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How to get rid of flies, ants and mice
Whether it’s flies multiplying in your bins or ants launching an invasion of your kitchen, we’ve looked at how to get rid of flies, ants and mice, as well as how to prevent unwanted pests entering your house in the first place.
How to get rid of flies
As the weather finally gets warmer so does the waste in our bins, attracting flies.
With such a quick reproductive cycle, it's all too easy to walk into the kitchen one morning to see flies buzzing - or worse - maggots wriggling around, which is enough to put anyone off their cornflakes.
To prevent an early morning stress, it's a good idea to try and stop flies coming in in the first place.
How to stop flies coming in the house:
1. Essential oils and scents: There are a few natural remedies that can put flies off, and they come with the added benefit of giving off a nice scent too.
Peppermint, eucalyptus, mint, pepper and lemongrass/citronella scents repel flies so you can burn candles, wax melts or oils, have a diffuser, or spray the oils (mixed with water) directly onto surfaces.
You could also put a few drops onto cloths and hang them near open doors and windows, or add fresh mint or orange peel on windowsills.
Flies also don't like the smell of basil or lavender.
2. Reduce moisture: Flies like moisture so be sure to wipe up spillages, even if it's just water, and fix leaks.
3. Keep your home clean: Clear up crumbs and sticky areas, keep food packets sealed, put old food in the bin with a lid and don't leave dirty dishes and pans out on the side to avoid an all you can eat buffet for flies. Empty your bins regularly, keep them sealed with a lid on, and keep an eye out for fly eggs which you can usually see around the side of the bin seals. If you see them, it's time to take the bin out and give things a clean. Removing dead flies is important too as they can be a food source for flies and other bugs. Yuck!
4. Close windows and doors: And if you do have to open them, try placing fly repelling scents nearby like mint, lemon or eucalyptus as mentioned above.
5. Keep it dark: Flies are attracted to light so keep doors closed at night and block light with blinds and curtains.
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How to get rid of flies once they’re in the house
If you've already got flies in your home, it's important to follow the steps above to make the property unwelcome for them.
Try to find the source of the flies to see if you can remove eggs or maggots before they turn into flies.
Vacuuming regularly can help remove any dead insects and any potential eggs that have been missed.
Rentokil suggests filling a bowl with apple cider vinegar, wine or honey with washing up liquid and covering it with cling film. Puncture some holes in the cling film and the flies will be attracted to the sweet liquid but get stuck.
Alternatively, you can do something similar with an old plastic bottle. Cut the top third off the bottle, add something sweet in the bottom of the bottle, then turn the top third of the bottle upside down and place in the larger part of the bottle. Flies will fly in but will struggle to get back out.
There are also fly killing sprays that can be used, but be sure to read the labels and check they are suitable for pets if you have any.
How to get rid of ants
Ants can arrive on masse in the home unless they’re identified and dealt with quickly because they leave behind a scent that can easily be followed by their fellow ants.
Equally they can turn a lawn into a cratered mess without warning, or dig up borders. While ants themselves are mostly harmless, they breed aphid insects like greenfly as a source of food, and these can harm plants because they live off their sap, according to the Royal Horticultural Society.
How to get rid of ants in garden
You often notice an ant nest in your garden when you see a mound of fine soil in the grass or a border. Take a closer look and you'll spot a hive of activity from plenty of wriggling critters.
It might be tempting to grab some ant powder or a kettle of boiling water to kill them off, but it's worth noting they are a useful food source for birds, frogs, spiders and newts, so it's up to you whether you want to go down that road.
Another option is to try and make them move. Ants like dry areas, so regularly watering the spot may make them think twice about settling down in your plant pot.
Old coffee grounds are another way to repel ants, both indoors and outside. Leaving grounds where they are spotted may see them move elsewhere. Coffee grounds are also thought to stop slugs in their tracks too.
Ants also dislike the smell of black pepper, garlic, cinnamon, white vinegar, lemon, tea tree and peppermint. You can surround an area with these scents, or chalk, and the ants won't cross the line, according to Fantastic Pest Control.
Pouring two parts water and one part vinegar onto an ants nest can also exterminate them. Although this is only good if the nest is away from plants the mixture will kill greenery too, according to lawn experts at Moowy.
How to get rid of ants in house
Getting rid of ants from inside a house is similar to in the garden, but it's important to identify how they're getting in.
- Once you know their source into the house you can seal it up or remove it. It could be through a crack in the brickwork outside, or they could be marching en masse to an open bag of food.
- Next it's time to clean up their trail. Ants follow the same route because they're following a pheromone trail left by their friends.
- You can spray a vinegar and water solution, or something like a window cleaner to mask their scent.
- Then it's time to use tricks to prevent them returning. Try scents such as peppermint, lavendar, lemon or cinnamon mixed with water and sprayed onto surfaces and entry points.
- Ensure you're not leaving dirty dishes or food out for ants to munch on.
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How to get rid of mice
Unless you have a cat who likes to bring you gifts, a mouse infestation can be rare.
But when they do happen, they can cause a lot of chaos, chewing through anything they can get their mouths around, including electrical cables, loft and wall insulation, carpets and bags of food.
In one of our team’s case, a mouse delicately gnawed off bristles from their kitchen broom to create itself a nest behind their washing machine!
- When a mice infestation occurs, you need to first follow similar steps to how you'd deal with unwanted ants or flies - find how they're getting in.
Mice are brilliant at wriggling through tiny holes and can pass through a gap just 6mm wide - about the width of a pen - so don't discount little spaces.
They also like somewhere they can find access to water, so quite often they can like the back of a fridge because it's also warm and near a wall. If you ever try and catch a mouse you'll notice they mostly run alongside walls. You'll also be able to tell where they've been due to the presence of droppings.
- Once you've found where the mice are nesting, place traps with peanut butter or chocolate on them in the areas and check daily. It's up to you whether you buy humane or kill traps.
- Once you've eradicated the mice, seal off entry points. Stuff holes with steel wool then fill holes with caulk. The metal will stop them nibbling through the caulk and hole if they return.
- Entry points include where outdoor pipes attach to the house, vents, the garage, cracks in the wall, chimney or floor or around drains.
- Ensure bins have lids and dirty plates and open food is cleared away regularly.
- Keeping the home and garden clear of clutter reduces the number of places mice can hide.
Do you have any tips for getting rid of flies, ants or mice? Let us know in the comments.
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