Home Remedy for Drain Flies
Drain flies are 1/5 inches long, with bodies and wings densely covered with hairs. These insects do not bite humans but are a nuisance by their presence. Drain flies can also have a large population, feeding on flower nectar, organic matter and polluted water. Standing dirty water is a breeding ground for drain flies. The big concern with drain flies is disease, as they hang around sewer plant and carry sewer waste on their bodies.
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Find The Source
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Check all floor drains and sump pump openings for a drain flies population. Drain flies live and breed in the sludge build up and rotting organic matter in drain pipes. Use a flashlight to look inside the drains for the insects. Tap on the sink drain, sink vent and floor boards to see if flies come out to the surface.
Check the outside and inside of the home for any standing water. Areas to look through should include water containers under houseplant pots, garbage containers, bird baths and stagnant pools of water. Clean all of these areas and dump water out.
Finding the source of food and eliminating it is the best way to get rid of drain flies. Eliminating the food source will kill larvae, as they will have nothing to feed off of.
Kill Drain Flies
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Wear gloves, and with a stiff long-handled brush clean the drain. Push rotting buildup as far down the drain as you can. Break up sludge with boiling hot water. Hot water will kill drain flies and also help push sludge down the drain.
Pour half a gallon of bleach down the drain. It may take a few minutes for bleach to work itself down the drain due to buildup. Continue vigorous brushing and scrubbing. Apply two to three drops of liquid dish detergent to the brush as an insecticide.
Pour another half a gallon of bleach, and after ten minutes, pour more boiling water. This will flush material left behind by the cleaning process and help sanitize the drain.
Do not combine other chemicals with bleach or pour insecticide down the drain.
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