How to get rid of drain flies fast.

How to Get Rid of Drain Flies Naturally (Fast)

So, you have drain flies. And you need to get rid of drain flies. Fast.

You’ve come to the right place.

This DIY pest control guide will cover everything you need to know about exterminating, repelling, and preventing drain flies (for good).

This is a comprehensive tutorial sharing my knowledge on natural home remedies to get rid of these pests.

By the end of this guide, you should have a good understanding of how why you’re getting drain flies and a complete plan of action to get rid of them.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment and I’ll get back to you ASAP.

Ready to control your drain fly problem? Let’s get started!

Last updated: 12/30/19.

 

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What’s a drain fly?

Drain fly pest.
Drain flies are commonly found in shower drains and sinks. (Via Sanjay Acharya, CC BY-SA 3.0.)

A drain fly is a common household pest that’s found in all states across the US.

You’ll most often see them around your shower drain or bathroom sink. Sometimes, you’ll also find them in your kitchen sink, which is where they really become a problem.

You don’t want flying pests around your food-prep area.

Drain flies are also known by many other names, such as:

  • Gnats
  • Drain worms
  • Sewer flies
  • Sink flies
  • Septic flies
  • Moth flies
  • Small moths
  • Drain gnats
  • Drain moths

They’re all the same pest.

Because of their life cycle, they go through a worm stage where they often get confused for a worm rather than a fly. The worm eventually morphs into a fly.

So they’re just two different parts of the same pests’ life cycle.

Drain flies establish a nest in your sink or drain and reproduce there.

They come out during the night to feed on organic matter buildup. Typically, they’re found in smaller populations where you may not even notice them.

However, when there’s enough food present and lack of cleaning, the fly population can get so large that they start to take over the bathroom or kitchen.

They can fly to the nearby walls, windows, and even food-prep areas. This is why you should get rid of drain flies ASAP.

 

Learn how to get rid of drain flies fast

In this DIY pest control tutorial, we’ll cover all the steps necessary to get rid of them for good.

We’ll go over basic anatomy, lifecycle, and identifying why you have drain flies in your home.

Then we’ll cover DIY ways to exterminate, repel, control, and prevent drain flies.

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment with a detailed description of your specific scenario and I’ll try to help you out.

 

Drain fly anatomy

Drain flies have a unique look compared to other similar flies.

They have an ovular body with 6 legs and a pair of antennae.

Drain flies have a large pair of wings that extend beyond their lower abdomen with fuzzy hairs, which gives them a distinctive look compared to fruit flies and other similar flying pests.

They range in grey to black in coloration with darker wings and legs and lighter antenna, that are often whitish in color.

Their abdomen is almost black and their wings are outlined with a darker coloration while being almost see-through in the middle.

 

What do drain flies look like?

Drain fly anatomy.
Drain flies have an anatomy and appearance similar to moths. (Via Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0.)

You could say they almost look like miniature moths, as they have that “hazy” and fuzzy coloration and texture on their wings.

They’re not microscopic and you can clearly see them with the naked eye.

They range about ⅙” in length. Although they’re tiny, you can still make out their body features even just by glancing at them.

Because drain flies are tiny and look very similar to other flies, they’re often confused for fruit flies or phorid flies, which are both commonly found around sinks and kitchens also. It’s important to differentiate between them so you know which pest you’re actually dealing with.

Although you can use similar DIY home remedies for most bathroom and kitchen flies, using the right one for the right pest will be more effective and can get rid of your drain flies quickly and effectively.

 

Drain fly life cycle

 

Drain flies have a simple life cycle similar to all other flies and gnats.

Female drain flies lay eggs in decomposing matter found in drains, which is the same stuff they eat.

The eggs are laid in clusters within the organic materials and hatch within 48 hours.

The actual time to hatch may vary depending on temperature and the material the eggs are laid upon.

After hatching, the drain fly larvae eat on the buildup found in the drain which is typically sludge.

They reach sexual maturity in just 14 days, depending on the food, water, and temperature conditions.

These pests grow very quickly and can start breeding rapidly within days exponentially, which is why you need to exterminate them and kill them before they start a colony that’s too difficult to manage.

They may expand to your bathroom or kitchen walls or ceiling if left unattended.

And drain flies also can survive in high temperatures with very low oxygen, so it’s difficult to kill them by those means.

You can learn more about their life cycle here on Wikipedia.

 

Where do drain flies live?

Drain flies are a common pest in all 48 states across the US. there is no state that has no reports of drain flies.

You can see they’ve clearly evolved and adapted quickly to all common septic and disposal systems across the US.

They’re also found in other countries around the world, so they’re not native to North America.

 

What causes drain flies? Why do drain flies appear?

Drain flies come from external sources and appear because they sense a source of water, food, and shelter.

Dirty or smelly drains are perfect areas for them to invest because they provide a source of organic matter for food and water.

They nest within the drain or sink and lay eggs to start a colony of flies.

As long as those three factors are present, drain flies will become a nuisance.

You may have had them for quite some time but never noticed until they got out of control.

They breed quickly and really take over your kitchen or bathroom (or wherever else you have a sink or drain) and will start to appear on the walls and ceiling all over the room.

 

Where do drain flies come from?

Believe it or not, drain flies don’t actually crawl into your shower or bathroom from your drain.

They come from outdoors, damaged window screens, open windows, or even directly from you as a host bringing them into your sink or bathroom drain.

Drain flies are attracted to the organic matter found in your drain, which is also why they’re often called septic flies or sewer flies.

As soon as they know there’s a drain nearby, they’ll enter through any possible entryway to get to the drain.

Typically, this will be through a window or other opening to the outdoors. Most people get drain flies in their bathroom sink or shower drain, but it’s possible to get them in your kitchen sink also.

Pretty much anywhere there’s organic matter, water, and a drain or pipe, drain flies can be present.

 

What causes drain flies?

Drain flies are often only a pest when you start to notice them in large numbers, congregating around your drains or sinks.

They’re most active during the night and tend to hide in their nest within the drain or sink during the day.

There are three main reasons why you’ll get drain flies:

  • A source of decaying organic matter
  • A source of water
  • And a dark place for them to nest

A drain provides all three of these, so that’s what causes drain flies to populate.

They’ll eat on the organic matter that funnels down your drain and drink the water that runs through the drain.

Then they’ll be hidden in the nest they’ve created during the daytime, and breed out a population while they’re nesting. 

 

What do drain flies eat?

Drain flies will eat any organic matter, which is often found in drains and sinks. This is why they’re native to those areas.

For bathrooms sinks and shower drains, they’ll eat:

  • Skin from your body after showering or washing your hands
  • Hair caught in your drainer or strainer
  • Residue from food that you wash down the sink or shower
  • Any other organic matter from your body or hands (body fluids, sweat, skin oils, urine, feces, etc.).

For kitchen sinks, they’ll eat:

  • Food residue
  • Leftovers from your dirty dishes
  • Food stuck in the strainer or drain
  • Fruit, salad, meats, vegetables, fish, or other foods stuck in the drain
  • Or any other type of food residue going down the drain

As you know, the kitchen is where all the food prep is done, so there’s an unlimited source of food that’s constantly replenished for the drain flies- multiple times a day!

This is why they can breed so quickly and expand their population exponentially.

This explains why they’re also known as septic flies or drain gnats- now you know why!

 

How to check for drain flies

Learn how to get rid of drain flies fast.
Checking for drain flies would be the first step to get rid of them.

The process to catch drain flies can be difficult because they mainly come out during the night.

However, we can use an easy DIY home remedy to accomplish this and catch some that come out during the night.

The tape test

Before nighttime, dry off your drains, strainers, sinks, and any other areas where you suspect drain flies to be present.

Take a piece of scotch tape and place it across the drain strainer. Tape it directly over the strainer, so that it spans across the entire diameter.

Place the sticky side facing down into the drain.

Let it sit for at least 24 hours if possible. Consider using another drain in the meantime.

After the 24 hours are up, peel the tape off and check it for stuck drain flies. If you see any small black worms or gnat-like flies, it’s probably a drain fly.

This means there’s probably a drain fly nest residing in that sink or drain, and you happened to catch one coming out.

Note: sometimes it may take more than a day to catch a fly.

Consider leaving the tape strips for up to a week in a single drain. You can rotate your drains so you always have one drain being tested.

The longer you wait, the better chance you have at catching one.

Drain flies will avoid the tape, so just because you don’t see any on the strip doesn’t mean there aren’t flies present.

 

How to find the drain fly nest

The first thing you’ll want to do after you’ve confirmed you have drain flies coming out of your sink or drain is to find the nest.

This will let you know where to concentrate your drain fly killer or repellent and where to place your DIY traps.

The easiest way to find the breeding nest area is to look through areas where you see these pests in large quantities.

You can spot them just by looking at them. No microscope needed.

They’re often found around the affected drain, on walls and ceilings of the bathroom, kitchen, or infested area. And they often stay near their nest as they’re poor flyers.

There should be a nearby drain or sink where you’ll see a cluster of them and you can use this to find their nest.

 

Do drain flies only live in drains?

Typically, they’ll live in sinks or drains. But they’ve also been known to create within the bathroom or kitchen where the drain is present.

They may walk on walls next to each other as small specs.

They can also reside in areas that closely resemble drains, such as:

  • Septic tanks
  • Floor tiles
  • Toilet tanks
  • Unused liquid storage
  • Under sinks
  • Shower tiles
  • Shower windows
  • Bathroom windows
  • Kitchen tiles
  • Kitchen windows

 

Are drain flies a danger to our health?

Drain flies typically aren’t harmful to humans, as in they won’t bite or infest us.

But note that they do spend a lot of their time in septic areas, which makes it possible for them to transfer diseases to humans.

Although this is rare, it’s definitely a possibility.

Objects that they land on can become contaminated, especially if many of them walk over it and then you touch it.

The CDC has confirmed a few various diseases that drain flies are capable of triggering.

Parasite myiasis

Myiasis occurs when a human body is infested by a parasite, such as parasites that use a host to feed and develop.

Some pests will utilize the human body and dig in to eat, lay eggs, and otherwise develop themselves over time. This can cause rashes, itches, skin abrasions, and even trigger allergies and bacterial transmission/infections.

There are some species of drain flies that will feed on human or mammal warm blood.

The phlebotomine is a family of drain flies that feeds on blood and has the possibility to transmit diseases. This specific drain fly is a tropical fly and thus can transmit tropical diseases such as leishmaniasis.

Parasites will enter the body through the drain fly’s rupture on the skin.

This can cause a multitude of parasitic symptoms such as pain, fever, ulcers, and other various conditions.

Microfilaria and other nematodes

Microfilaria can also come from drain flies.

The Sycorax silacea is a species of unique drain flies that feed on blood and can transmit nematodes into the human body.

These nematodes are parasites that’ll eat and develop within the host, whether it’s a human or another mammal.

There are symptoms tied to this condition such as pain, fever, or swelling. While the fly itself doesn’t remain a parasite, the nematodes the fly transfers over can definitely be detrimental.

While these diseases sound scary, you shouldn’t be too afraid.

You need to get rid of the drain flies so you can prevent these diseases from occurring. All the more reason to get started now.

 

Do drain flies bite?

Drain fly in bathroom.
Drain flies typically won’t bite, but some do.

Some species of drain flies have been known to drink blood, but those are typically tropical species.

The majority of drain flies won’t feed on humans and are harmless. But don’t take any chances.

As soon as you detect any drain flies in your home, start a plan of action to get rid of them ASAP.

 

Can you get sick from drain flies?

As discussed above, there are known conditions that can be caused by drain flies.

They’re capable of transferring parasites into the human body, depending on the spices.

They may also spread bacteria since they hang around in septic areas all day and night, so this is another reason to get rid of them quickly.

The chances of you actually getting sick from a drain fly is definitely slim.

But that doesn’t mean you should leave them alone and wait for them to go away on their own. That may never happen.

 

How long do drain flies live for?

They live for 1-3 weeks depending on environmental conditions.

Food, water, and temperature all affect their lifespan, but on average, you can expect a single drain fly to live for 1-3 weeks.

How do you stop drain flies from coming up the drain?

Drain flies coming from the toilet

 

Will drain flies go away on their own?

As long as there’s a constant source of organic matter for them to eat and sustain their nest, there’s no reason why they would leave.

Drain flies aren’t a “seasonal” pest, where they go disappear for a few months of the year.

They’re present all around and will continue to breed and eat and quickly multiply, which can become a real nuisance real fast.

They’ll typically breed and reproduce as quickly as you let them by constantly providing them a food source.

When the colony gets overpopulated, the population will automatically level out.

Drain flies won’t go away on their own, so getting rid of them requires you to do something.

So don’t be lazy before the problem gets out of hand! Start now so you can stop them before they really become a pest!

 

How do you kill drain flies?

There are multiple ways you can kill them from DIY sprays, traps, and repellents, which are all covered in this guide. Keep reading.

But the trick is to wipe out their nest so they don’t breed and continue to produce more flies.

You can kill every single one you see, but if you don’t get the nest, you won’t be successful in getting rid of your drain fly problem.

 

Do drain flies live on dogs or cats?

No, drain flies live only within your drain or sinks.

They don’t infest dogs, cats, or humans.

However, that doesn’t mean they don’t pose a danger to pets or humans, as they can carry disease being that they feed and crawl on organic matter all night, such as food buildup in your sink or body fluids in your shower drain.

 

Drain worms

Drain worms and drain flies are the same thing. The worm is just the larvae part of their life cycle before they morph into actual flies.

If you see small black worms coming from your drain, these are likely drain flies during the larvae cycle and can be ridden in similar fashions.

What’s a drain worm?

When drain fly larvae hatch, they appear as small black worms around your sinks or drains.

They’ll feed continuously until they morph into their fly form. Nothing really special other than they can’t fly.

Whether you have drain flies or drain worms, the process to get rid of them is the same.

They’re also often called gnats after they morph, and can be found in your shower or bathroom.

How to get rid of the little black worms in the bathroom

To get rid of the drain worms, keep reading for some DIY methods you can do at home.

You can use a combination of sprays, natural repellents, and sink/drain cleaners to kill them.

This works to flush them out of your sink or shower drain.

Drain worms in your shower are best approached using sink or drain cleaner, which will be covered later throughout this pest control guide. Feel free to skip there now.

Why are there black worms in my toilet?

Just like drain worms in the shower drain or sink, black worms showing up in your toilet can also be larvae of drain flies.

You’d get rid of them using the same approach- toilet cleaner, repellent, and sprays.

They typically show up due to poor sanitation and cleaning. These are the larvae stage of the drain fly, also known as drain worms.

 

How to get rid of drain flies naturally

Learn how to get rid of drain flies naturally.
The natural approach always makes the safest! (Via Alvegaspar, CC BY-SA 3.0.)

Whether you want to call them septic flies, drain gnats, drain flies, or drain worms, the process to get rid of them is the same.

This section covers how to make DIY repellents, traps, and sprays to exterminate these pests.

 

Drain fly trap

You can make a homemade DIY trap by creating a simple drowning trap for the flies.

This is a no-mess, easy to clean trap that works automatically for many weeks without needing maintenance.

And it costs next-to-nothing. You probably already have all the stuff you need to make it home already.

What you’ll need:

  • 3 tablespoons of table sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 6 drops of dish soap

How to make it:

  • Pour the water and vinegar into the bowl.
  • Pour the sugar into the bowl and stir.
  • Add the dish soap last.
  • Stir the mixture once again until the sugar dissolves.

How to use it:

Place the bowl near the drain, but keep it out of your way so you don’t bump into it. The bowl will attract drain flies because of the sweet odor from the soap. The flies will fly into it and drown by themselves.

You can keep the bowl there to kill them automatically over time.

Dump out the bowl and remake the solution when you think the soap isn’t as effective anymore.

You can make multiple traps for better coverage of the pests, or use them around the home if you have multiple sinks or drains with these pests.

Here’s a video demonstration of the trap (thanks to Cash4Fruit):

 

Hot water

This is as simple as it gets.

Pour a pot of boiling hot water down the drain or sink twice a day, 12 hours apart. Continue until the drain flies are gone.

This is actually powerful enough to kill drain flies permanently and get them to go away for good.

As long as you clean up the buildup, you can kill the entire colony and eggs just by using hot water. You just need to always keep up with the schedule of pouring the hot water down to keep the drain flies at bay.

Salt and baking soda

You can mix salt and baking soda along with vinegar to make an effective pesticide to easily kill drain flies fast.

Mix all the components in equal parts, then simply pour down your drain slowly twice a day- once in the morning and once at night. Let it sit in your drain after the second application at night so that the mixture stays there overnight.

Repeat for a week or longer as needed.

This will reduce the population of the pests and wash away the nest and eggs in your drain to sink. If you get odor coming from this mixture, wash it out with water.

Can vinegar kill drain flies?

Yes. vinegar is an effective natural way to get rid of drain flies. You don’t need to mix the vinegar with anything- just simple pure vinegar will work.

What you’ll need:

  • Two cups of white vinegar (any grade is OK).

How to apply:

  • All you need to do is pour two cups of white vinegar down the drain slowly.
  • Let it sit for about 20 minutes.
  • Flush with tap water until vinegar scent is gone.
  • This is an effective and natural way to kill drain flies.

 

DIY Drain fly natural repellents and sprays

Apple cider vinegar proves to be a good drain fly repellent.
Drain fly repellents can be made at home, DIY style.

Here you’ll find a few repellents and sprays you can make at home to control drain flies.

Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a very acid solution that can be used to exterminate and kill drain flies.

ACV is already sweet-scented, so the pests will naturally be attracted to it.

All you need to do is pour a cup full of apple cider vinegar, then cover it with some cling film.

Use a rubber band around the neck of the cup to keep the film in place.

Then use a fork and poke a bunch of holes through the film to make many punctures. The entire surface should be covered all over.

Place the cup near the drain. The flies will fly into the cup and drown in the vinegar.

They’re attracted to the vinegar scent but can’t find their way back out of the container and eventually drown from the solution.

This is also an effective drain fly repellent, and a drain fly spray.

Essential oils

Essential oils are a natural and powerful way to drive out drain bugs quickly.

They work pretty well against pests because of the strong scent they produce, and the stinging sensation they have when they come into contact with the pests.

These are good natural repellents to prevent drain flies.

You can use an assortment of essential oils, but the ones I’ve found to work best against drain flies are:

  • Peppermint oils
  • Tea tree oil
  • Thyme

Lavender oil

These oils can be purchased at any grocery or apothecary.

Use them in combination with 2 cups of water and 7 drops of oil. You can adjust the amounts as needed.

Pour the solution down the drain slowly, and let it sit overnight.

Note that these oils smell strong. If you can’t bear the smell or if you’re going to hanging around the drain all day, consider using another home remedy first.

After a night, wash out the drain to rid the dead drain flies and excess oil. Repeat twice a week until the drain flies are exterminated.

Scrubbing

A simple drain scrub with some drain cleaner can wreak havoc on those drain flies.

This will destroy their nests, eggs, and kill a bunch of existing files and other pests like cockroaches and silverfish in your sink or drain.

All you’ll need is a drain scrubber, which you can buy at any department store.

Douse it in some DIY drain cleaner (read the next section), and scrub away. Keep scrubbing until you’re sure you have nothing left in the drain.

This will completely eliminate the current nest and will take care of the problem.

However, if drain flies are recurring, you may have to set up some repellent or traps to stop them from making a nest in your drain or sink again.

 

DIY drain cleaner

You can easily make some drain cleaner at home to wash out the pests living in your pipes.

There are a few different recipes that I’ve found to work really well against drain pests.

Baking soda and lemon

Mix 1 cup of baking soda with 1 cup of 100% lemon juice.

Pour down the drain slowly. Let it sit for 2 hours.

Complete the cleansing with a large pot of hot water. This will kill any pests in your drain and leave a nice lemony scent.

Baking soda and vinegar

Same recipe as above, but substitute the lemon for vinegar instead.

Mix 1 cup of baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar, then pour down your drain slowly. Let it sit for 2 hours, then wash it out with a pot of hot water.

Vinegar, borax, and salt

This recipe is slightly more complicated but seems to work best for kitchen sinks that have pests.

Pour ½ cup of salt with ½ cup of pure borax directly into your drain.

Pour 1 cup of vinegar following. Complete the cleanse with a large pot of hot water. Run the tap water until the scent is gone from the vinegar.

Salt and baking soda

Combine 1 cup of table salt and 1 cup of baking soda into a large container.

Pour them down the drain together and let it sit overnight. Wash with a large pot of boiling water the next day. Repeat until you see and smell no more cleanser.

These should kill any drain flies and other drain bugs and stop them from coming up your sinks and drains. You may have to repeat the process weekly until the pest problem is taken care of.

 

How to get rid of drain flies fast (non-natural)

Drain fly pesticides.
Or you can use the old-fashioned, commercial pesticides.

This section covers some more non-natural approaches to get rid of them. Remember to use caution when working with agents like the following.

Use in a ventilated area, and protect your skin from contact. Exercise common sense. Proceed at your own risk.

These chemicals are commonly thought to kill drain flies, so I thought I’d write up a section discussing my experiences with them.

Can bleach kill drain flies?

Yes, bleach will kill drain flies.

You can pour bleach directly down the drain, then wash it away with tap water.

The problem with bleach is that bleach won’t remove the eggs stuck in the organic matter, as they’re protected by sludge.

However, bleach is effective for killing off drain flies that happen to get caught in the solution as you pour it down the drain. Just don’t expect bleach to kill off the entire population of these pests.

Does Drano kill drain flies?

Drano is an effective commercial drain cleaner that’s been reported to kill drain flies effectively.

For those who don’t know what this stuff is, it’s basically a commercial drain cleaner.

Since Drano dissolves the organic matter, the eggs laid and the existing files will also get killed in the process.

You can use Drano to kill the nest and any eggs, and this approach seems to be very effective when used correctly.

Note that this won’t prevent future flies from coming back, so it’s still important to take precautions to prevent future drain flies.

Does Windex kill flies?

Yes, Windex kills flies.

You can spray it directly onto the drain flies (or any other flies like cluster flies, for that matter), and it’ll kill them within a minute.

This is good for when you see a lot of drain flies around your bathroom or shower- on the walls and ceiling. Windex will kill them and you can wipe up their remnants.

This approach doesn’t work too well directly down the drain though, as Windex will be needed in large quantities (and is expensive).

Ammonia and drain flies

Ammonia is also effective against drain flies. You can pour ammonia directly down the drain or sink, then leave it overnight. Wash it out the next day until the smell is gone.

Ammonia will kill some flies that are caught in the stream but doesn’t really do much to get rid of the colony or eggs, as they’re protected by slime from the organic matter.

Note: NEVER mix ammonia and bleach, or any chemicals containing the two. This is extremely dangerous and can be fatal if inhaled. Always read the label and follow the directions. Always practice your due diligence and do your own research if you’re unsure.

 

How to prevent drain flies

You can almost get rid of drain flies permanently if you just practice basic household maintenance.

Although having zero of these pests is totally possible, chances are that you’ll always have a few here and there as they make their way into your home.

However, there are steps you can take to prevent future infestations from breaking out again and reduce the possibility of these pests from surfacing their ugly bodies again- for good.

Check out this video for some tips (Via UFEntomolgy):

 

Here are some basic tips on how to protect your drains and sinks from drain flies:

Always wash dirty dishes

This is self-explanatory. Don’t leave dishes overnight in the sink. They’ll provide a nearly unlimited food source for these pests.

Regularly clean your sink

Your sink won’t clean itself. You’ll need to use a household sink cleaner as directed to keep your inks clean from organic buildup.

Use a drain cleaning tool to assist and reach places you can’t with your bare hands. Clean both the sink and down the drain itself. Be careful of in-sink disposal systems.

Clean your toilets

Use a regular toilet cleaner and stay on a monthly schedule to keep them clean.

Not only will this prevent drain flies and other pests that live in the toilet, but you’ll also reduce bacterial contamination in your bathroom.

Did you know that a dirty toilet can release airborne bacteria that can spread to your toothbrush and towel?

Clean your drains

Whether you have bugs in your shower drains or in-floor drains, always be sure to clean them regularly to reduce organic buildup.

Use a drain cleaner tool to reach areas you can’t typically reach and to scrub up any organic matter that’s lodged in the drain.

Combine a drain scrubber with a powerful drain cleaner and you’ll reduce the chance of drain pests.

Regularly test for drain flies

Using that same tape technique outlined earlier, test your drains for pests regularly to detect them before they become a problem. You can do this once every other month to be safe.

Set up traps

If drain flies are a consistent problem for your home, you can set up DIY drain fly traps around your kitchen, bathroom, shower, or wherever they are.

This will catch them over time without you having to do any work so it’s a passive solution.

Of course, this won’t get rid of the drain flies, but definitely will help control the drain fly population.

Do household maintenance

Seal up all your windows, screenings, cracks and crevices, and all other possible entryways for drain flies and other drain bugs.

 

Use natural drain fly repellents

You can make your own drain fly repellent at home using the methods outlined earlier in this DIY pest guide.

See what works for your situation and up the ante on that repellent.

Use them wherever drain flies are present. Use a combination of them for a better effect.

It’s nearly impossible to keep 100% of the buildup gone at all times, but regularly cleaning your sinks and drains will definitely slow down the buildup process and also remove any current buildup.

It may not be enough food for drain flies to live and thrive, so they may not build a nest, and thus you can prevent them from living in your drains.

But following regular maintenance, setting up traps, and using repellent, drain flies can be exterminated over time.

Depending on the scope of your problem, using a combination of the DIY methods to get rid of drain flies outlined here alongside with drain fly prevention and control techniques going forward, you may be able to get rid of your drain fly problem quickly (provided that they haven’t started too large of a nest yet).

Just do it and take care of the problem ASAP so they don’t breed and populate your drains and sinks!

 

Did you get rid of the drain flies?

How to get rid of drain flies naturally.
Be patient and persistent to get rid of your drain fly problem! (Via Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez, CC BY-SA 3.0.)

Well, that’s about all I have for you.

You should now have all the knowledge necessary to take care of your drain fly problem at home- for cheap!

Use a combination and see what works best for you, then up the ante on the solutions that work!

Keep up with persistence and dedication and they’ll no longer be a problem.

If you’re dealing with a specific drain fly problem that’s not going anywhere, leave a comment and I’ll try to help you out.

Also, please share your wisdom if you’ve found something that works to help out others who may be dealing with the same problem!

Or if you’ve found this guide to be helpful in getting rid of your pest problem, let me know as well =]!

Thanks for reading.

3 thoughts on “How to Get Rid of Drain Flies Naturally (Fast)”

  1. Ellen Rosskam

    Hi, thanks for all this great info!
    To be sure we’re talking about the same pest, mine are tiny black flyers that look like delta shaped airplanes and if you kill it against a wall it leaves a black trace. Yuch.
    Couple yrs ago I used the baking soda + household cleaning vinegar solution and they were gone. This year, I tried that for 2 weeks even added chemical drain cleaner, used a brush to clean down the drains, did every drain in the house every night for a week, even poured bleach and they are still a few here and there.

    I will try your salt and baking soda recipe but will much appreciate if you:
    1) confirm what I described are indeed the flies you are describing (I call them delta bombers due to their shape),
    2) any additional suggestions what to do to get rid of them once and for all!

    Thank you!!

  2. Thanks for these suggestions! I have a cat, and although I know the cat food didn’t create the problem, they are staying partly due to the abundance of cat food and cat litter boxes. I can’t pick up the food after an hour because he is a very old cat and eats very slowly and munches throughout the day. I made a spray bottle of water and dish soap and I spray them in the kitchen, as I figure a little soapy water won’t hurt my cat if he licks it off his paws. But I’m at a loss for the litter boxes. They have hooded lids and need to remain hooded because of my cat’s ways of using the box, but the drain flies swarm the box so much that I know it’s an irritant to the cat and it makes him not want to use his box. I’ve Googled and found a few short lists of essential oils that are safe to use around cats but none of them specify spraying it on the litter where he will walk and scrape and dig and be exposed up close to it while in the box. Do you know of any essential oils or other natural substances that will both kill the drain flies and also will not harm cats and is able to be sprayed on litter?? Thanks for any tips you can provide.

  3. Thanks for these suggestions! I have a cat, and although I know the cat food didn’t create the problem, they are staying partly due to the abundance of cat food and cat litter boxes. I can’t pick up the food after an hour because he is a very old cat and eats very slowly and munches throughout the day. I made a spray bottle of water and dish soap and I spray them in the kitchen, as I figure a little soapy water won’t hurt my cat if he licks it off his paws. But I’m at a loss for the litter boxes. They have hooded lids and need to remain hooded because of my cat’s ways of using the box, but the drain flies swarm the box so much that I know it’s an irritant to the cat and it makes him not want to use his box. I’ve Googled and found a few short lists of essential oils that are safe to use around cats but none of them specify spraying it on the litter where he will walk and scrape and dig and be exposed up close to it while in the box. Do you know of any essential oils or other natural substances that will both kill the drain flies and also will not harm cats and is able to be sprayed on litter?? Thanks for any tips you can provide.

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