First published: 28 December 2020 @ 2:12 pm
This is a very common and annoying problem for many people, especially in the warm and humid summer months. If you have drain flies, you will start to notice them fluttering in your bathroom. They are dark brown or black in color and have thin bodies with two pairs of wings.
What makes these insects so annoying is that they can crawl through the smallest of holes to get into your home, especially if these insects are breeding in your drains.
The best way to get rid of drain flies is to call an exterminator. If you do not want to hire a professional, there are some steps that you can take on your own to help eliminate these pests from your home.
Vinegar Trap
One of the best ways to eliminate drain flies is by using a vinegar trap within your drains. The vinegar will attract the flies down into the drain because they like to lay their eggs in moist places.
In most cases, it only takes one or two days for all of the drain flies in the house to be eliminated using this trap method if it is set up properly and regularly checked. Here are some easy steps for making this vinegar trap:
Step 1
Use an old glass jar or bottle that has been washed out thoroughly with soap and water so that there is no soap residue left behind.
Pour 1/2 cup of apple cider vinegar into this container along with 1/4 cup of water then place it inside one of your bathroom sinks or bathtub drains so that it will be completely submerged under water during use, but not blocked by other objects sitting around it.
Covering this container with plastic wrap or saran wrap will prevent light from attracting more drain flies into the jar as well as keeping it airtight until you are ready to dispose of them after use.
You may also want to put a label on it telling others not to touch this bottle as well as what it contains if young children might be around when you set up this trap for use too!
Step 2
Once you have set up this trap, leave it alone for at least 24 hours before checking on how effective it has been at getting rid of all the drain flies within your home’s drains.
You will need a flashlight when checking out this trap because the light from outside coming through any part of your sink bowl opening will attract more drain flies so put a towel down over any openings before turning on any lights when checking out this trap!
When looking inside each time after setting up this trap, you will see that there are dead drain flies inside it and you may even notice fly eggs as well.
Step 3
After a day or two of regular checking, the bottle should be nearly filled with dead drain flies and their eggs. If your trap is not yet full enough to take out of your drain yet, keep checking it regularly until all the flies inside have been eliminated.
It is important to do this daily because if you leave this trap set up too long, then more drain flies will come into your home to lay their eggs in the vinegar and your trap will not be very effective as a result.
How To Clean Drain Flies from Your Sink Drain
To clean drain flies from your sink drains after they have been eliminated by using this vinegar trap method, use a plunger to remove as many of the dead drain flies and their eggs that are stuck within your sink’s drains as possible.
If you have large chunks of dead insects left behind after using your plunger, run some hot water down into the drain to help dislodge these particles so that they will go down the pipes along with your water.
The hot water should make it easier for these particles to move along down into the pipe area where they can be flushed out with additional water over time once all of these particles have moved past this clog area in the pipes.
You may need some help from other family members if you have a clog in any other sinks throughout your home because loosening these clogs can get messy! Just remember that any gunk or debris that comes up into your sinks or tubs also needs to be cleaned out too for best results.
Once everything has been cleaned out, use a good quality enzyme cleaner such as EcoSmart® Drain Gel Formula for both cleaning and deodorizing purposes within each of these drains.
This type of cleaner is safe for bathroom usage but be sure to follow any safety precautions recommended by the manufacturer for best results!
Additional Tips to Eliminate Drain Flies in Your Bathroom
Tips #1
Always check around sink drains regularly when using this vinegar trap method because fly eggs tend to get stuck in various areas around bathroom sinks before they hatch as well as getting stuck on decorative items such as soap dishes and toothbrush holders within bathrooms too!
Anywhere there is moisture present or where food waste can collect near sinks tends to attract more drain flies so make sure you eliminate them before they lay their eggs on anything else within this area.
Tips #2
Use a disinfectant spray cleaner such as Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes to keep bacteria and mold from growing in your bathroom sink drains and other areas where moisture is present. These types of cleaners can also help eliminate additional odors that may be present.
Do not use scented candles or air fresheners with chemical fragrances when trying to get rid of drain flies because this type of scent will attract more drain flies into your bathroom instead of helping you to eliminate them.
Tips #3
Always replace any worn-out or damaged screen covers on your bathroom window cracks and vents because this type of damage can allow drain flies into your home easier than normal.
It also allows other insects such as ants, spiders, and moths inside too so it is best to keep these cracks and vents in good working condition whenever possible for best results.
Tips #4
If you have holes within your window screen, you can also try using some duct tape or even a piece of cardboard cut out in the shape of a window screen over these holes until you can buy new ones for best results.
If there are any gaps around the edges of your bathtub or shower doors, caulk these areas up before using this vinegar trap method if possible for best results.
Tips #5
If you have persistent drain flies problems but cannot seem to get rid of them by using this vinegar trap method, then it might be time to call in a professional exterminator that can provide better results compared to what you can do on your own.
If there are young children in the home, they can end up playing with these jars which means they could drink the vinegar within them and become seriously ill as a result so it is always best to have an exterminator do their work for them if possible.
What If You Don’t Get Rid of Drain Flies?
If you do not want to hire a professional, there are several steps that you can take on your own to help eliminate these pests from your home.
It is important to note that some drain flies are not harmful and only enter homes during the summer months, so if this is not a problem for you, then it may be best to ignore these pests and wait until next year when they return.
Our blog, HandyWork, has written several articles on how to get rid of drain flies. These are all great tips and will help you prevent these annoying pests from coming back in the future.
Check out our articles on how to get rid of drain flies in your kitchen and bathroom now!