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Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,193
Registered: ‎07-21-2014

HELP please with Gnats!!

[ Edited ]

All week there have been a bunch of gnats in my place flying all around. I did the vinegar with some detergent in it and there has been dozens in there so those ones  are done.

 

But each time there gets to be more. I never really minded am occasional few gnats until reading about how

yucky and unsanitary they are, even carry disease! I had no idea.

 

Is there anything I can do to get rid of the annoying gnats?

 

My drains are clean and fine, no fruit or veg out of the fridge, no food around so not sure what is the cause!

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Regular Contributor
Posts: 158
Registered: ‎10-06-2011

Re: HELP please with Gnats!!

It depends what kind of gnats you have.  I had drain flies a couple of years ago.  We were literally infested. I couldn't kill them faster than they were hatching. I used a mixture of bleach and water for 4 nights in a row in all my drains. I first poured about 2 gallons of boiling water down each drain and then the bleach.  Drain flies gone! I used about 1-1 1/2 cups bleach.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,836
Registered: ‎05-04-2020

Re: HELP please with Gnats!!

I heard that laying dryer sheets like 'Bouce' on the table tops or near where the gnats are flying eliminates them. SIL said her office was plagued especially in the lunch rooms, or desk tops if fruit was around.....she said it works!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 11,193
Registered: ‎07-21-2014

Re: HELP please with Gnats!!

Some of these are small and a few have been larger and fly around crazily. They are now more in the bathroom around my counter, I took everything off of it but no help at all. I have vaccumed some up when I can get at them lol.

Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light. —Helen Keller
Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,788
Registered: ‎09-10-2020

Re: HELP please with Gnats!!

[ Edited ]

Could they be fungus gnats from your plants. If so, you are overwatering them.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,658
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: HELP please with Gnats!!


@MG Chris wrote:

Could they be fungus gnats from your plants. If so, you are overwatering them.


@MG Chris 

 

I've definitely had that problem before, due to overwatering houseplants.

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.
Honored Contributor
Posts: 9,280
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: HELP please with Gnats!!


@CherryHugs wrote:

Some of these are small and a few have been larger and fly around crazily. They are now more in the bathroom around my counter, I took everything off of it but no help at all. I have vaccumed some up when I can get at them lol.


 

If you're saying bathroom counter my guess is that they are drain flies.

 

Do the bigger ones look like an upside down heart?  Those are drain flies if they do.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 645
Registered: ‎12-28-2017

Re: HELP please with Gnats!!

Apple cider vinegar and dish soap works well too.

Also clean your garbage disposal with regular vinegar, baking soda and flush with boiling water.

Afterwards I like to squeeze the juice from a cut lemon or orange in, put half in there and then let the garbage disposal eat it up.
Valued Contributor
Posts: 516
Registered: ‎06-21-2010

Re: HELP please with Gnats!!

@MG Chris  I was going to say the same thing. I had a terrible time with those little buggers because of my plants. I sprinkled sevin dust on my plants and after a while, they did get better. I have to reapply every so often.

 

I'm told diatomaceous earth works as well, too.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 8,736
Registered: ‎02-19-2014

Re: HELP please with Gnats!!

[ Edited ]

Could still be fruit flies. They can sneak in on a piece of fruit from the grocery store.

 

Edited to add: Fruit flies are very small. The ones I've seen don't look red. They are dark. They do fly around kind of wildly.

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