Flies are not just annoying pests. They are also dangerous. They can spread a variety of diseases. Fortunately, there are many ways to get rid of flies – some of them natural. Do you know that there are certain scents that flies hate? You can use these scents around your property to get rid of flies.
Why flies hate certain scents
Flies have an incredible sense of smell. They use this sense to scour the vicinity for resources, such as food and water. This is part of the reason why you always see flies around food and water sources, like your kitchen and garbage cans.
It doesn’t help that the common housefly is one of the most widely distributed insects around the world. They are almost always in close proximity to you and your family, and all it takes is a little scent of food and water to get them even closer.
Sure, their strong sense of smell is one of their strengths. But you can use this to your advantage. You can overwhelm the flies on your property by spreading strong scents. These scents may overpower their already strong sense of smell.
Scents that flies hate
The great thing about these scents is that they are natural. They don’t have harmful ingredients that can hurt someone in your household. You can use them by themselves or you can buy their essential oil versions.
1. Basil
Flies can’t stand the smell of basil. You can crush a few leaves, steep them in boiling water, and spray the solution around your property. Sure, they are repulsive to flies, but not so much for us humans. They can actually be fragrant, making your home more comfortable.
You can also buy basil essential oil, but make sure to dilute it with a carrier oil because it can be too overpowering even for you if you use it on its own.
2. Cayenne pepper
Cayenne pepper is effective for fly control. In fact, it is one of the go-to home remedies of organic gardeners to get rid of flies and other garden pests like beetles. Like basil, you can use cayenne pepper by making a solution out of it. Crush a few pieces and steep them in water.
When handling cayenne pepper, make sure to wear goggles and gloves. It can be irritating to your eyes and skin.
3. Cloves and lemons
Cloves are great because of their powerful and sweet smell while lemons are known for their repellent properties. Simply cut up some lemons and put some cloves on top of them. Place these in areas with high fly activity.
They may smell fragrant for us humans, but flies don’t like the strong and sweet smell.
4. Lavender
Lavender is known for its repellent properties. In fact, you can use it to repel not just flies, but also other common pests like cockroaches. Like basil and cayenne pepper, you can crush lavender and steep it in water. Then spray the solution around your property.
You can also use the essential oil version, but again, make sure to dilute it in a carrier oil to lessen its concentration.
5. Mint
Flies hate minty scents like those from eucalyptus, mint, and peppermint. Like the other entries on this list, you can crush a few pieces, steep them in water, and spray the solution around your property. And you can also use their essential oil versions.
Minty scents may be cool and refreshing for us humans, but flies find them repulsive and they may try to find a new area to pester if your property has minty scents.
Why you should use scents instead of other fly control methods
Indeed, you can use scents that flies hate to get rid of the pests. But why bother with such methods when you can just buy insecticides or repellents? After all, insecticides and repellents are more effective because they have been formulated specifically for these pests. But using scents has some advantages too.
- Other fly control methods can be health risks. You’re right. Insecticides and repellents are specifically formulated to kill or repel the pests. This means they have harmful ingredients. These ingredients may be harmful not just to the flies, but also to you and your family. Using scents doesn’t have this risk.
- Scents may be enough to get rid of small infestations. One disadvantage of scents over other proven methods like commercial insecticides and repellents is that they don’t necessarily kill the pests. They are more likely to just drive the flies away. This makes them quite ineffective against large infestations. But they may be enough for small ones.
- Scents can be advantageous to your home. Insecticides and repellents aren’t always the most fragrant. And you can even argue that you shouldn’t even inhale them. Scents, on the other hand, are both fragrant and safe. They make your home a little more refreshing and relaxing. Also, you can beautify your home’s exterior by planting the herbs that have these scents. The herbs can beautify your home and protect it from flies at the same time.
Other safe fly control methods
If you don’t want to use the scents that flies hate, there are other fly control methods you can try that are just as safe if not more.
- Call a pest control professional. There is nothing safer than calling a pest control professional. Yes, these professionals are not just for cockroaches, rats, termites, and other common pests. They can also deal with flies. Do you know that there are actually different kinds of flies that can infest your home, and they may require different methods? Professionals will be able to know what kind of fly you have at home and what to do to get rid of them.
- Use boiling water. No, you probably can’t get rid of lone flies by sneaking up on them and pouring boiling water. Flies have fast reaction times. But you can use boiling water in their nests. For instance, you can use boiling water to kill drain flies in your sink or maggots in garbage cans.
- Keep your property clean. Remember that flies are on your property because they find it comfortable – it has easy access to resources like food and water and shelter like the warmth of your compost piles and garbage cans. Maintaining the cleanliness of your property will always be the best way to avoid and get rid of flies.
Use scents that flies hate for fly control
Flies have a strong sense of smell. You can use this to your advantage to get rid of the flies on your property. Overpower their already strong sense of smell with strong scents like that of basil, cayenne pepper, cloves and lemons, lavender, and mint.
The great thing about using scents is that it is safer compared to other fly control methods. It may not be as effective, but it may be enough for small infestations. When all else fails, there are other methods you can try, such as calling pest control professionals.