I’m sure no one wants to enter their kitchen to find a fully-fledged gnat infestation. Those buzzing creatures are annoying, persistent, and they give a sense of dirtiness! If you don’t want to incorporate toxic chemicals into your kitchen’s air, here are 11 natural gnat repellents you can use in your kitchen for fast results.
On top of that, some of them can live for up to four months, so you can’t depend on their short life cycles to get rid of them for you. That’s not even the worst thing yet; gnats reproduce faster than you think. A single mother in your kitchen can bring over 200 new gnats without you even noticing.
What I’m trying to tell you is you need to get rid of those tiny flies, and you need to do it fast. You can create your own sticky traps for fruit flies and other insects.
1. Natural Gnats – Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is one of the natural gnats repellents because it naturally has insecticidal properties. It’s perfect for when you want to make your own fly sticky traps or glue traps for flies.
It’ll kill all gnat types that may be living in your kitchen, including fruit flies, gnat larvae, and adult gnats. It’ll also kill any mosquitoes you have flying around, which is a bonus!
You’ll need some water, natural soap, and tea tree oil. In an empty spray bottle, pour water until full. Afterward, add half a teaspoon of natural soap, along with around 12 drops of tea tree oil. Shake the mixture well or stir it until it’s mixed well. Lastly, spray it around your kitchen and wait for the results.
For better efficiency, you can spray it directly on the gnats, so they die instantly. It’d also be a good idea to spray the oil where gnats lay their eggs. That way, you get rid of them before they grow into adults. These places will mostly be all the cracks and crevices around the home walls.
Lastly, if you have a drain gnat infestation, you can throw some of the mixture down the drain. It’ll kill all gnats down there, which will prevent them from reaching your kitchen.
2. Eggs
You can make a fly trap with eggs! If your issue is with eye gnats, this egg bait will bring it to an end. However, bear in mind that it won’t be as effective as other types. You can use it both indoors and outdoors. All you’ll need are four eggs, some plastic bottles, and a one-gallon container to make your fly traps.
You’ll have to endure a bit of a smell, but it’ll solve your issue as fast as store-bought chemical products. Firstly, crack the eggs in the container and pour over them until the container is full. Stir with a large spatula until the eggs disintegrate into the water. Then, divide the solution into the plastic bottles. If you want, you can save some of the solution in case you need it again.
Grab any sharp object and poke holes through the plastic bottles, but do it near the top so the mixture doesn’t spill out. Then, hang the bottles high from the ground. You can then check them every seven days or so; you’ll find the eye gnats dead inside. If your issue persists, change the mixture every two weeks.
3. Vanilla
As opposed to humans, gnats hate vanilla’s smell, so vanilla makes for a fantastic indoor fly trap. If you want to repel the gnats without killing them, spray a vanilla repellent around the room. You can also spray it on your body if you don’t want the buzzy flies to get near you.
You can make the repellent yourself at home. All you’ll need is to mix some vanilla extract with some water, and you’re done!
4. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is well-known for its ability to attract flies of every kind, gnats included. The sweet smell tricks the flies into thinking something delicious is waiting for them, only to find themselves on the stairway to heaven.
If you have a bottle of apple cider vinegar lying around, you can use it to make a homemade trap for the annoying gnats. All you’ll need is some dish soap, some vinegar,sugar, and water. As for the trap, you’ll need a plastic wrap, a rubber band, and a jar – and voila, fruit fly traps!
Mix a teaspoon of sugar, some dish soap, and some vinegar in the jar. Then, pour water over the mixture and stir. Next, cover the jar’s opening with a plastic wrap piece, using the rubber band to keep it in place.
Grab a toothpick and poke some holes through the wrap, and your trap is ready. Please place it in your kitchen and wait for the gnats to fall through.
5. Bananas
We’re not the only organisms on earth who love bananas; gnats love the yellow fruit too. That’s why you’re going to use it as a trap. Follow the exact same steps as you did with the apple cider vinegar, but this time, put mashed bananas in the jar.
Personally, I prefer the apple cider vinegar trap. Bananas turn black too quickly, and they have a smell that I don’t like to have in my kitchen. But it’s up to you; both traps work perfectly fine.
6. Citronella Oil
Citronella oil tops the list as the most-hated smell by gnats. It’ll repel them faster than most options on this list. On top of that, it won’t leave any unpleasant smells for you to deal with, like the way it is with bananas and eggs.
You’ll need to mix some water with the oil and dish soap in a spray bottle. Then, spray it around the kitchen where the gnats mostly are. If you have a pet, don’t worry, citronella oil is safe for them to be around.
7. Rubbing Alcohol
If you want to get rid of the gnats immediately, you may want to opt for rubbing alcohol. The gnats will die in an instant as soon as they come in contact with it. Dilute it in some water and spray it around. You can also target the gnats directly and spray them as you’d do with a chemical repellant. They’ll die instantly.
8. Ammonia
Since we’re talking about drain gnats, here’s a solution that’ll get rid of them once and for all. Ammonia is a perfect repellent for the tiny flies. However, people don’t prefer to have its smell around their kitchens. It’s too powerful to ignore, and our nostrils don’t like it. So, the best way to use it is to throw it down the drain—literally!
You won’t need much ammonia; 200–250 ml will suffice. All you’ll have to do is pour them down your drain. They won’t only kill the adult gnats inside, but they’ll also get rid of all the larvae, thereby preventing any future infestation.
There are a couple of things to take care of, though, since ammonia is a toxic element. You’ll need to wait for several hours before you use the sink again. That way, the ammonia will have the time to dilute and lose its toxicity. Additionally, you should wear mouth protection when using the liquid; it’s foul smell shouldn’t be getting in there.
9. Peppermint Oil
Peppermint oil is among the essential oils you can use to get rid of gnats in your kitchen. You can also use it indoors and outdoors, which is a bonus. It’ll effectively kill off all the gnats, along with their eggs and larvae. It works with most types of gnats, too.
To make the solution, you’ll need a cup of water, around 15 drops of peppermint oil, and half a teaspoon of any dish soap you have lying around. In an empty spray bottle, mix the three ingredients together, and stir until dissolved.
Then, spray the solution directly on any gnats you have around, whether they’re fruit gnats or eye gnats. You can also spray it around the kitchen and in the places where you suspect they may have laid their eggs.
If you have indoor house plants, spraying the peppermint oil on their roots and stems will repel gnats away. That way, you won’t have any gnats sourcing from your plant’s soil.
10. Homemade Sticky Trap
Sticky trips are pretty easy and quick to make at home, and they’re highly efficient. They’ll attract the biggest number of gnats possible, so you get rid of your kitchen infestation faster than any other method.
To make the sticky trip, you’ll need a bright card of any color; just make sure it’s vibrant enough to attract the flies. You’ll also need a stick to attach the card to it. Lastly, you’ll need some honey.
Firstly, attach the bright-colored card to the stick, forming the trap’s build. Then, grab a honey spoon and smear it on the card. Place the trap anywhere where the gnats are mostly present. They’ll get attracted to the sweet honey smell, and the sticky texture will catch them in an instant.
11. Neem Oil
Although neem oil is mostly used to grow plants, and as a fertilizer, it’s an excellent natural gnat repellent. In addition to that, it stops the gnats from reproducing because it messes with their ability to lay eggs.
Create a solution of neem oil, water, and dish soap. Then, spray it around the kitchen and around the house plants. It should solve your problem in a short time.
Closing Thoughts – 11 Natural Gnat Repellents You Can Use in Your Kitchen
As annoying fruit gnats are, they’re very easy to get rid of. There isn’t one solution, but 11 different ones that are all-natural! You won’t have to deal with the toxicity of chemical products anymore.
You just need to be intuitive as to where the gnats’ eggs may be and what attracts flies and insects into your home. Getting rid of them with fly traps will solve the majority of your problem, and you’ll only have adults to deal with.
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