on the terrace or in the garden and suddenly you are overrun by flies, try looking in your glass: red wine and beer attract flies. Use this knowledge to make a trap that will kill them.
4. Stagnant water
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Whether it's pots soaking in the sink, laundry left to soak in a basin or the mop bucket left full after washing the floors, still water - clean or dirty - strongly attracts flies. Try to avoid this as much as possible.
6. How to get rid of flies
So, how can we get rid of flies from our home? Here are some useful remedies:
- Black pepper: this spice is a repellent for flies and midges; you can leave a bowlfull near your windowsills to keep them away.
- Essential oils: the smell of some essential oils are very unpleasant for flies and will help keep them away. Diffuse the scents of oils like eucalyptus, lavender, citronella, geranium or rosemary in the environment.
- Citrus fruits and cloves: stick a few cloves in the peels of citrus fruit and leave them around your home. Flies will stay away!
- Vinegar: solve two problems in one go by using vinegar to clean your home. If you want to, add some mint essential oil and you will see that this remedy will be even more effective.
Ready to defend your home from these annoying insects?
