A sparkling clean kitchen is a universal aspiration.
Occasionally though, you may find a swarm of kitchen flies buzzing around your meals. Identifying the origin of these flies in your kitchen can be challenging. They seem to thrive in our hot and humid tropical climate, much like Singapore and Malaysia.
This article provides you with actionable steps on how to get rid of drain flies Singapore and keep your kitchen clean.
Eliminating Attractions: The First Step in Tackling Kitchen Flies
Drain flies Singapore are attracted to decaying organic matter. They gravitate towards dirty dishes, waste, and spoiled fruits. Ensuring your rubbish is cleared out daily and investing in a covered trash bin could significantly minimize the presence of flies in your kitchen.
By making your trash inaccessible, you prevent rubbish flies from feasting and reproducing in your bin. Store fresh fruits either in your refrigerator or cover them with a dish or food cover.
The same rule applies to exposed dried food like potatoes, onions, and garlic.
Using UV Flytrap: An Effective Solution Against Flies in Kitchen
Electric flytraps, common in local kopitiams, employ a purplish UV light to attract flies and then zap them.
This device, an effective solution against kitchen flies, is widely available in hardware stores. Make sure to purchase the indoor version and place it around 1.5-1.8 metres above the ground to keep it out of reach from pets.
Setting Up a Fruit Fly Trap: Smart Tactic for Trapping Kitchen Flies
Fruit flies are lured by the potent smell of fermenting fruits. Mimicking this smell to create a trap is a smart way of managing kitchen flies. Fill a jar with vinegar or red wine, cover it with clear plastic secured by rubber bands, and poke small holes in the plastic.
The flies will be attracted to the smell, enter the jar, but won’t find their way out.
Clearing Drainage Pipes: How to Get Rid of Drain Flies Singapore
Hidden rotting food in kitchen drainage pipes can be a breeding ground for drain flies Singapore. Ensure your kitchen drain is cleaned regularly to prevent food accumulation.
A mixture of 10% ammonia in water, flushed down the drain, is a good home remedy. Pour 500-800ml down the drain and let it sit for 30 minutes before flushing with water until the ammonia smell disappears.
Spraying rubbing alcohol or mild insecticides down your drain monthly can also help control drain flies Singapore.
Using Natural Insecticides: Dealing with Kitchen Flies Safely
Pyrethrin, an insecticide derived from chrysanthemum flower extracts, is an effective solution against kitchen flies.
It can be sprayed directly on flies or used on doors and surfaces. Despite being relatively safe, avoid breathing in large amounts of fumes. Always refer to the Pyrethrin user manual before use.
Creating an Environmentally Friendly Repellant: Keeping Kitchen Flies Away Naturally
Creating a fly repellent is straightforward. Mix approximately 20 drops of lemongrass essential oil with half a cup of warm water, shake well, and transfer to a spray bottle. Spraying this mixture on your countertops, window panes, and door frames can help deter flies. In addition, herbs like basil, lavender, mint, and bay leaf can repel bugs around your kitchen.
Installing Fly Glue Trap Paper: Easy and Effective against Kitchen Flies
Fly trap sticking paper, available in any hardware store, is an easy and effective way to trap kitchen flies. For best results, cut into strips and hang with string or a hook.
Utilizing Plastic Bags of Water: An Innovative Approach to Control Kitchen Flies
Kitchen flies have a highly developed sense of sight, and the reflective light from water-filled clear plastic bags can overwhelm them, making your kitchen an unfavorable environment.
This method is particularly effective in well-lit kitchens. Hang these bags near windows and doors where flies might enter.
Adopting a Pet Venus Fly Trap: A Fun and Natural Solution for Kitchen Flies
Venus flytraps, being carnivorous plants, can assist in controlling kitchen flies and make a fun pet too. This not only helps keep your kitchen fly-free but also saves on buying special feed for your Venus Fly Trap.
Lastly, maintaining a clean kitchen is paramount in dealing with kitchen flies. Food spills and splatters, particularly those trapped in cracks and corners, can attract flies as they decompose. Make sure to clean up any dead insects or lizards, which can also attract flies. Plus, a clean kitchen keeps other pests like cockroaches and ants at bay.
As outlined in this guide, keeping your kitchen free from those pesky flies is not only achievable but also affordable.
Most of the suggested methods can be implemented using items readily available in your kitchen or bathroom.