Gnats are tiny flying insects that breed quickly and are often found around overwatered plants or decaying fruit. Gnats include thousands of different species, such as midges, fruit flies, sandflies, fungus gnats, and more. In addition to being bothersome, gnats can spread bacteria and diseases, introducing risks to your home. That’s why it’s helpful to understand why gnats are in your home and how to get rid of them.
Learn more about gnat behavior, how to get rid of gnats indoors and outdoors, and how Mosquito Joe® is here to help with our pest control services. We are committed to helping with both home pest control and commercial pest control to address all needs.
What Attracts Gnats to Your Home and Yard?
Gnats are attracted to moisture and decaying organic matter, as it allows them to feed and reproduce. Hot spots for gnats in and around your home can include:
- Birdbaths
- Clogged drains
- Clogged gutters
- Compost piles
- Indoor lights, especially when humid
- Leaky pipes
- Overwatered houseplants
- Old leftovers
- Puddles
- Rotten or decaying fruit
- Rotten or decaying vegetables
- Soap, perfumes, and body lotions
- Sugar, honey, and other sweet-smelling items
- Sweat and body heat
- Wet piles of leaves
- Wet stacks of wood
Do your best to identify and remove sources of standing water or rotting fruits, vegetables, and plants that attract gnats to your living space.
Getting Rid of Gnats Indoors
Common places you may find gnats in your home are around fruit baskets, the trash can, garbage disposals, or your sinks. And once you spot one, there are usually many more that follow. Thankfully, there are several steps you can take for indoor gnat control.
Get Rid of Excess Water
One of the best things you can do is get rid of excess water. Wipe down your shower, bathtub, sink, and counters. Check for leaks around your toilet and faucets. Make sure all of your drains are clean and working properly. Gnats can make use of a tiny bit of excess water, like that found in dirty drains. The slime, grime, and organic matter that can collect on the sides of the drain pipe hold water drops that gnats drink from and lay their eggs on. To make your own drain cleaner, combine one cup vinegar with ½ cup salt and ½ cup baking soda. Pour it down the problem drain and let it sit overnight. In the morning, flush it down with a large pot of boiling water.
Don’t Leave Food Out
Another tip for gnat control is to avoid leaving old food out and ensure leftovers are properly sealed and refrigerated. When throwing out old fruits and vegetables, take the trash out as soon as you can to help with controlling gnats. If you notice gnats collecting in your kitchen, clean it thoroughly and make a gnat trap.
Use Gnat Traps
There are a few different types of gnat traps you can try:
- Mix a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with a tablespoon of sugar and a few drops of dish soap in a small bowl. Set the mixture in areas where you see gnats. They will get caught by the soap and pulled underwater for removal. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, use red wine and skip the sugar.
- Place a piece of overripe fruit in a jar. Cover the opening with plastic wrap, with a few holes poked in. Gnats crawl through the holes to reach the fruit but cannot get back out. Nobody said gnats are smart, just annoying.
- You can also set up flypaper or colorful sticky cards as gnat traps. Just hang the sticky spirals anywhere you see gnats hovering. When they bump into the paper, they become stuck, will collect, and can be discarded. Stick cards work similarly and can be highly effective near potted plants, especially with an extra smear of honey as an attractant.
Treat Your Houseplants
Houseplants can be a prime dwelling spot for various types of gnats. One way to address a gnat problem is by sprinkling a layer of food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE) on the top of the plant soil. Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a fine powder from fossilized microscopic organisms that kills the eggs laid on the soil and prevents adults from reaching the soil to lay more.
Another simple remedy that’s good for gnats in your house plants is a soil drench using hydrogen peroxide. Mix one part hydrogen peroxide with four parts water. Pour this mix over the soil of each plant until it runs out of the drainage holes. The peroxide kills gnat larvae on contact without hurting the plants.
Use an Insecticidal Spray
When you have a bad infestation, you may be able to target adult gnats with an insecticidal spray. Pay attention to what treatments are marked effective for indoor use and consider eco-friendly options for environments with pets and children.
How to Control Gnats Outdoors
You may be a little more overwhelmed with the task of getting rid of gnats outdoors. Luckily, there are DIY and professional solutions you can pursue.
Maintain Your Home and Lawn
Some simple steps you can take to help address your gnat problem include:
- Stop overwatering your plants.
- Fix leaky pipes and faucets.
- Clean up all dropped fruits and vegetables and weeds that have been pulled.
- Replace exterior lighting with “bug light bulbs,” yellow bulbs that don’t attract gnats as much as conventional white lighting does.
- Cover garbage receptacles with a tight lid.
- Regularly change bird baths, pet bowls, and other sources of standing water.
- Clean out clogged gutters.
- Keep your grass and plants trimmed.
- Avoid piles of dead leaves or wood that will collect and hold moisture.
Call a Professional Pest Control Company
When in doubt, reach out to a professional pest control company like Mosquito Joe. With no contracts and free consultations, we can check out your property and give you a free estimate. Through a thorough pest inspection, we will identify areas where gnats are and areas where they could be a problem. Then, we’ll apply a spray to target gnats at various stages of their life cycle for comprehensive control. We offer both traditional and eco-friendly pest treatment options to suit your preferences.
Our gnat control is efficient, effective, and hassle-free. We provide customized pest control services across the country. We do the job right the first time, and all our work is backed by the Neighborly Done Right Promise® ; and our own Mosquito Joe Satisfaction Guarantee. We know how to make the outdoors fun again!
Prevention Tips for Long-Term Control
In addition to learning how to get rid of gnats, it can be helpful to learn how to prevent gnats. Most long-term solutions depend on removing excess water and cleaning up old food. Avoid overwatering your houseplants, keep your drains clean and dry, and always take the trash out. This will help keep gnats from collecting in your home and becoming a larger problem. Furthermore, ensure your doors and windows are properly sealed and equipped with properly fitting screens.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to tackle a gnat situation on your own. Mosquito Joe is here to help with gnat, mosquito, and other insect treatments that make the outdoors fun again.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and may not be applicable to every situation. You are responsible for determining the proper course of action for your home and property. Mosquito Joe is not responsible for any damages that occur as a result of this blog content or your actions. For the most accurate guidance, contact your local Mosquito Joe location for a comprehensive, on-site assessment.
