Banish drain flies for good by tackling little-known breeding zone – not the drain
Drain flies can be a nuisance, and if cleaning your plug holes isn't solving the problem, there's one more little-known area they like to breed in.
Get rid of drain flies for good by tackling them at one little-known source.
As we move into the colder months, many of the insects that plague our homes in the summer, like ants and house flies, are thankfully beginning to go away. But that doesn't mean our bug-related problems are over, as the autumn brings with it a whole host of different creepy crawlies.
One insect you might notice in your home at this time of year is the drain fly. These tiny flies live and breed in the organic matter in your drains and are mostly found in the kitchen and bathroom. As drains are their natural habitat, they thrive in damp conditions, so you may notice them in other areas of the home if you have problems with dampness - especially at this time of year.
Getting rid of drain flies usually involves tackling them at the source by cleaning out your drains. This can be done by pouring vinegar and baking soda down the drain alongside hot water, as well as using a specific enzyme killer that's designed to remove the food source from inside your drain and kill the flies at the same time.
But if this method doesn't solve your drain fly problem, it could be because there's another place they're choosing to breed.
A person on Reddit asked for advice after admitting they were struggling to get rid of their drain flies. They said they cleared out their drains and have even been putting cups over the drains to keep the flies trapped. However, they've still been spotting flies around their home and have no idea where they're coming from.
They wrote: "I wasn't home for the last five days, so the drains were fully covered all day during those days. I've put Vaseline on cups covering the drains to see where they are coming from, but there are no traces of drain flies on the cups. There are fewer of them now that the drains are covered, so I know some come from them.
"But when I came home, I found two drain flies, one of them smaller, so I'm assuming newly born. Where could they be coming from? What else can I do? I live in a small studio apartment with no washing machines or anything that could collect water."
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One commenter on the post was able to lift the lid on the problem, as they claimed drain flies will also breed in other areas of the home that you might not think about - including in the soil of potted plants.
Since the area is often moist after watering and contains organic matter, houseplants make a great place for drain flies to breed away from the place they most often call home.
The commenter shared: "They will also breed in potted plants. You can sprinkle cinnamon over the soil and it will stop their eggs from hatching. Some people set sticky traps in the plants to catch the adult flies, too. Let the soil dry out between watering and cinnamon sticks also work."
The poster with the fly problem said they do have some houseplants in their home so claimed that "could explain why" there are still flies in the house even when the drains are covered.
Other commenters also chimed in with further advice, including one person who suggested putting a layer of sand over the soil of the plants to stop them from being able to breed.
Someone else shared: "I pour a bit of bleach in every drain before bed or before leaving the house. Then also make sure there no other water sources. No water means they can't reproduce."
