In the spring of 2023, my neighborhood on the north side of Chicago had a problem: a change in temperature over Lake Michigan flooded our streets and caused fly eggs to hatch throughout the area. Suddenly our homes were full of flies, probably flying in from the street dumpsters while we were enjoying the warmer weather. It was fine for a day or two. But on the third, fourth and fifth day nothing but flies, we were all full. Luckily, we knew what was causing it – but getting rid of them is another story.
Here’s what experts say to do if you need to get rid of flies in your home.
Causes of flies in the house
If you don’t have a weird weather pattern on Lake Michigan that wakes up all the flies, you’re probably dealing with rotting food or plant matter, or standing water in or around your home.
“Leaving food uncovered or disposing of trash haphazardly can attract houseflies,” says Elizabeth Shields, operations manager of Super Cleaning Service Louisville. “Also, standing water in pet bowls, clogged drains or leaking pipes is absolutely prohibited. Another thing to watch out for is overripe fruits and vegetables. They smell so good, even to us humans, but to houseflies it’s like a feast. Leaving windows and doors unsealed is a big problem.”
If you compost, that waste can attract flies. Dirty dishes in the sink can be a beacon for houseflies, as well as excess moisture around the house. They can also fly in from your neighbor’s house if they have an infestation.
How to get rid of houseflies
Follow this step-by-step guide to get rid of house flies.
“The best way to do this is to first research where they’re coming from,” says Delah Gomasi, CEO and director of MaidForYou. “It can also be the quality of the soil in the garden, especially if you use manure. If they are in the kitchen, it is because of spoiled food.”
Step 2: Clean up the problem.
Once you figure out what’s causing the flies, it’s a simple job of cleaning to prevent them from appearing. “Certain midge infestations are centered around a particular drainage or potted plant,” says Aaron Christensen, resident cleaning expert and VP of growing at Homeaglow. “Go to the source to eliminate houseflies quickly.”
Step 3: Fix any problems that might allow flies to thrive.
This means checking all your screens to make sure they’re intact and in place, cleaning up any crumbs around the house, cleaning up standing water and making sure leaks are fixed. You’ll also want to clean the outside of your house and make sure all of your trash cans (inside and out) have lids.
Step 4: Pull out the traps and swatters.
Fly traps, swatters or electric traps will get rid of any remaining pests. Place traps anywhere you’d normally see flies and keep a swatter handy when you’re around the house.
Step 5: As a last resort, use chemicals.
You should be able to find insecticides made specifically for flies at a hardware store. If that works for you, use them.
Natural remedies to get rid of house flies
If you want to get rid of houseflies naturally, Gomasi suggests choosing a tactic from the past: making a DIY fly trap using a bottle. “[Cut] a soda bottle in half,” he says. “You use the other half upside down as a funnel and add the sugar, honey and water mixture to the bottom of the soda bottle. Adding apple cider vinegar to your trap will make it even more effective, as the compounds in the vinegar attract flies.”
Christensen suggests fly paper for outdoor problems on a deck or patio, a solution he says is “effective but very unattractive.” And for indoor options, he says you can avoid harsh chemicals by using strong-smelling plants. “You can use a lavender plant or simply spray lavender essential oil on a cloth and place it near a fly infestation indoors,” he says.
Basil, lemongrass, and eucalyptus are other great options for natural housefly repellants. Shields also uses essential oils and herbs, including peppermint, bay leaf and citrus. You can even plant them around the house or place citrus peels wherever flies congregate.
Some other options from Shields include making an apple cider vinegar trap “by filling a shallow dish with apple cider vinegar and a few drops of dish soap,” placing garlic cloves around the house or crushing them to mix with water into a spray, and camphor tablets in a dish with water near windows or doors.
When to call an exterminator
If you need aggressive intervention for your house fly problem, consider calling an exterminator. Gomasi, Christensen and Shields agree, however, that it probably isn’t necessary unless your infestation meets certain criteria: if you’ve done everything you can to get rid of flies in your home and they’re still showing up; if you have removed the food that could be turned and examined the soil in your plants, but the flies are still there; if the infestation continues to worsen; if you cannot find the source of the flies; or if they interfere with your daily life and cause health concerns. If nothing else, the exterminator will be able to help diagnose the cause of the flies if it doesn’t solve the problem completely.
Take a good look at your home – you’ll want to make sure it’s free of clutter and protected from outside intruders.
“The homes with the least amount of flies that we encounter during our operations are those that use fly screens on windows and doors,” says Gomasi. “They also make sure that all organic food waste does not stay in the house for too long and that the inner bins are emptied almost as soon as they are full.”
Christensen agrees and also suggests removing standing water or decaying plants, both inside and outside your home. He also says to replace any torn screens and to keep an eye on your pets and children to make sure doors aren’t left open longer than necessary in warmer weather.