How to Get Rid of Flies Inside Your House Instantly

Houseflies
iStock.com/PattayaPhotography

Written by Crystal

Updated: October 30, 2023

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Are flies making you mad?

Landing on the television, getting in your food — flies are good at being annoying. And when there’s one, there’s usually a few more buzzing around.

Keeping bugs outside when you have a busy household can seem impossible. But there are a few simple tricks to keep your house completely pest-free.

Don’t let flies drive you crazy! Follow along as we unveil the best ways to get rid of flies in your house today.

There are several natural remedies to help rid your home of flies.

There are several natural remedies to help rid your home of flies.

Prevent House Flies From Entering

Prevention goes a long way when you want to eliminate bugs inside your home. House flies will enter through any small crack they can find. A slightly opened window or a faulty door frame are a bug’s favorite place to crawl, or fly through.

Look around your house and see if there are any spots the flies could be coming through. Repair any damaged screen doors or faulty window screens. And reseal windows with a new layer of caulk to close up any tiny crevices that flies can enter through.

House flies will enter your home through any small crack

House flies will enter your home through any small crack such as a slightly opened window or even a faulty door frame.

Clear Away Food Sources

You can also prevent flies from entering your home by making the area less inviting. Get rid of the things that would attract these bugs.

House flies are attracted to rotting food, especially fruits, and vegetables. Keep your countertops nice and clean, and throw away any food starting to turn.

When the dishes are ready to be done, finish them sooner rather than later. And once you fill up the dishwasher, ensure the door closes all the way. Your goal is to get rid of the bits of food that these flies are dining on. When there’s no food, the flies will stop appearing.

House flies are attracted to rotting food

House flies are attracted to rotting food so clearing away food waste can help prevent flies from targeting your home.

Natural Home Remedies

Before you rush out to buy a pesticide, check to see if you have the ingredients at home to get rid of house flies. There are a lot of different home remedies that are effective and fast.

Flowers and Herbs

When using herbs and flowers, focus on lavender, catnip, and marigold. Plant these flowers outside of your home to repel flies from your yard. You can also use basil and bay leaves. As a bonus, you can include basil and bay leaves in some of your meals.

Cayenne Pepper and Water

Cayenne pepper and water are a great remedy if the flies are already in your home. Fill a spray bottle with water and add two tablespoons of cayenne pepper. Spray the mixture around your house where flies like to appear.

Lemons and Cloves

Lemons make your house smell great, and they keep flies away. Take two large lemons and slice them in half. Put five to seven cloves in each half of the lemons. Place the fruit where the flies are appearing.

Homeowners claim the scent will drive the house flies away within the hour. You can also use orange peels. Sprinkle the orange peels around the lemons. The added citrusy aroma will help usher the flies out of your home even faster.

Vinegar and Dish Soap

Finally, vinegar and dish soap can trap flies in the home. Put apple cider vinegar and dish soap in a large glass bowl. If you have a large rubber band, place it over the bowl to secure the plastic wrap. Poke small holes in the top of the plastic wrap using a toothpick.

The flies like vinegar because it reminds them of fermenting fruit. Once they land on the bowl, the soapy water will weigh down their legs, and they’ll be trapped.

What Smells Keep Flies Away?

A natural and aromatic solution to keep those bothersome flies at bay involves the use of specific scents. Cinnamon, which flies detest, can be employed as an air freshener to help repel them.

Additionally, essential oils like lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint, and lemongrass not only contribute to a pleasant fragrance in your home but also serve as effective fly deterrents when sprayed around the house.

This method not only keeps your living space smelling lovely but also provides a natural way to keep those pesky flies from buzzing around.

Get Rid of Porch Flies

How can you get rid of porch flies? A lot of the natural remedies above won’t work well outside. Lemons and cloves could attract other unwanted pests. Instead, you’ll need to use a fan and citronella candle.

Oscillating Fan

If you love spending time on your porch and want to do so without the presence of bugs, install an outdoor fan. House flies are fast, but they’re not strong. An oscillating fan will help keep flies and other pests away. If you have a large porch, use two or three fans. There are a lot of quiet models on the market that won’t disrupt your outdoor vibe.

Citronella Candle

You can also try using a citronella candle. Citronella has a lovely smell for humans, but to flies, it smells awful. That makes this a popular pest deterrent, so it’ll be easy to find.

We suggest purchasing several citronella candles so that you can place them all around the patio. You’ll have a lovely glow on your porch, and the flies won’t be there to ruin it.

Did You Try Fly Paper?

Have you tried using flypaper yet? Flypaper is inexpensive and highly effective. It’s a sticky strip of paper that you can put up on the ceiling. Whenever the flies are around, they’ll get stuck to the paper.

Place the paper strips near windows or door openings. Check the strips at least once daily and replace them as they fill up with flies.

Keep in mind that this sticky solution isn’t going to fix everything. Flypaper will only help you trap the bugs that are already inside. You still need to take preventative measures, like resealing windows, to keep more flies from entering.

Flypaper can be used to trap flies

Flypaper can be used to trap flies that are inside your home.

Summary of Ways to Get Rid of Flies Inside Your House

MethodIndoors/Outdoors
1Vinegar and dish soapIndoors
2Clear away food sourcesIndoors
3Flowers and herbsOutdoors
4Cayenne pepper and waterIndoors
5Lemons and clovesIndoors
6Seal cracks or openings in windows, and doors; seal other possible entryways into the homeIndoors
7Scents from essential oils like essential oils like lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint, and lemongrassIndoors
8Oscillating fansOutdoors
9Citronella candlesOutdoors
10FlypaperIndoors


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About the Author

Crystal is a dedicated writer at A-Z Animals, focusing on topics related to mammals, insects, and travel. With over a decade of experience in the world of research and writing, she also fulfills the role of a skilled video and audio engineer. Residing in sunny Florida, alligators are Crystal's favorite animal.

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