After writing about how to kill fruit flies?, how to kill fleas?, and how to get rid of ants?, Now, we are writing on how to get rid of gnats? Gnats are a particularly diverse species of insects with over thousand identified species. Gnats come in a variety of colors from the yellow to red, blue and brown. They built a nest in every location of the house, it may be close to your home, inside air bricks, and just about anywhere. These are dangerous insects to be present in and around your complex. At times, these insects can also bite you hard causing lots of pain and problem. Read the article to know the effective remedies to get rid of gnats.
Best Remedies to Get Rid of Gnats In The House
1.) Use The Bay Leaves
Bay leaves work as a natural pest control and can be applied for deterring insects like fleas, cockroaches, wasps, and bed bugs. The strong aroma of bay leaves is the sole reason that removes gnats. The bay leaves are loaded with essential oils like eugenol and myrcene that also keep the gnats away.
- Take some bay leaves and spread them in the places where you most often see wasps.
- Repeat this method till the gnats stay away due to the pungent aroma and essential oils found in bay leaves.
- Change the bay leaves after a few days to regain the strong smell of the bay leaves.
- When the leaves become old they may become less powerful and lose its effectiveness.
- This technique is very convenient to get rid of gnats naturally.
2.) Use Some Essential Oils
The mixture of numerous essential oils can be a valuable remedy to deter gnats from your buildings. It is the inexpensive and one of the most capable way for getting rid of gnats.
Things You Need:
- 1 spoon of lavender oil.
- 1 spoon of Citronella oil.
- One spoon of Pennyroyal oil.
- 1 spoon of Eucalyptus oil.
- One spoon of Tea tree oil.
- A glass of vodka.
- One Spray bottle.
Steps to Follow:
- Make a mixture by adding one spoon of lavender oil, one spoon of citronella oil, one spoon of pennyroyal, one spoon of eucalyptus & one spoon of tea tree oil.
- Next, dilute this mixture by adding a glass of vodka.
- Spray this diluted liquid in a spray bottle.
- Sprinkle it on your buildings to stop gnats from nesting in that place.
- Do this frequently for eliminating gnats completely from your buildings.
3.) Try Some Bleach
Bleach contains strong odor and this will aid you in getting rid of the gnats fast. Using bleach with pine sol is an effective remedy to get rid of gnats. Try this fast and real remedy to have a spotless and insect free home.
Things You Need:
- Two cups of pine sol.
- Two cups of bleach.
- One mixing bowl.
Steps to Follow:
- In a bowl add the pine sol and bleach.
- Mix them well together.
- Next, drop this mixture in the places where the gnats has infested your home.
- Next, close the doors and windows of the place and leave the place like this for about half an hour.
- Later clean up the place as after this method you will never see the gnats roaming in your place.
4.) Petroleum Jelly Will Help
A gnat infestation can be the worst thing to get rid of naturally at home. But, now with this simple petroleum jelly method, it is quite imaginable and is also known to be the safest solution for the concern. Go for this fast remedy to make the gnats disappear from your home.
Things You Need:
- Two spoons of fruit peelings.
- One spoon of petroleum jelly.
- One glass jar.
Steps to Follow:
- For this mixture, take care to use the fruit peelings of solid scented fruits like mango, apple, banana, and grapes.
- Take the glass jar and smear the petroleum jelly in the internal section of the jar.
- Drop some of the fruit peelings into the jar.
- Next, put this jar in the place where you see the most number of gnats.
- The sugary and strong scented smell of the fruits inside the jar will invite the gnats and because of the gluey petroleum jelly, they won’t be able to go.
- This method can be followed till the problem has been completely resolved.
5.) Use The Garlic Cloves
Garlic because of its strong smell will draw the gnats. The onion used with garlic in this remedy will work as a natural repellent and at last help in killing them overnight. Go for this fast and this is a highly useful remedy for getting rid of gnats.
Things You Need:
- One garlic clove.
- 1 Onion.
- One spoon of pepper powder.
- One glass of water.
- Blender
- Bowl
- One spoon of liquid soap.
Steps to Follow:
- Initially take the garlic clove and onion.
- Put it into the blender.
- Crush them for a minute to form a fine paste.
- Next, pour this garlic and onion fine paste into a bowl.
- Pour some of the pepper powder on the mixture of the onion and garlic paste.
- Now, add a glass of water and one spoon of the liquid soap in it, mix it well till they are well mixed.
- Now, sprinkle this liquid in places like bathrooms, sinks, below the cabinets and everywhere you see a sign of gnat infestation.
- It will suffocate them and finally kill them overnight.
- This method can be done till there is no particular sign of gnats in the house.
6.) Use Some Cayenne Pepper
The robust aroma of the cayenne pepper, garlic cloves, and onion, when mixed together, helps in choking and then killing these horrible gnats.
Things You Need:
- One spoon of cayenne pepper.
- One crushed garlic clove.
- One crushed white onion.
- Three glass of water.
- One spray bottle.
Steps to Follow:
- Mix cayenne pepper, crushed white onion and crushed garlic together.
- Keep three glass of water in a pan to boil over the low flame.
- Once the water starts to boil, add it to the cayenne pepper, the crushed white onion, and crushed garlic mixture.
- Stir it well and remove it from the flame and wait till it cools down.
- Now, transfer this liquid into the spray bottle.
- Spray this liquid around the places where you want to get rid of the gnats.
- This method can be repeated for over a week or until there is no trace of gnats in the house.
7.) Take Help From Catnip
Many people are not aware of the point that catnip herb is a powerful herb that is particularly used to get rid of the gnats. It is non-toxic and safe for the children as it does not harm them. They are harmless than the chemical exterminator.
Things You Need:
- One spoon of catnip.
- Two cups of water.
- One spray bottle.
Steps to Follow:
- Initially, let two cups of water boil over a low flame.
- Next, mix this in the catnip and wait for few minutes till it boils.
- Remove off the flame and let it cool down.
- Next, pour this catnip herb solution into the spray bottle.
- Sprinkle this catnip herb solution in your house or spaces where you see the most number of gnats in the house.
- This method helps you in killing gnats naturally and can be done for a few weeks or until there is no trace of gnats in the house anymore.
8.) Use The Ammonia Carefully
Ammonia works as a powerful repellent for the gnats particularly because of its strong and spicy smell.
Things You Need:
- Two cups of Ammonia.
- One bucket of water.
- One muslin cloth.
Steps to Follow:
- First take a bucket full of water.
- In this bucket, add two cups of ammonia and stir it well.
- Soak the muslin cloth into this liquid and clean the kitchen tops, below the sink, and any space of the house where you found any signs of cockroach infestation.
- This method can be done every day in the late afternoon and continue till there are no signs of gnats in the house.
- This method will stop them from coming to your house as well as works as the perfect solution if you are tensed about how to kill gnats.
9.) Make Vinegar Trap
This is one of simplest remedies to kill gnats. All you need to do is take a container and add one tablespoon of sugar, two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and a few drops of soap. Now, mix one liter of water in it. Keep the container in the gnats infested area. Gnats find the smell of apple cider vinegar very much attractive. But when they touch this liquid they die maybe because of the soap. If you are confused about the exact location where the gnats are breeding, then put this water in small containers and keep it in different locations in the house.
10.) Red Wine to Kill Gnats
This is one of the most convenient way to get rid of gnats. All you need to do is take a small container with leftover wine. Add a few drops of dish wash soap. The smell of red wine will attract the gnats and once they sit on the surface, the soap breaks the surface tension and the gnats fall in the solution and die. Cheap versions of wine will also do the same task so there is no need to spend money to buy an expensive wine.
Additional Useful Tips:
- Finding and closing gnat’s entry points are important. Examine easy entry places like unsealed vents, torn screens, and cracks around windows.
- Gnats are attracted to sweets and protein. Any food present outside in open like pet food and food left open in junk containers should be cleaned. Also, take away any fruit decaying on the ground.
- Avoid squashing a gnat as it is counterproductive. It is because when you squash a gnat a chemical is released that attracts other gnats.
- If you are wearing garments that are bright in color and fluorescent patterns then you may be attracting gnats that are in search for food.
- It is better not to try perfumes with the strong aroma as the gnats can easily get lured to the strong & sugary smell of perfumes.