Gnats, although not harmful, are very annoying little pests. They tend to congregate around trash cans and sink drains as they love the smell of rotten food. Although a gnat lives only about four months, during that time, 300-400 eggs can be produced. It is in your trash can or sink drain, where the rotten food resides, that the eggs are laid. Also, if you have watered your plants too much, eggs can be found there. Preventing gnats is the most effective method of removing these critters, but we all make mistakes at times. If you find yourself pondering the question, “how do you get rid of gnats?”, there are many techniques you can use to remove them from your home.
First you will need to find where the gnats are gathering. The easiest way to do this is to pour vinegar in a jar. Fill it almost to the top and then place a lid on it. Punch holes into the lid and put jars in various places throughout your home. Wherever the gnats are, they will enter the jar through the small holes in the lid and then will not be able to escape. Be sure to put jars not only near trash cans and sink drains, but also by refrigerator drip pans as gnats like to gather there also. If there are in other areas in your home where these critters seem to congregate, place a jar there too.
Another method of eliminating gnats is to blend baking soda with apple cider vinegar. Do this slowly as foam may result when mixing these items. The gnats will be fascinated by the concoction and get trapped within the mixture. If your sink drain appears to be at the root of your problem, pour ammonia down the drain. A cup will do the trick and the gnats will move out as they are repelled by this. A tablespoon of dish detergent mixed with about a half a cup of vinegar is another great home remedy.
If these home remedies do not work, don’t call in an exterminator yet. Flying insect sprays will help to control your gnat problem. Any brand should work and eliminate your problem. Another popular treatment is insecticidal soap sprays. If your infestation is severe, consider fogging products. With all of these, you will need to take care not to allow your pets access to the treated area so they won’t be harmed in the process, but your current gnat problem will be eliminated.
If you suffer from a severe infestation or just cannot seem to get rid of the gnats no matter what you do, call in an exterminator. This is rarely needed, but is always an option. An exterminator may be able to identify the source of your problem and will be able to rid your home of any existing bugs as well as any eggs that have been laid. Yet, if the source is not located, you may be back to square one in just a matter of time. Finding the source is of the most benefit so try to do that before anything else.
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