How to get rid of gnats once and for all – 8 simple methods loved by experts

Drawn in by moisture, fruit bowls, garden flowers, or garbage cans, gnats are one of the most frustrating pests to have in your home.

Luckily, getting rid of gnats is a simple process. Just like getting rid of fruit flies, and getting rid of fungus gnats, many of the tricks are natural and use products already in your house – making getting rid of a gnat infestation easy in homes with young children, the elderly, and pets due to the lack of toxic chemicals.

Here, we look at eight ways to get rid of all types of gnats from your home and prevent them from coming back.

How to get rid of gnats

One of the biggest mistakes to avoid when getting flies out of the house is relying too heavily on chemical killers. Not only can these be irritating for your skin and airways, but they can also damage your home.

Instead, experts recommend these eight tried and tested natural methods and cleaning tips to eliminate gnats:

1. Clean drains

Gnats love moisture, so they will often be found hovering around your drains, both in the kitchen and the bathroom. Cleaning kitchen sink drains and cleaning bathtub drains regularly is an easy fix.

To help get rid of gnats, Jim Mchale, CEO and president of JP McHale Pest Management suggests, ‘Using enzyme-based cleaners to break down organic matter in the drains that will attract future flies. Important Note: never pour bleach directly down your drain if you think you have drain flies.’

He also adds, ‘Repair any leaking pipes and make sure there is no standing water in food prep stations. Standing water creates an ideal breeding ground for drain flies. You can also install fine mesh screens over drains to prevent adult flies from entering and laying eggs.’

Try using a commercial drain cleaner, such as Liquid Plumr, at Walmart, to help dissolve grease and get rid of nasty odors drawing gnats in. Alternatively, for a quick green cleaning approach, try cleaning with white vinegar. Pour half a cup of baking soda into the drain and follow up with one cup of white vinegar. Place a damp cloth over the plughole to ensure the reaction travels down into the pipes rather than overflowing into the sink.

2. Use sticky traps

If you have dealt with whatever is drawing gnats into your home, but there are still some remaining offenders buzzing around, sticky traps can be the perfect solution. Gnats are attracted to bright colors, meaning yellow sticky squares are perfect for drawing them in and trapping them.

Hang sticky traps, available at Walmart, around areas of high activity such as your houseplants and drains to help finish off lingering pests.

3. Make a vinegar trap

The simplest way to get rid of gnats is to make a DIY gnat trap to lure them in and drown them, begins Tom Dobrinska, a board-certified entomologist with Elrich Pest Control.

He says, 'Vinegar traps can be made by placing a small amount of apple cider vinegar in a clear bowl or jar. Cover the top tightly with plastic wrap and poke several holes in the top, which will allow the adult gnats to enter but will not allow them out.

'There are also commercially available vinegar traps,' he adds. 'These will help eliminate the fruit flies one at a time.'

4. Make a candle trap

As gnats are attracted to bright colors and lights, you can use a candle to draw them in and kill them.

To make a candle trap, place a tall candle in a holder in a dish full of water. Light the candle and turn off all the other lights. Gnats will be attracted to the flame and be burned, or dazed enough to fall into the water below.

Remember to never leave lit candles unattended. Blow the flame out when leaving the room.

5. Eliminate attractants

If gnats have set up shop in your home, there will usually be something drawing them in. If it is not your drains, then it is likely bad food or dirt.

Jim McHale, pest control expert, reminds us, ‘Fruit flies breed in fermenting organic debris. Clean up any spills or remnants of sucrose immediately and remember to change interior garbage bags frequently, especially during the summer months.

It is also a good idea to wash dishes or put them in the dishwasher, close the door straight after use, and keep leftovers covered. Store fruit correctly and throw out or use any overripe pieces as soon as you spot them.

6. Try dissuading scents

Scott Williams, pest control expert and owner or Private Exterminator NYC says, ‘For indoor spaces, I've found that a combination of UV light traps and essential oil diffusers (think citronella, lemongrass, or eucalyptus) can be highly effective. These methods are eco-friendly and safe for use around children and pets.’

Peppermint oil is also a great natural pest control option, especially when made into a bug spray with water and a few drops of liquid dish soap. From getting rid of mice to getting rid of cockroaches, peppermint has the wonderful ability to deter pests from entering your home and bothering you in the first place.

To use peppermint oil to get rid of gnats, spray the essential oil around your garden, windows, and doors to deter pests from approaching your property. This method is best paired with other preventative measures or removal methods to make sure your gnat problem is taken care of in its entirety.

When using essential oils to deter pests, make sure you frequently reapply the spray to ensure longer-lasting effects – particularly in gardens after periods of rain.

7. Avoid overwatering plants

You may have noticed that there are a lot of gnats around your indoor plants. This is often because plant soil is moist, which can be a breeding ground for gnats. If you want to get rid of gnats in plants, these are probably fungus gnats, and you'll want to allow your plants' soil to dry out between watering to create a less hospitable home for them.

John Stewart, from the technical team at eco-friendly pest control brand Green Protect says, 'Fungus gnats or sciarid flies love damp soil, so the more you water your plants the more they will be attracted.’ 'They normally feed on decaying organic material, but when found in our homes, they are a real nuisance. To prevent and control this species of fly, do not overwater your plants. You can easily monitor for the presence of these pests with yellow sticky traps. There are simple water level indicators or monitors that can be bought from garden centers to ensure that plants are not over or underwatered.

'However, if the flies are established, the larvae can be killed with biological control using nematode worms. The worms will seek and destroy the maggots, and they are safe to use around humans and pets.'

Using cinnamon in soil is also said to get rid of gnats in the house.

8. Reduce humidity

'Gnats are attracted to moist and dirty areas, so keeping your home clean and dry is important,' reminds Rick Sun, pest control expert at Green Leaf Air. Maintaining your home's humidity level is a must.

Be sure to also check for and fix leaks or dampness (getting rid of mold too, where needed), and consider investing in a dehumidifier for rooms that are regularly humid, such as a laundry room, bedroom, or bathroom.

One of the biggest pest control mistakes you can make when dealing with irritants such as gnats is leaving the problem to worsen. It is highly unlikely that gnats will ever go away on their own if they find somewhere to live. You should act to get rid of gnats as soon as you spot one or two lingering around your home to avoid them multiplying rapidly. Check for entry points and trap and kill any offenders in your home before it becomes an infestation.