04.09.2024

The genius trick to eliminate gnats from the kitchen: they won’t come back

By Lesia

How to get rid of gnats? Gnats have invaded your home and are they bothering you? In addition to the chemical solutions available on the market, some very simple techniques allow you to eliminate them.

Natural ingredients and very simple tips allow you to get rid of gnats in no time. Here are 12 grandmother’s remedies, accessible to all, to get rid of these pests.

How to get rid of gnats in your home?

  1. Vacuum: an essential step
    To get rid of gnats, you must consider vacuuming on a regular basis. This will eliminate the clouds of gnats on your surfaces. When cleaning, be sure to enclose the dust bag in a plastic bag.
  2. Using cider vinegar
    To catch midges, make a preparation with a few drops of dishwashing liquid and a bowl of cider vinegar. Place this bowl in the middle of your kitchen so that the smell of the solution attracts the midges. Replace this mixture every day.
  3. Use corks
    Like mosquitoes, midges are sensitive to odors. They have a delicate sense of smell. To preserve your fruit, place a cork in the middle of your fruit basket.
  4. Black soap to dislodge midges
    Female midges lay an average of 500 eggs, on spoiled fruit and vegetables but also on indoor plants. To dislodge them from your plants, nothing beats black soap!

Tip: in a spray bottle, mix 1 liter of hot water with 1 tablespoon of black soap and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Spray your plants with the solution!

  1. Clean the pipes
    Pipelines are sources of moisture and therefore the ideal place for midges to lay their eggs. It is therefore important to tackle the problem at the source and therefore clean and disinfect the pipes. Use baking soda or white vinegar and leave it to act for at least two hours before running the water in the sink.
  2. Spike Lavender
    Spike lavender essential oil has analgesic and calming properties but is also healing.

Use: Pour 1 drop of pure spike lavender on the bite every 15 minutes for 2 hours.

  1. Keep your home cool
    Lastly midges, like other insects, are attracted to heat and humidity. Therefore, if it is appropriate, run your fan to keep your home cool and create a draft to chase away the pests.
  2. Empty the saucers
    Gnats love wilted flowers and plants, and stagnant water. So remember to regularly empty the saucers of your indoor plants to avoid the accumulation of gnats. This will also prevent the roots from drowning.
  3. Lemon
    To keep gnats away, place half a lemon studded with cloves in each pot. You can also use an orange! Also, if you have a liquid soap with a lemon scent available, use it because gnats hate this scent!
  4. Cloves
    To repel gnats, you can spray lemongrass essential oil mixed with cloves on the plants.
  5. Store food
    Gnats particularly like leftover food and spoiled fruits and vegetables.

Tip: in the summer, store all your food in your cupboards, fridge or in airtight containers. Above all, be careful not to leave food lying around.

  1. Clean the trash can
    To prevent food odors from attracting midges, clean your trash cans regularly.

Tip: use a mixture of baking soda or black soap as a cleaner.