Gnats in the House

I have fungus gnats (that do bite) and or biting midges, and they are wreaking havoc with biting me and my dog. My carpet was brand new 2 years ago and shampooed frequently and almost dry when finished. The gnats or other insects are also leaving larvae and gooey brown stuff and sticky runny stuff on my things. Everywhere.

What do I do and how do I get rid of them in my house and stop them from biting us? They are all over the place. I am not a dirty person either. My dog gets a bath regularly and is on all preventions. Thanks.

By Barbara from Richmond, VA

Answers: Gnats in the House

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By 12/02/2011

Our gnat infestation came courtesy of the 7 cords of firewood we brought into our basement for this winter's heating. Even though the wood had been "drying" outside for almost five months, it had been a wet summer. We used a combination of apple cider vinegar and dish detergent placed throughout the basement and upstairs rooms, fly paper strips, and up close and personal squishing!

What seemed to work best was the fly strips hung in windows, with as many as six strips forming a curtain. (The gnats seem to favor light and would congregate during the day in sunlit windows; at night they'd flock to light bulbs.) Regarding Hot Shot Pest Strips (as with most chemicals): the instructions on the package are clear in their warnings about their danger to all living things and food; just because you can't smell it doesn't mean it's safe! Take the time to pursue pests with safe products.

By 12/04/2010

I HAD a gnat problem that was escalating. I used the vinegar & dish soap remedy suggested and I did see a few dead gnats. But I was underwhelmed and really didn't want guest to see or smell the residue. So I went to Home Depot to check out what they had available. I purchased for trial Hot Shot No-Pest Strip, they are not like those ugly fly strips, where you see dead fly corpses, dust and anything stuck on the trap, eww. The strip is placed inside a plastic container with open slants. It can be hung or free standing. I placed one in the kitchen on top of my cabinet in the rear.

Holicowola, it was like the gnats packed up and left town. The efficacy of the strip last for approximately 4 months. I know, I know "Is it safe for my family and me to inhale the toxins?" I'll be on the lookout for any adverse reactions or extra appendages. However, I can't smell anything and the gnats were driving us absolutely crazy plus the embarrassment. It works thoroughly and quickly! May not be everyone's cup o' tea, but just another option that happens to provide relief.

Questions

Here are questions related to Gnats in the House.

Getting Rid of Gnats in the House

We have gnats which are taking over. What is the safest way to get rid of them? They are in our bedroom, as well as the rest of our home, but mainly concentrated in the kitchen and our master bedroom.

By Heather from Smyrna, TN

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By kerly8706/21/2011

Poor but Proud hit the nail on the head. I put hedgeapples in last fall because I heard they run spiders off. But no one admitted they draw gnats, big time! I did research, came across the apple cider vinegar but it called for a dab of oil. It took about a week, I changed the vinegar/oil ever few days, but they got rid of them. Never again will I try the hedgeapples.

Gnats In My Home! How do I get them to leave?

I need these gnats gone! They are driving me crazy and they are nasty! We left for a few days and when we came back they were everywhere and they only thing i can think of where they came from is we left a tomato sitting out while we were gone and it split open. I have gotten rid of all the fresh fruits and vegetables in the house and I have cleaned everything! But they are still here! Please any idea would be great! How do I get rid of them?

Erricka

RE: Gnats In My Home! How do I get them to leave?

You have taken the first steps in getting rid of the gnats - getting rid of all food. Don't leave dirty dishes in the sink, either. Take a small bowl and pour some vinegar into it, then squirt some dishwashing liquid in it. Leave it on the counter and the gnats will come. You may have to change this out several times a day-depending on how many gnats you "collect". You may have to keep this up until a freeze comes along. I live in W. TX and right now the watermelons are being harvested and that always brings them on-the gnats. Also, be sure to keep the trash emptied. Good luck. (09/10/2004)

By Connie

RE: Gnats In My Home! How do I get them to leave?

You may need to clean down the drain on the kitchen sink, I think sometimes they live off the food down there. I would use baking soda and vinegar, after it bubbles for a while, rinse it down and then clean the garbage disposal if you have one by putting down some ice and salt and run the disposal. (09/10/2004)

By tcaruso

RE: Gnats In My Home! How do I get them to leave?

I work for a vending company and we have gnat problems in our syrup pop machines in the summer, I find by spraying the overflow bucket with bleach keeps them away, evidently they don't like the fumes! (09/18/2004)

By marroh

RE: Gnats In My Home! How do I get them to leave?

Vinegar is made from apples and will not kill gnats it just attracts them. The bleach OR ammonia does work. (10/16/2005)

By Melissa

Gnats In My Home!

I have gnats lots of gnats in my kitchen it seems like they are coming out of my kitchen sink drain. I clean my kitchen every day. I don't leave dishes with food or standing water in my sink. I have tried ammonia and vegetable oil. It seemed to work for a minute but as soon as I stopped they came back. We only have one plant in the house but the gnats where in the house before the plant. I clean the litter boxes and animal cages twice a day. What am I doing wrong. I have even tried bleach,down all my drains.. If anyone has any advice please let me know.

Thank you,
Andrea from East Windsor, NJ

RE: Gnats In My Home!

To get rid of gnats, put 1/4 inch applecider vinegar in a quart jar, add a squirt of dawn dish soap. The cider attracts the gnats and the soap thickens the top and they cant fly back out. It works. Leave it in the corner of the counter and forget it, untill it gets ugly. It works. (10/27/2006)

By Ariela

RE: Gnats In My Home!

I had the same problem, what worked very well for me was to put a small container (I used a pretty white one the size of a custard cup) filled with 1/4 inch of apple cider vinegar and a couple drops of Dawn dish detergent in it, set it on my window sill over the sink, yes, they like vinegar and go for it but when they go to drink it they get the soap and fall in and die. (10/28/2006)

RE: Gnats In My Home!

You need to spend the $6 or so for Gulf or Hot Shot Pest Strips. Homemade mixes take to long to work and there are always two more gnats to breed. Believe me within 24 hours the gnats are gone. Product works for 4 months. Sincerely, Judith at judyajudy AT yahoo.com (10/28/2006)

By Judith Walker

Gnats In My Home!

Do gnats come out of the sink drains, if not, where do they come from?

Ed from Muldrow, OK

RE: Gnats In My Home!

They come from the fruit from the store, and can come in through your screens. (05/19/2007)

By Andi6

RE: Gnats In My Home!

As has been mentioned, gnats come from fruit (bananas and tomatoes especially), but can also come into the house through doors and screens. I have never heard of them coming up through drains. The main thing is not to leave fruits/veggies out that have started to soften. I've noticed several people here talking about eliminating the food. I can't personally do that because I don't refrigerate tomatoes or other fruits. I leave them out at room temperature (better flavor, and they stay fresh longer). That said, gnats are not a problem for us year round, only in the dead heat of summer. When we've become infested we put a small amount (roughly 1/4 cup) of wine into a glass. The gnats enter the wine glass, go into the wine and drown. Red or white, makes no difference. I personally will not use pest strips in my home, and I've never had any luck with the vinegar method, but I know others who swear by it. *I see it's already been mentioned, but there is a variety of gnat that can be traced to the wet soil of houseplants. (05/20/2007)

By Anonymous

RE: Gnats In My Home!

A few months back I had the same problem it went on for a few weeks I tried everything mentioned above. One day my hubby asked about my liquid hand soap It was an Organic FRUIT blend! I pitched the soap and 24 hrs later the gnats were gone! (05/21/2007)

By dottyj.

RE: Gnats In My Home!

Have you tried a Venus fly trap? (05/21/2007)

By Red

Gnats also caused from damp houseplants

Just FYI, the gnat problem is also aggravated by damp soil in houseplants. (05/21/2007)

By cjirby

RE: Gnats In My Home!

We get gnats in the summer because of our garden and what I've found to work is this light we bought at WalMart for under $20. It's not a zapper kind, the gnats are attracted to the light but when they get to close they get stunned and fall into this cup, and die. I put mine on every night and clean it out every morning and I've always caught a lot. It really helped for us. The vinegar and wine does work, but I have kids and cats that get into cups or bowls left on the counter so the light works the best for us. (05/22/2007)

By bambi2003.

RE: Gnats In My Home!

Hi, North Texas has gotten a lot of rain this spring. I've never had a gnat or fly problem before. I read several posts, and what has worked for me is putting pest strips outside house entrances. sticky tapes on inside windows, and vinegar with a few drops of dish washing detergent is little bowls all over the house. I experimented with closing off the bathroom for two nights and stopping up the sinks to see if they were coming out of the drains. None did. That doesn't mean they don't. But when I checked the outside strips they were covered with gnats and a few flies. I have concluded that many get in from opening doors, accidentally letting them get into produce plastic bags from the grocery, and living near a wet area. Also, this is the first year I created a garden outside my front door and put down cedar mulch. So, after aggressive measures aforementioned, the problem is about 95% better. (06/21/2007)

By Myra

RE: Gnats In My Home!

I tried alcohol in a spray bottle and it works the best about killing on contact however Im looking for something permanent.. (06/21/2007)

By Kitten

RE: Gnats In My Home!

Are we talking about gnats or fruit flies? I know fruit flies are very small flies that have wings which you can see and they congregate on fruit. In FL we call gnats the tiny black specks that bite and are usually outdoors. Which one are we talking about? (08/17/2007)

By Stngray

RE: Gnats In My Home!

Have these gnats in my bathtub and some in the toilet water. Tried baking soda and white vinegar to no avail. Will try apple cider vinegar w/soap. Help - any other suggestions? (08/29/2007)

By Martha

RE: Gnats In My Home!

Help. I have gnats and I can't get rid of them. They are awful in my kitchen around my sink. I have tried bleach down the sink, but it doesn't seem to work. I don't have standing water or dishes in my sink either! HELP, they are nasty! P.S. Never had them before now either! (09/10/2007)

By Renee'

RE: Gnats In My Home!

Help. I have bought hot spot gnat killer and also I have put bleach down all my drains. I have also spent money on some pest control gnat/ fruit fly traps which seem to be apple cider vinegar thats all in a little container and I put that out and now it seems I have more gnats then I started with PLEASE someone give me some advice I hate them and Im sick of them! Renee Thomas, Ohio (09/17/2007)

By Renee

RE: Gnats In My Home!

Thank you so much for the apple cider vinegar and dawn soap suggestion. I tried it today and it works! (10/15/2007)

By Kate

RE: Gnats In My Home!

I tried the vinegar and dawn and it worked but the smell was so strong, I couldn't stand it. I put a few ounces of Strawberry Margarita into a glass and covered it with a baggie. Then I poked a hole with my finger in the baggie and pushed it down almost into the drink but not quite all the way. It doesn't smell and it really catches them. I also tried the bleach, the vinegar and baking soda etc. None of them worked. I finally used straight ammonia and boiling water. That worked great. They are gone. Also, it helps to buy drain plugs for all of your drains. Keep them plugged in while not in use. It will help to keep the gnats out that were not in the drain when you put the ammonia in. (11/16/2007)

By Leslieodonnell

RE: Gnats In My Home!

Help! I live in Mississippi and I have problems with gnats in my bathroom and I see them coming in my room and my living room but majority of them in my bathroom. I don't see any in my kids room or kitchen. (12/11/2007)

By Freda

RE: Gnats In My Home!

I put ice cubes in garbage disposal several time. I put hot soapy water in drain. I used a vinegar trap. I have put ammonia, bleach, vinegar, you name it down the sink. That's where they come from. Why can't I eliminate where they are laying eggs? I got a product called Darin Gel that eliminates organic matter from drains, and it seemed to work. Used it 2 night yet still had some gnats, just fewer. Didn't do it last night and there were more of them.. I just cleaned my waste basket which does not seem to be attracting them, but am leaving no stone unturned. What can I do that I haven't tried? Insecticide won't kill them. (12/22/2007)

By Kim

RE: Gnats In My Home!

I do not know exactly where the gnats came from. They were just here one day! I've tried flying insect sprays, etc. None of that worked. Tried waiting until it got extremely cold and I didn't turn my heat on hoping to freeze them out! They are still here! ugh! help, please! (02/20/2008)

By Teri

Gnats In My Home!

Does anyone know how to keep gnats out of the house? They get in through the screens. I would like to know about natural ingredients to do this. Thank You.

Ann from MA

RE: Gnats In My Home!

Put water in a shallow container, and pour in white vinegar and dish soap detergent. They smell the vinegar and go to the water, the dish soap pulls them in. They drown, no more gnats! It works! But you have to make sure there is no food out for them to go to instead; no dirty dishes with food, etc.

This also works outside on the ground for fleas! Use tiny shallow ones for places like window seals, or lids to mayonnaise jars, or those aluminum pie pans, etc., anything shallow. The more vinegar you put in, the more they go to it. The more dish detergent you put the more it pulls them in. I usually use a lid and 1 teaspoon for that size, just barely putting enough water in it not to run over. When you pour it out later pour it outside, but not down your drain, you don't want dead gnats in there stinking. But it works, try it. Lay them around where you are gardening or having a grill out and they will go to it and not get out! (05/10/2008)

By theseamstress

RE: Gnats In My Home!

I found one that really works, and it's cheap! Put some apple cider vinegar in a small jar. Make a cone out of paper and put the small end in the jar. Don't let it touch the vinegar. The gnats will go in, but they won't be able to get out. (05/10/2008)

By stampingran

RE: Gnats In My Home!

We have two Venus Fly traps in the kitchen. They seem to work great - they are definitely thriving! We have them on the counter where I put the fresh fruit and veggies. (05/10/2008)

By TracyInNH

RE: Gnats In My Home!

They also can be found in houseplant soil. They are caused by a fungus. You will have to change the soil to get rid of the gnats. Look at the soil to see if they are crawling in the soil. If they are, this is the solution. Sometimes you can get rid of them by letting the plant soil dry out, but I do not like this method because it puts the plant under too much stress. Another method is to put a layer of sand on top of the soil. But again I still think changing the soil is the best answer. Hope this helps. (05/10/2008)

By ashleybunkin

RE: Gnats In My Home!

I just thought that if you cannot control them and they do come through the screen, I would try spraying Hair Spray over the screen. I would think they would get stuck and not be able to get through!

Good luck. What a horrid problem. (05/13/2008)

By Monique

RE: Gnats In My Home!

You can try this website which carries organic pest killers:
http://www.cleanairgardening.com/organicbuyers.html

(05/13/2008)

By Mythi

RE: Gnats In My Home!

I've often heard about Skin So Soft from Avon doing the job on many insects, so I put a search on for it. I would probably spray this directly on my screens if it doesn't smell obnoxious. (05/13/2008)

By BonsterBonnie

RE: Gnats In My Home!

Your biggest thing is to figure out where they are nesting at. More likely if they are in your home they are living a complete life cycle in your home (egg, larvae, pupa and adult). Check all your moisture areas. Crawl spaces, drains and house plants. More than likely they are mildew eating Gnats. If they are in your house plants stop watering and allow the soil to dry out, this will kill the complete life cycle, egg, larvae, pupa and adult. If they are in the crawl space use a dehumidifier to remove moisture. If in a drain, buy some product or lures to kill the adults so they cannot reproduce. Hope this works. (05/19/2008)

By pestfreegogreen

RE: Gnats In My Home!

I had gnats last year and I received the best sure fire cure. Lemon scented spray. Any lemon scented spray you have in your home. I use lemon scented ammonia and spray it in the kitchen and around the windows a few nights a week and I have not had any issues since. (06/29/2008)

By Tonya

RE: Gnats In My Home!

I suggest fly ribbon, if you can find it, because it can hold up to 145 gnats at a time and works great. However, it may be hard to find and is not an easy cure. (07/09/2008)

By gnat killer

RE: Gnats In My Home!

Using Dawn liquid dish soap with vinegar really does work, but I used lots of vinegar and soap. I filled up a small glass jar with vinegar and then squirted in quite a bit of dish soap. It felt like I was being wasteful, but it worked. My jar is sitting beside me right now and I have caught 15+ gnats in the last 5-6 hours. I noticed when I sit at my computer that the gnats like to drive me crazy so that is where I put my jar. It worked. This really does work, just more than the original amounts suggested. (07/20/2008)

By S

RE: Gnats In My Home!

Take an empty CLEAR bottle, place a piece of a banana peel in the bottom. Make a small funnel out of a piece of paper with a very small gnat sized hole in the bottom. Tape around the funnel so they can't escape. They are too stupid to go back out of the hole. This will catch them! I had a gnat problem until I put one of these in all of the problem areas. (07/21/2008)

By Lisa Reed

Caught gnats without trying to!

My boyfriend and I had a huge gnat problem when we came home from vacation. The second day back we went to Panera Bread and he got a green tea with lemonade. There was a lemon inside the to-go cup, and when he finished, just left the cup on the table. The next morning there were probably about 10 gnats that went in and died since they couldn't get out! We left it and now there's 30+ gnats! I was going to try the vinegar remedy, but the lemon attracted them in, and the straw opening was too small for them to fly back out. Good luck to all that have the same problem. Now I just have to get rid of all the flies. Ha! (07/28/2008)

By Alexis

RE: Gnat Traps: Evidence based efficacy

I am struggling with gnats in my kitchen along with the rest of you reading this site. I reviewed contributors suggestions and then put them to the test. I set up a simple experiment more by accident than by design. Gnats appear to prefer white wine as evidenced by the 12 insects that plunged to their death over a 30 minute time period. The red vino only lured one hapless victim, and the funnel bottle with white wine technique captured nil in the same time period. Please note that equal volumes were used in each trap. Hence I am limiting my gnat snares to Pinot grigio. (07/28/2008)

By Colt

RE: Gnats In My Home!

We always take a shallow bowl, fill it with apple cider and a few slices of banana with a little dish washing liquid, and cover it up with saran wrap and poke holes or make a slit with a scissor. They always go in there, so I highly recommend this method. (08/07/2008)

By Madison

RE: Gnats In My Home!

You might want to purchase "Knock Out Gnats". It is supposed to work really well. (08/07/2008)

By Anne

RE: Gnats In My Home!

Vinegar in shallow bowls was working slowly in our home, but Skin So Soft was a much quicker solution. I sprayed it on the window seals, sink and counter area. The gnats got weighed down by it and I was able to wipe up many of them right away. (08/12/2008)

By MO

RE: Gnats In My Home!

I put some apple cider vinegar, soap, water, and bleach in a bowl. Will that work?

Editor's Note: I don't think the bleach would help. (11/07/2008)

RE: Gnats In My Home!

I moved into a new apartment 3 months ago, leaving windows and my front door open w/the storm door locked for fresh air. By the time I realized it my place was infested with gnats from the uncleaned in 3 months birdbath directly downstairs below my door, and the not emptied in 3 months wheelbarrow in the side yard beside me (finally dry).

I've put plastic over all the leaky windows and tape around every outlet and light switch cover. I almost got video of one trying to get round my bathroom outlet, but it got stuck and quit moving, just joined the rest that are stuck. This entire building is infested and I've tried everything. One day I was decoupaging an electrical spool to make a coffee table and the dang gnats wouldn't stay out of the glue. So I have two plates of glue water under lamps, one in my living room and one in the bedroom.

I have dramatically cut my kill rate from 45/day to about 20 in the last couple of nights. Simply do a spiral of normal Elmer's or whatever and put enough water in to cover. They love it and are pretty much stuck immediately. And the glue will wash off the plate when the hunt is finished. They hang around my curtains during the day and I've been killing 30-50 of them per day since the 2nd week of October, two weeks after I moved here.

I also heard that they like to lay eggs on potatoes, so keep slices on another plate and toss down the toilet every couple days. Everyone, good luck! This is one of the worst household problems I've ever encountered. (01/18/2009)

By Debi

RE: Gnats In My Home!

Try Skin So Soft by Avon. You can log onto the Avon website and purchase this product. It works well for keeping all types of bugs away. Use Repflyer to get free shipping on your order. Good Luck. (09/20/2009)

By Ldiggy1278

Gnats In the House

What can I do to get rid of gnats that are in my houseplants, flying all over the house, and getting into our food?

Hardiness Zone: 5a

By Karen from Casper, WY

RE: Gnats In My Home!

I have found that gnats can be downed by spraying with hair spray. You can even use a pump and dilute it 1/2 and 1/2 with alcohol. The lacquer seem to stick their wings together. And an added bonus; nothing toxic, so you can use in the kitchen, and with kids and pets. (11/03/2009)

By pamphyila

RE: Gnats In My Home!

I'm assuming you don't want to get rid of your plants. I had this problem a few years ago. An employee at the local nursery told me the only way to get rid of them without harming your plants is to put sticky paper down. I put some strips down at the edges of the pots where the gnats were living. It took a few weeks for it to get rid of all of the gnats, but it really did work. The gnats came back once after that, probably a year later, and I put more paper down and they were gone quickly. (11/05/2009)

By jj007

RE: Gnats In My Home!

I've heard you need to wash your houseplants with dish detergent and water, and you just spray it onto the plant. I hope this works for you. I'd probably want to get rid of the plants and get new ones. (11/06/2009)

By Carol in PA

RE: Gnats In My Home!

I tried a fly strip. The gnats were not attracted to it. I tried the vinegar, with some results. Most of the gnats remained. I finally got out the vacuum cleaner and chased them with the hose attachment. This was highly effective. (11/19/2009)

By krisbf