Gnats are irritating and can cause health issues. According to Orkin, gnat bites can cause skin swelling and itchiness. If you continuously scratch, you can develop an open sore, which can lead to bacterial infection.
As a property manager, it’s important to proactively have a prevention strategy. If there is an infestation, you should act on it quickly, since it can grow quickly. For example fruit flies, which are a type of gnat, can lay up to 500 eggs at once.
What Are Gnats?
Gnats are small winged insects. Some common examples would be fruit flies, drain flies, and black flies.
They tend to like moist areas and organic stuff. Some examples of things they like, according to WebMD:
- Overripe fruits and vegetables
- Decaying plant matter
- Fungus
How To Know If You Have A Gnat Infestation
You’ll typically see a group of adult flies around standing water, fruit and vegetables, or plants. It varies based on the type of gnat. For instance, Fungus gnats tend to hang around windows and glass doors. Since they can’t fly long distances, it’s a sign of an infestation close by.
If you have an infestation, identify the places where they live and make it less hospitable for gnats. Since they like moisture, they’re likely to be in the kitchen, bathroom, or around standing water such as overwatered plants or water bowls for your pet.
Something you can do:
- Clean the area around sink drains, pour hot water into the drain to keep it clean of debris.
- Another good mixture is white vinegar and hot water to keep the drain clean.
- Bleach can be used in your drain with plenty of water. Don’t use it if you have a septic system, since that causes damage.
- Do not overwater houseplants
- Fix leaky faucets, so there is no standing water
How Can You Get Rid of Gnats?
There are a variety of solutions to get rid of gnats that vary from natural remedies, store-bought chemicals, and also professional pest control firms.
1) Natural remedies such as vinegar gnat trap. You can get a bowl full of vinegar and mix it with a couple of drops of dish soap. You can cover it with plastic and poke holes in the plastic big enough for the gnats to enter. The gnats are attracted to the vinegar, but then they can not leave and drown.
According to US Government Research (National Renewable Energy Laboratory) , mustard meal can also help control Fungus Gnats.
2) You can buy gnat traps from the store. They’re usually sticky and yellow. They attract gnats, and they get stuck to them. You can also buy spray from your retail store; just be careful around pets and kids.
3) You can also get a professional pest control firm which can be very effective. You can set up a regular maintenance schedule with them so the infestation doesn’t reoccur. According to Angie’s list, you can expect treatments to cost anywhere from $150 to $250.
How Can You Prevent A Gnat Infestation?
You can prevent an infestation by:
- Doing regular maintenance
- Getting rid of things that attracts gnats
- Having a gnat repellent strategy
1) Regular maintenance is being aware and doing the basic things to prevent an infestation.
- Keep drain pipes clean of debris that attracts them.
- Don’t overwater your plants
- Keep kitchen surfaces clean
- Seal entry points from the outside of your house around windows and doors.
- Take out trash regularly
2) Getting rid of things that attract gnats is an important prevention step. Sweet and fruity scents are something that attracts gnats.
3) The best gnat repellent strategy is to not be an attractive place for them. Try to have standing water, drain pipes with food bits, the kitchen-counter should be clean, and garbage should be taken out regularly. Beyond that, there are smells gnats do not like, such as peppermint, vinegar, lemon, lavender, and garlic.
Frequently Ask Questions on Gnat Infestation
- How do I get rid of gnats from my drain?
The best way is to keep your drain pipes free of food bits and organic matter that they feed on. Regularly pour hot water with vinegar down the drain.
- How can I get rid of gnats in my yard?
Getting rid of gnats from your yard is a great way to prevent them from entering the house. The two methods are to let your lawn and water dry between waterings. You can also hang traps in your yard.
Sources:
https://www.orkin.com/pests/flies/gnats/gnat-infestation
https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/gnats-what-to-know
https://www.angi.com/articles/gnat-exterminator-cost.htm
https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy05osti/35333.pdf
