Home remedy to get rid of gnats in the house

Let’s cut straight to the chase. Gnats start off as minor nuisance pests but can eventually become a major headache if the infestation isn’t dealt with quickly. Here are six methods you can use to get rid of the gnats fast. What method you use will depend on where the gnats are appearing from.

Gnats in the Kitchen and Dining Area

You are most likely dealing with fruit flies. The kitchen and dining area is usually the #1 spot where gnats and fruit flies appear inside the house due to the presence of rotten fruits and kitchen waste. Here are the elimination methods we suggest:

1. Keep the Kitchen Bin Tightly-Sealed

The kitchen bin is usually the #1 breeding ground for gnats and fruit flies, especially when the warmth of summer kicks in. If you don’t already have one, we suggest investing in a kitchen bin that comes with a tightly-sealed lid. One recommendation is the iTouchless stainless steel bin. Not even something as tiny as a gnat will be able to make its way into the kitchen waste.

In addition to investing in a solid bin, we would also suggest taking out the trash more regularly, at least when the weather is warm and humid.

2. Create Apple Cider or White Vinegar Traps

This is a super-easy DIY method for getting rid of gnats. Add a few spoons of apple cider vinegar, few drops of dish soap, and a tablespoon of sugar in an old bowl and mix the contents. White vinegar works as well but some of our readers have found it to be not as effective as apple cider vinegar.

To create the gnat vinegar trap, place one or two bowls near the part of the kitchen or dining area where the gnats swarm. Terro offers ready-made vinegar traps if you prefer to buy them.

We have more quick and effective tips on getting rid of fruit flies if the above methods don’t help eliminate the annoying flying insects.

Gnats in the Bathroom or Toilet

You are most likely dealing with sewer gnats or drain flies if they mostly appear from the bathroom or any part of the house that has drainage pipe openings. Here are the removal methods we suggest for these types of gnats.

3. Clean the Bathroom Drains

The dirty debris that accumulates in the bathroom drains is the perfect breeding ground for sewer flies and drain gnats. We suggest using drain treatment cleaners such as the Green Gobbler Gel to keep the pipes clean.

4. Dehumidify the Bathroom

This isn’t as easy for houses or apartments that have windowless bathrooms but it’s important to get rid of the excess moisture in the bathroom. This also applies to other parts of the house that has access to water. Moisture is one of few things that gnats are attracted to.

Get yourself a strong dehumidifier and turn it on during days of high humidity or just after you took a shower. Don’t forget to open the windows as well if the bathroom has them.

Gnats Near Houseplants or Garden

You are most likely dealing with fungus gnats. To kill fungus gnats, you need to locate the houseplants that are infested with the larvae and eggs.

5. Set Up Yellow Sticky Traps

Go buy some yellow sticky traps (they are inexpensive) and place them in the vicinity of the infested houseplant. Yellow sticky traps will also help with removing part of the infestation. It will get rid of the adult flies but it won’t get rid of the gnat larvae and eggs.

6. Apply Mosquito Bits to the Soil

To get rid of the gnat larvae and eggs in the soil, we would suggest using a product like Mosquito bits. You don’t have to worry about pesticide concerns as mosquito bits leverage a natural bacteria called BTi to kill the larvae.

How to Prevent a Gnat Infestation

Ultimately, there is nothing more effective to getting rid of gnats than to prevent them from appearing in the first place. We already offered a few hints on how that can be done.

Keep the Kitchen Meticulously Clean

In addition to taking out the trash regularly, make sure there is no food waste left in the open. Pay special attention to fruits and vegetables. Make sure to discard any that are showing signs of rotting.

Sanitize the Drains and Pipes

Aside from using gel-based drain treatment products, you can also keep the pipes clean by pouring down hot, boiling water once a day.

Don’t Overwater Your Plants

Overwatering is one of the biggest reasons why gnats start to appear from houseplant soil. Your plants will also thank you if you keep the watering at the minimum frequency.

Pest Control | Published: 09/18/2020 | Updated: 05/08/2022

Discussions

• James:
  

  I tried the apple cider vinegar trap. It got some but not all of the gnats. I ended finding the source (the drain) and placed a stopper to prevent more flies from coming out of the pipes.

• Joanna:
  

  I am house sitting for a friend. He is a relatively clean eprson but gnats have dominated the space for the past few days. We have already taken a bunch of precautionary measures like pouring bleach down the bathroom pipes and putting out a few apple cider vinegar traps. There does seem to be a decrease in the number of flies we spot now but they are still around here and there. We take out the garbage regularly and have no idea where the gnats are coming from.

• Wine is your best friend:
  

  I live in Southern California where we get tons of gnats during the summer. I searched tiredlessly to find a solution and ended up finding a winner. The apple cider vinegar trap works but what worked even better for me was using wine, specifically some leftover white zinfandel wine. With the same method as the vinegar trap, the wine trap was able to capture three times as many gnats!!

• MeganK:
  

  People. You are doing it all wrong. You are trying to only get rid of the adult flies. To truly get rid of gnats, you need to also get rid of their eggs and larvae. If, for exmaple, all the tiny flies are coming from your plants then you are dealing with fungus gnats. You need to use methods like mosquito bits to get rid of the larvae in the soil. Vinegar traps alone won’t help you.

• Mjordan:
  

  How on F do I get rid of these stupid gnats? They are flying around my face and I’ve tried a lot of the methods suggested here.

• Losing My Mind:
  

  I tried everything I could think of and the gnats won’t go away. I am pretty sure I am not dealing with fruit flies. I first cleaned up the gutters thinking they were breeding there. Nope. I then dumped a lot of food-grade diatomaceous earth over the garden bed thinking I might be dealing with fungus gnats. Nope again. I now tried using the hanging liquid fly traps. The gnats don’t seem to take a interest in them. What do I do now?

• Sue:
  

  I make sure I have something down at the door entryway front door and back..and then I use the solution with apple cider vinegar and so on…AND THEN I TOP IT OFF WITH RAID OF BLACK FLAG FOGGER

• Rosie:
  

  Every night put bleach down the drain and clog the drain

• Robin:
  

  Tiny, swarm around face, hair & sting

• Ksowder:
  

  We have thay exact trash can and we find gnats in it constantly. We bought it to hopefully keep them out. Does not keep them out at all. Just thought I’d put that out there for anyone wanting to purchase it for that purpose. You’re better off with an old school metal trash can you can close tightly.

• Rem:
  

  They are mostly in my backyard trees, fence, plants all over. I purchased sticky green insect traps and works well. But they multiply so fast, so I added ways to control by making my own spray solution. Clorox, dishwashing liquid, water in a spray bottles. I look for the place they stick together and spray at them and instantly dies. I made sure backyard is free from any debris and fallen leaves. I use in addition, apple cider vinegar in a closed jar or bottle as trap, they all work.. the problem is the neighbours don’t do what I do. So I eliminate on my side, but the neighbour’s problems won’t and would come to my place and start all over my problem.. it’s a never ending infestations, headache to homeowners.

• Rodriguez Aracely:
  

  I’ve tried the sticky yellow traps and nothing. They are all over my house I’m going crazy! I’m even thinking about getting rid of all of my plants and it makes me sad.

• Martin Wilson:
  

  I don’t get a lot of gnats, only a handful or so in the kitchen. I keep the trash clean and emptied regularly and it’s a can with a lid. I can’t find where they’re coming from. Not the sinks, not the one houseplant my wife keeps near the sink and there’s no place in particular that they congregate. I battle them on the cabinet doors, the counter here and there, the freshly painted walls and ceiling. We never had a problem with them before we had the kitchen completely remodeled it seems so everything is fresh, clean and new. All the plumbing under the sink is new as well as the cabinets, countertops, flooring and paint within the last year or so. I wish I could see them swarming from somewhere or something. Got rid of all the fruit and potatoes, nothing ever seems to change.

• Michelle H:
  

  The apple cider vinegar & dish soap trap works beautifully from many times experience, you MUST have everyone’s cooperation to NOT give them another source of food such as fruit (keep in the fridge until problem is gone), or other food or unrinsed cans, etc. or if dirty dishes are in the sink, keep them soaked with soapy water. They love anything with moisture but they can’t be able to get it anywhere else. God Bless!

• Kathy:
  

  FOUND SOMETHING THAT DOES WORK!!!: SF Beneficial Nematodes. I was going nuts for years with the dirt gnats never going away, no matter how many traps I set or mosquito bits I used, there were always more. Then I tried these nematodes, that eat the gnats in the dirt. I had to reapply after about a week to get the newest ‘hatchlings’, but then the gnats were ALL GONE! Now when I get a new plant or another bad bag of soil, I just use more of these and the gnats are 100% gone in a jiff. They come cooled/dormant and to use I put about 1/2 tsp in an 52 oz/1.6 qt clean (old OJ) bottle and filled with tepid water. Wait about a minute or so, to give the nematodes time to revive, and then pour all over the top of the soil in the pots. Do this over already watered soil. Super quick to do and it only looks like you’re using powder, nothing icky with bugs, like I was afraid of. 😉

  What instantly kills gnats?

  Combine equal parts vinegar and soap and then add a few tablespoons of sugar – once you mix it all together you can place the bowl wherever the gnats have been gathering. They will be attracted to the sugar and vinegar and drown in the mixture.

  What kills gnats in the house naturally?

  The most popular option is a vinegar trap, which is simple and cost-effective to create. Simply place a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, a few drops of dish soap, and a tablespoon of sugar in a bowl and stir. Set your bowl in an area where gnats are prevalent, such as your kitchen or bathroom.

  Why am I getting so many gnats in my house?

  Gnats are attracted to moisture, so you're most likely to encounter them in the summer months—they often hang out in moist areas of your home like your kitchen drain or potted soil. That also means factors like food spills, unsealed garbage cans, or potted houseplants can all contribute to an infestation.