How do I get rid of gnats that got started in my apartment last summer? I've already have tried the vinegar and soap and sugar but still having a hard time getting rid of them.
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Sometimes gnats come from the soil of houseplants, which will need to be re-potted with clean roots. Also you might try pouring pots full of boiling hot soapy water down the kitchen sink drain -- sometimes they live in the curved part. I advise using pesticides as a last resort since they don't address the source of the issue and are harmful to humans and pets. Good luck with this! (P.S. They are attracted to warmth.)
There are several kinds of gnats:
"While fruit flies are typically brown and a bit more round, fungus gnats will look black and feature long legs. And a third offender, the 'drain fly,' has a fuzzier appearance and larger wings; as the name suggests, these guys tend to hang out around sink drains."
I would say to try and find the source (s) where these gnats have their 'nest/breeding spot' before deciding what method would be best to eradicate them.
Check any house plants first as gnats love over-watered house plants. Sometimes they are in the pots before you take them indoors. If you find this is the problem take the plant outside and remove the soil, rinse the roots and remove all soil. Let plants roots almost dry before placing in new soil and be very careful to not over-water as this will eventually kill your plants even if no gnats appear.
If plants are not the problem then start checking all house drains; bathroom, kitchen, anywhere. You may not be able to tell if gnats are in your drains for sure unless you see them on the counters etc in the morning.
Drains: almost everybody recommends a mix of 1/1 water and household bleach but if you use this be very careful and do not breath the fumes. I have been informed that bleach or bleach mixture can do a lot of harm to some bathroom and kitchen fixtures; especially the drains themselves. I do not know if this is true but be careful and maybe not let any mixture sit in sinks but quickly rinse the metal pieces.
I prefer using white vinegar and baking soda which I use at least once per month and have never had stoppage of any kind.
Pour a generous amount of baking soda into each drain; wait about 5-10 minutes and then pour white vinegar over the baking soda. Start with a small amount of vinegar as it will sort of 'explode' when it hits the baking soda but then add some more until it looks okay. At this point you will need hot water - be very careful with hot water (hot not necessarily boiling) (best if in a kettle) and pour into all faucets to finish cleaning the drains. I usually wait a few minutes and then put a stopper to cover the drains - leave until necessary to use the sink.
Other people have suggested using fly paper but I could never see a place to use it and that doesn't stop the breeding.
You can make traps with vinegar - a half cup of warm water plus two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, a tablespoon of sugar, and about six drops of liquid dish soap.
The sweet lures them to the sugary mixture, but once they get into the drink, the sticky dish soap will trap them. Mix the solution together in a small bowl, place it in the areas where you've noticed the most gnats.
It really depends on where you are seeing them. Are they coming from the drains? If so, pour boiling water with a little vinegar and baking soda down the drain once a week and that should resolve the issue.
If they are coming from the pantry--you may have brought home some unwelcome visitors in a bag of dry goods. You will have to go through everything and clean it all out.
If it is coming from a bag of potatos, onions, or fruit, you will want to check and see if the bag is infested and most likely you will need to toss the offending bag and wash everything down.
If they are just coming in from outside (like we get sometimes when we get a warm day in the fall or spring and they find holes in the screen and come in--you will want to look for holes in screens or gaps between the window or door and get them sealed or caulked.
Blessings for finding the right solution.
Make sure all food, especially fruit, is put away. You should try to trace where they are coming from so you can follow the trail and find the nest.
You could make gnat traps, you do this by using apple cider and dish soap mixed together (2 parts apple cider to 1 part dish soap) mixed together in a small dish/bowl. This is a natural gnat catcher. Here are some other tips - www.organiclesson.com/
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