Homemade Gnat Spray Recipe - What Can I Spray to Get Rid of Gnats? (2024)

FAQs

Homemade Gnat Spray Recipe - What Can I Spray to Get Rid of Gnats? ›

Homemade gnat repellent spray: A mixture of dish soap, water, baking soda, and vinegar can be filled into a spray bottle. The mixture should contain a few drops of dish soap, a tablespoon of vinegar, and baking soda per cup of water. A few sprays of this mixture is an effective gnat repellent.

If you just have a couple scouts checking out the accommodations—as in, the gnats aren't swarming yet—fill a spray bottle with a cup of water, a tablespoon of vinegar, and a few drops of liquid dish soap and give it a good shake. Spritz gnats in flight to put an end to the infestation before it begins.

Combine equal parts vinegar and soap and then add a few tablespoons of sugar – once you mix it all together you can place the bowl wherever the gnats have been gathering. They will be attracted to the sugar and vinegar and drown in the mixture.

The only way to get rid of gnats without killing them is to repel them with scents they don't like: vinegar, vanilla, pine oil, peppermint, lemon, eucalyptus, and lavender. Even dryer sheets could help. Of course, the first line of duty would be to get rid of the infestation's root cause.

In a small bowl, mix a half cup of warm water plus two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, a tablespoon of sugar, and about six drops of liquid dish soap. Gnats will be lured in by the sugary mixture, but once they dip in for a drink, the sticky dish soap will trap them.

Avoid overwatering houseplants to avoid moist conditions where fungus gnats thrive. Clean drains and the garbage disposal to get rid of food buildup that can be breeding grounds where gnats thrive. Check for plumbing leaks and repair them. Wipe up spills and food from floors and countertops.

Dryer sheets can also be used to protect houseplants from annoying pests. Since they have been proven to repel fungus gnats, placing several dryer sheets near your houseplants could protect them from these root-eating pests.

wear long sleeves, pants and hat, covering as much exposed skin as possible; black flies don't bite through clothing. avoid peak biting times; unlike mosquitoes, black flies are daytime feeders. use repellents, such as DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE).

That happens because gnats love moisture and the scent of things they like to eat: mostly organic waste and matter like potting soil, fresh and rotting produce, plants, and sewage.

Pyrethrin & Pyrethroids

Pyrethrin and pyrethroids are pesticides used by exterminators. These are active ingredients found in sprays used by experts and only by licensed pest exterminators. This is a chemical pesticide that is used in eliminating pests because it can paralyze pests and will die afterward.

What attracts gnats the most? ›

The majority of gnats and flies are attracted to certain smells, especially fruit and sweet scents. Most of us use a variety of personal hygiene products. So if you're asking, ‟Why are gnats attracted to my face?” the answer might be the soap, perfume, lotion or hair spray that you use.

"Combine 1/2 cup salt with 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar and pour down the drain." Leave it overnight, and in the morning, pour boiling water down the drain. "This is a natural remedy that will clean the plumbing pipes and remove the breeding grounds for these flies," he explains.

Vinegar itself does not get rid of gnats, but it is a good luring tactic to attract gnats into a trap. Vinegar smells sweet, so gnats will fly into a trap to get a drink. Using another substance like liquid dish soap helps to trap the gnats, that way they end up dying in the vinegar mixture.

I've heard about 6 drops of vanilla extract per 8 ounces of water will do the job, then spray on all areas of your exposed body. Hopefully, you'll win the fight against those pesky gnats and mosquitoes this year.