Drain flies are also known as a sink or moth flies and area a common nuisance in homes. These flies live and breed in the organic matter present inside the moist drains and they are mostly found in the bathrooms and kitchen. They are not a harmful breed of flies and despite that fact they come from the drains, they don’t transmit human disease because of this they have become an integral part of many water-dependent ecosystems. Although they are not harmless but their presence in your kitchen and bathroom can make you feel yucky. In this article, you will not to get rid of drain flies.
Ways to Get Rid of Drain Flies:
1.) Identify the Problem Areas
Examine all the drains in your home and any area inside or outside your home that has standing water. any area with multiple drain flies is likely a problem.
- As drain flies do not stray fat from the place they have chosen to make their home, so it is a rare chance they drain fly infestation to spread to all the areas of the house. This is true if you catch the problem early.
- Dry all the drain areas. This is the first thing you must do to verify that the problem is coming from the drain itself.
- You might actually get infested by another type of fly drawn in by rotting fruit or type of food sources. As a result, you should verify that you actually have the drain flies in your drain before taking the measures to remove them.
- Place a strip to clear tape over each drain. You need to stick the tape over the center of each drain with the sticky side facing down.
- You need to keep in mind that, don’t completely cover the drain with tape. A covered drain will prevent flies from flying up, and leave you with no evidence.
- Check the tape in the morning or after a few days. If you find flies on the tape after removing it from the drain, then drain flies are the most likely culprit.
- Even if you find out any drain flies on the tape after the first night, you should repeat this process for at least four night to account for the discrepancies in the breeding cycle.
2.) Gel drain cleaner to Get Rid of Drain Flies
- Apply roughly of the cleaner around the edge of the drain.
- Then apply the cleaner to the edge of the drain and allow it to coat the sides of the drain and pipe as it glides down.
- Gel cleaner is formulated to remove the organic matter. You can also use bacterial drain cleaner or enzyme to remove the organic material.
- Boiling water, vinegar and bleach are traditional remedies to get rid of drain flies, but many experts also suggests that these methods are not effective.
- Vinegar and baking soda poured down the drain may kill the flies, it will help to clean the drain at least.
- You may need to repeat the same dosage of the drain cleaner once a day for about five to seven days.
3.) Apply a Space Spray
You can also treat the infested area with an insect spray that works in confined spaces.
- Close all the windows and doors in the space
- Spray the insect poison in the upward direction for about 5 to 8 seconds per 1000 cubic feet
- Then leave the treated area and keep it closed for about 15 minutes.
- Open all the doors and window after coming to the area and rub the electric fan, if possible to help disperse any remaining spray.
- Reapply once every week or as needed.
4.) Keep the Drains Clean to Get Rid of Drain Flies
Try to clean the drains in your house at least once every month, but if you already want to get rid of drain flies then you need to increase this once in every one to two weeks.
- Thorough cleaning is not necessary. You can just simply pour 4 oz of gel drain cleaner into the drain and let it sit to maintain a continual state of cleanliness.
- The drains which are rarely used, such as a basement or garage drain, pour a little mineral oil down the drain. This will prevent further infestation until the water is run down the drain.
5.) Insect Growth Regulator
Spray an aerosol IGR directly inside the drain and along the drain to get rid of drain flies.
- It will prevent drain flies from breaking out the larvae stage. As flies only breed once they enter the adult stage, the helps to reduce the number of flies breeding and cut down the future infestation.
6.) Clean the Hair Catcher, if Applicable
You need to remove the hair catcher or filter from the affected shower drain, then clean it out thoroughly, and remove all the hair tangled inside it.
- The key is destroying the drain fly’s breeding ground is by removing all the hair, grime, and debris that the flies might lay their eggs in.
7.) Plunger to Remove Drain Flies
After the drain cleaner sat into the sink for several hours, so flush it thoroughly with lots of water. use a plunger to remove any remaining organic matter trapped in the sink.
8.) Use a Fly Swatter
Go to the drain area and squash as many as flies as you can. This will prevent the flies from laying more eggs, but you still have to deal with the drain flies up to even days after cleaning the drains. You many to take extra measures to get rid of drain flies as many as possible.
9.) Use a Metal Pipe Brush to Get rid of Drain Flies
You need to work with a metal pipe brush into the drain and extend it as far down into the drain as possible.
- Twist the brush while slowly moving it up and down to remove the grime from the sides of the pipe.
10.) Plumbing Snake to Remove Drain Flies
Insert a plumbing snake into the drain and twist it through the pipes to pull out the clumps of grime that lie further down.
