We Have 20 Non-Toxic Ways to Get Rid of Houseflies! Say “Bye Bye” Flies!

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9. Milk Trap

This works well for both houseflies and fruit flies and method has been used in England for hundreds of years. Take ½ liter of milk, ¼ cup of sugar and four tablespoons of black pepper, and mix them together in a saucepan. Let this solution simmer for a while until everything is well mixed — about 10 minutes. Pour small amounts into shallow bowls, and place them in every room of the house where you have flies or fruit flies. They are attracted to the sugar and pepper, fall into the milk and drown.

10. Lavender Oil

Lavender is a natural insect repellent that has been used for hundreds of years. You can start by planting some lavender around your home to discourage flies from hanging around windows and doors. You can also make a spray to use around the home to discourage flies and mosquitoes from making your home their home. You can also try spraying your clothing to stop black flies, fleas, green flies and other insects from biting you.

Put ½ cup of lavender oil in a bowl. Dip a sponge or cloth in the oil and place it in a tin can with a lid. Put the lid on tight, and leave it on for 24 hours. After 24 hours, remove the lid and place the can wherever you see flies most in your home. As the scent weakens, repeat.

You can also mix 20 drops of lavender oil with about ¼ cup of water and 2 drops of dishwashing soap into a spray bottle. Shake well and spray entryways. You can also spray your clothes to deter insects when you go outside.

11. Plastic Bags

This is an effective as well as interesting way to keep flies away from doors and windows. Fill a clear plastic bag with water. Hang these bags around doors and windows to stop flies from coming inside. This works because of the way a fly’s eyes work. They don’t see a plastic bag with water — they see something that looks like a spider web, which they will avoid. Also, if the sun should reflect on the bag, it creates some kind of wild illusion the fly simply cannot understand, so it heads the other way. If you have ever traveled to other countries, you might have seen fruit stands with plastic bags filled with water hanging from the stalls. This is to keep flies from landing on the produce.

12. White Wine

This is a great way to use up old white wine, and get rid of flies at the same time. Mix some white wine with a few drops of dishwashing soap. Put this mixture into small bowls in every room where you want to get rid of flies. Flies are attracted to this mixture, drink it, fall in and drown.

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