How To Keep Flies Away from Trash Can: Effective Tips
It is not easy on the eye to watch flies roaming around the trash cans of your house. On top of that, the buzzing sound of the flies irritates the most. The situation worsens in the summer, and it becomes hard to tolerate them.
If you are facing flies infestation, you must be thinking about how to keep flies away from trash can. Have no worries! Get the perfect solution from this article.
Getting rid of flies from trash bins and the surrounding area is not hard. The most important step is to keep your trash can clean and bacteria-free. Besides keeping the trash can clean, you must securely tie the food waste in a garbage bag to prevent odors from spreading.
Moreover, you can use fry traps and homemade remedies to deter flies.
Flies around your house can embarrass you but remember, you can easily get rid of flies using simple techniques. So sit tight and get ready to learn about the effective ways of deterring flies.
Effective Methods to Keep Flies Away from Your Trash Bin
Flies get attracted toward the trash bins outside and inside your house due to the decaying matter. The rotten food scraps inside the trash bin are the main attraction of the flies. They will find their way to your trash can no matter how careful you are.
However, knowing the proper techniques can prevent flies from attacking your trash can and home.
Below are the effective methods that you should try to repel flies-
Get Rid Of The Existing Garbage
The First thing you must do after you notice flies swarming around your trash can is empty it by removing the garbage. Sometimes the smell of rotten food particles from the debris attracts flies.
Remember, never remove the garbage from the trash bin and throw it outside without covering it. It would be best if you remove the waste and put them in garbage bags. Also, tie the bags tightly, so the debris does not come out. Then dispose of the garbage somewhere else or in another trash bin of your house.
Clean The Trash Can
After you get rid of the debris, it is time to clean the trash can. It is not enough to remove the debris and empty the trash can. Because only emptying the trash cannot eliminate flies.
Some residue remains inside the trash can even after removing all the debris. Also, the trash can is home to odor-creating bacteria. So all of these elements together attract flies even after you empty your trash can.
Follow the below steps to clean your trash can and make it bacteria free-
- Make a cleaning solution: Vinegar is one of the best fly deterrents that kills bacteria inside the trash can and makes it odor-free. Mix tap water and vinegar in equal amounts and pour the solution into a spray bottle.
Note: You can also use bleach instead of vinegar.
- Make a cleaning solution: Vinegar is one of the best fly deterrents that kills bacteria inside the trash can and makes it odor-free. Mix tap water and vinegar in equal amounts and pour the solution into a spray bottle.
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- Spray off the solution: Spray the cleaning solution all over the garbage can from inside and outside. Do not forget to spray on the garbage lid as well. Also, you can spread the solution directly onto the flies if you see them flying around the trash bin.
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- Let the solution sit: Do not immediately wash the solution from the garbage bin. Wait 15-20 minutes to let the solution sit and kill the bacteria inside and outside the bin.
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- Wipe it off: Wipe the trash can with a cotton cloth once the solution is set. Also, you can scrub the trash can if sticky debris won’t come out with a cotton cloth.
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- Wash: The next step is washing the garbage bin. Use a garden hose or pressure water to wash it thoroughly.
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- Sprinkle baking soda: After you wash the bin, dry it with a paper towel or dry clothes. Once dried, take one cup of baking soda and sprinkle them all over the trash can and leave it overnight. Also, do not forget to cover the trash can with the lid.
Use Garbage Liners or Bags
After going through the cleaning process, you now have a clean garbage disposal. But before throwing garbage into the trash bin, you must use a garbage bag to prevent flies from returning.
Organic matter attracts more flies and helps them to lay eggs inside the trash bins.
To avoid such incidents, use a garbage can liner or bag to keep the inner side of the can clean and fresh. The liner will prevent the food waste from touching the trash can and prevent bacteria from growing on the inner walls.
Even if flies get attracted and lay eggs, you can take them away with the debris if you use a trash can liner.
Use The Right Garbage Bag
Only using garbage bags is not sufficient. Buying the perfect size garbage bags for your trash bins would be best. But why does the size of the garbage bag matters so much?
Well, the answer is simple. If you put a bigger or smaller trash bag compared to the trash can, the bag might tear or slip out of the trash can.
Moreover, you must buy trash bags with high-quality plastic material. It will stop certain smells from spreading. If you can control the release of odor, you can stop flies from gathering around your trash cans. Also, to be more careful, you can use a double bag to repel flies.
Throw Food Waste In The Outside Trash Can
It is never a good idea to use the inner trash can of your house to dispose of food waste. Because the organic matter and moisture from rotten food will attract flies inside your home. So always try to wrap the food waste in a small plastic bag and throw them in the trash can outside your house.
Keep The Garbage Cans Closed
It is important to stop flies from laying eggs by getting inside the trash can. The decaying matter inside the garbage is the food for the larvae. So, always make sure to close the garbage properly with the lid.
Use A Garbage Guard
Putting a garbage guard under the trash can lid is a useful technique to get rid of flies. A trash can contains food and organic waste that spreads bacteria and attract pests. So, to prevent the trash cans from becoming the breeding grounds for flies, there is no alternative to a garbage guard.
Do you know how a garbage guard works? Well, the process is interesting and effortless. It releases an odorless vapor containing insecticides that kill flies and maggots inside the trash can. It prevents the flies from breeding inside and causing new infestations.
Moreover, a garbage guard will continue releasing deep-penetrating vapor for four months, preventing flies from your trash bin.
Note: Use garbage guards only in your outside trash can. Using a garbage guard inside the house is unsafe as it releases toxic insecticides that harm humans.
Use Fly Traps
Fly traps
You can use different types of fly traps to get rid of flies. It will help you to trap all the flies swarming around your trash cans. Below is the list of fly traps to help deter flies from garbage cans-
- Fly Paper: Using fly paper is one of the most efficient and effortless techniques to kill insects and flies. The flypaper has an adhesive strip. All you have to do is open the adhesive backing and keep it around the trash cans.
The sticky side has a sweet fragrance that attracts flies and other insects to trap them. Also, it has toxic chemical substances that kill the flies. You can use flypaper around both inside and outside trash cans. - Bug Zapper: You can use an electric bug zapper to eliminate flies. The flies get attracted toward the zapper due to the UV light and get trapped inside it.
- Fly Paper: Using fly paper is one of the most efficient and effortless techniques to kill insects and flies. The flypaper has an adhesive strip. All you have to do is open the adhesive backing and keep it around the trash cans.
Natural Home Remedies To Keep Flies Away From Trash Cans
Different types of natural ingredients can be used to repel flies. These ingredients will not let a single fly swarm around your trash cans. Below is the ingredient list that keeps flies away from your trash cans.
Basil Leaves: It is one of the best ingredients that keep flies miles away from your garbage bin.
Steeping basil leaves overnight in an equal amount of boiling water will convert the leaves into essential oils.
Add the oil with vodka and mix them well. Then, put the solution into a spray bottle and spray the areas around the trash can.
Ginger Spray: Flies cannot tolerate the spiciness of the ginger. Add ginger powder with water and mix it well to prevent flies from returning to your trash can. Spray the solution around the garbage cans and get an instant result!
Apple Cider Vinegar: It is a non-toxic ingredient that kills flies without harming humans. Take a water bowl, then add apple cider vinegar and dish soap to the bowl.
Now, after mixing the solution properly, keep the bowl next to the trash bin. The flies will drown in the water bowl by being attracted by the sweet smell of the vinegar.
Peppermint Oil: Essential oil containing peppermint also deters flies. Add ten drops of essential oils with water and spray the solution directly around the trash can.
The refreshing smell of peppermint helps in keeping flies away from your trash bins. Moreover, this natural remedy works for up to 6 days and keeps your house free from flies.
Thyme Oil: Thyme has a strong smell that is irresistible to flies and insects. So spraying thyme oil can prevent insects and flies from getting attracted toward the trash bin.
Clove oil: You can deter flies away from your trash with the help of essential oils with clove. The process of making a cleaning solution with clove is incredibly easy. All you have to do is mix the oil with water and spray it around the trash can or directly on the flies.
Cinnamon oil: The strong minty smell of cinnamon deter fruit flies from the garbage bins.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What can I use to keep flies out of my trash can?
White vinegar is the most effective ingredient for keeping flies away and killing the bacteria inside the trash can. Also, natural ingredients like cloves, cinnamon, and buds of aromatic flowers help eliminate flies.
You can also make a ball from powdered milk and boric acid to eliminate cockroaches.
What is the best homemade fly repellant?
Cayenne pepper is the best homemade remedy that you can use to deter flies from your house. Make a solution by mixing one teaspoon of cayenne pepper with water. Then, shake it well and spray the solution in those places where you notice flies.
Do flies hate lemon?
Flies cannot stand the smell of lemon. The strong citric smell of lemon repels flies from the trash can. Moreover, mixing cloves with lemon covers the smell of old meat and decaying matter. So, the flies stay away from the trash cans sprayed with lemon and clove mixture.
What smells do flies love?
Flies are mostly attracted to rotten meat and decaying organic matter. On the other hand, fruit flies love sugary substances like soft drinks, overripe fruits, and alcohol.
Final Words
That is all about methods to get rid of flies. Now that you learned how to keep flies away from trash can, you can get rid of flies without professional help. Do not panic when you notice flies swarming around your house. All you have to do is take care of your trash can and the surrounding area.
Remember, the first step is to wash the trash can. Because if your trash can is too dirty, it is impossible to get rid of flies even if you try other remedies.
Hopefully, the tips mentioned in this article will help you to save your family from pesky flies.