Gnats can be really annoying, especially if you can’t seem to find a way to get rid of them once and for all. You may have considered using a pesticide, but it can be unsafe to use if you have little children or furry buddies. Luckily, we may be able to help you out by suggesting 5 indoor gnat traps safe for kids and pets.
But first, how do you identify a gnat?
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What Do Gnats Look Like?
Before you start building an indoor gnat trap, you should make sure that the insects inside your household are, in fact, gnats. This is to ensure that whatever trap you make will be effective.
Fortunately, it’s quite easy to identify fungus gnats. These insects usually have black bodies and long legs. Yet, some people tend to mistake them for fruit flies, which have almost round bodies and brown coloring.
Also, you may encounter drain flies. You can often find these insects around drains, and they have large wings. However, their fuzzy looks are what make them different from the previous two common household insects.
Now that you can tell how gnats look, it’s time to move forward and learn how to get rid of them.
5 Safe Indoor Gnat Traps to Eliminate Gnats
Because the health of your little kids and pets means so much, we’ve looked up several tips to trap gnats without the use of harsh chemicals.
Let’s dive in!
1. Apple Cider Vinegar
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One of the best ways to rid your kitchen of a gnat invasion is by using apple cider vinegar. According to many people who tried it, this trap works like a charm!
First off, you’ll need to mix the following ingredients in a small bowl.
- Half a cup of warm water
- 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 5-6 drops of liquid dish soap
Next, place the bowl containing this mixture where you notice gnats hovering around. Soon enough, these insects will be drawn to the sugary smell to the point of dipping to have a taste. However, the dish soap will trap them inside the solution.
Plus, there’s a nice touch you could add to your bowl to make the trap more effective. You can cover it with a thick layer of plastic wrap, then poke a tiny hole in the middle of it. So, any gnat that passes through that hole will find it hard to get back outside.
2. Buy a Bug Zapper
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Bug zappers come in various shapes and sizes to catch flies or mosquitos. While it may be unusual to use one of these devices for gnats, you should probably give it a try.
The best thing about a zapper is that it’s mostly safe to use indoors since it doesn’t produce any harmful fumes. Yes, you should pay attention to place it out of your kid’s reach, but that’s about it.
In addition to that, make sure that the product you’re buying is small, lightweight, and portable. Getting a larger-than-life device can be hard to position anywhere, not to mention that it tends to be pricey.
3. Set a Trap Using a Piece of Rotten Fruit
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As you probably know, gnats hover around rotten fruits, so you can use this knowledge to your advantage. In this case, you can put this piece of spoiled fruit at the bottom of an empty mason jar.
Then, insert a paper funnel into the jar through its opening. The bottom end of the funnel should be small enough to match the size of a pin. On the other hand, the upper end of the funnel has to be as wide as the opening as the jar.
These details help ensure that the gnats that get inside the jar won’t be able to get out so easily.
4. Try a Candle Trap
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Just like most insects, gnats are attracted to lights. Therefore, you can use a candle to trap these little annoying creatures.
Simply enough, light a tall candle and place it in a candlestick. Then, put the candlestick inside a pan or bowl full of water. The rest should be even easier to do.
Turn all the lights off in your room and make sure that the candle is the only source of light. After a while, the gnats will make their way to the flame. As a result, they’ll either hit the flame first or fall into the water underneath it.
As simple as this trick may be, you should be careful if your kid or pet is around. Make sure that they don’t get near the candle. Also, when most or all gnats are gone, you should blow the flame out at once.
5. Try Your Luck With Sticky Traps
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Using a sticky trap is another child-friendly trick that could eliminate the numbers of gnats. This paper is famous for its sticky surface, and you can put it to use immediately.
For instance, you can use Trappify sticky traps and hang or stick them in areas of your home with plenty of gnat traffic. Better yet, there’s Trappify window fly traps, which are placed in the corner of a window to catch any unwanted flying insects.
Indoor Gnat Traps – How to Keep Gnats Away From Your Home
Now that you have all the information you need about setting up gnat traps, you should make sure they never come back. In order to do that, there are a few things you need to do to prevent future invasions.
Clean Potential Breeding Surfaces Regularly
Gnats will mostly make a home of your kitchen because it’s where you do all the cooking. Because they’re drawn to rotten fruit and spoiled food, you need to make sure that your kitchen is always clean.
- Wipe down countertops and cabinet surfaces
- Always keep your trash cans free of food residue
- Make sure that your garbage can is covered when it’s not full yet
- Don’t leave ripe fruit on your countertops
- Place your fruit or veggies in a sealed plastic bag instead
Ensure That Your Kitchen Drains Are Clean
Gnats, as well as drain flies, are often found near kitchen drains. Therefore, you’ll need to clean these drains on a regular basis.
The best way to do that is by using a drain cleaner. This great product helps you get rid of grime, sludge, and organic residue. Because this residue is what usually attracts gnats, removing it should be your top priority.
You should also note that a kitchen drain can be the ideal place for gnats to lay their eggs. So, you may want to act quickly to keep that from happening!
Don’t Leave Dirty Dishes in the Sink for Long
Dirty dishes harbor all sorts of bio-buildup, which is a gnat’s optimum environment for laying its eggs. Therefore, you should always wash dirty dishes before they attract any gnats.
Wrapping Up – Indoor Gnat Traps
While gnats may not be exactly harmful, they can be painful to get rid of. Yet, you can choose from 5 indoor gnat traps safe for kids and pets to get the job done.
However, sometimes, you have no choice but to use a chemical pesticide if nothing else works. In this case, you’ll need to spray this aerosol when your kids or pets aren’t in the house.
To check out a complete selection of our kid and pet safe pest control, CLICK HERE!
