How to get rid of gnats naturally with just 2 household products and no harmful chemicals necessary. Helpful in the summertime when they love your kitchen too much.
Was on the hunt to get rid of gnats naturally when they were in full form this summer in my kitchen! A friend suggested a possible solution using soap and vinegar which totally worked! (affiliate links present)
Table of Contents
- How to Get Rid of Outdoor Gnats Naturally
- How do you get rid of gnats in your house?
- How to Make Gnat Repellent
- What is the fastest way to get rid of gnats?
- What causes gnats to be in your house?
- Home remedies to get rid of gnats
- What do you need to make homemade gnat killer?
- How to get rid of gnats in your kitchen
How to Get Rid of Outdoor Gnats Naturally
Seriously I was at my whits end for a few weeks once we moved out to the country. After our kitchen was done being renovated I noticed tons of gnats by our big picture window. I couldn’t get rid of them!! I used it for indoors but you could set this outdoor on your picnic table as well.
- Since it’s where I cook using a chemical wasn’t really what I wanted.
- I tried swatting them, but they just reappeared a few hours later.
- THEN a friend said her mother told her about a solution.
I had naturally cleaned my microwave for years after trying a few things here and there so thought there had to be a “trick” to this as well. There totally was.
How do you get rid of gnats in your house?
Of course you can spray and hang traps on the outside of your home, but inside is a bit trickier. Especially if you have little ones or pets, a chemical solution is just a no no. You will need something sweet to attract them, apple cider vinegar will do for that. The smell will draw them in with that.
How to Make Gnat Repellent
Once you get them drawn into your dish there has to be a way for them to stay and not move their way out, there are 2 in this case. The dish soap will coat their wings making it nearly impossible to fly away. In the event that that doesn’t work well enough the plastic wrap will contain them. Yes there are holes but pressed inward it would be nearly impossible to go the other direction. Gotcha!
What is the fastest way to get rid of gnats?
THIS vinegar and dish soap solution has worked wonders for us! In less than 1 day they were lured to the bowl instead of the fruit on our counters and never seen again!
What causes gnats to be in your house?
Typically it is because there is moisture of some kind they’re attracted to. That is why all of mine were at the sink, and wouldn’t leave! Condensation around windows and vents are a reason too.
Sweet and fruity scents, perspiration on humans, water and body heat, dirty dishes they like. Adding a tablespoon of sugar into your soap vinegar solution can help to attract the gnats or fruit flies too.
Home remedies to get rid of gnats
It may be obvious how they’re getting into your home, and you may be able to seal that off. Look around. If you see a loose screen and/or window then that may be the culprit.
This kitchen window you see here is brand new so that wasn’t the case for us. Sometimes it’s a bit of a mystery and you just have to tackle them at the source.
What do you need to make homemade gnat killer?
Ok so here’s the good news. This kitchen hack totally works! You must try if you are tearing your hair out at this point of the year too.
- A small bowl – I used a white ramekin so it wasn’t too tacky when left out on the counter
- Apple cider vinegar
- Dish soap, any brand
- Plastic wrap
Time needed: 10 minutes
How do I get rid of gnats
- Combine ingredients
I just filled a small bowl 3/4 way full of vinegar then add a few drops of dish soap. The soap will coat their wings to prevent the gnat flying out. You can add a few drops of liquid sugar or tablespoon of granules too.
- Cover
A piece of plastic wrap covers the top with holes large enough for them to get in are needed too. I just used the tip of a pen to poke 5 holes on the top. There’s your gnat trap!
- Remove
Remove items that may attract them like rotten fruit, dishes in the sink, standing water or open crevices in windows or walls.
How to get rid of gnats in your kitchen
We hope this kitchen hack helps you get rid of bugs in your home too! It has been such a game changer for us and my sanity when I’m cooking.
Some add a cup of warm water into the mix but I prefer a smaller container and the stronger the better in my opinion! Skip the fruit fly traps that are ugly and just gross. A small white dish on your window sill will do the trick and nobody will even know what it is.
Looking for other tips in addition to following our clean home checklist?
- You can make homemade antibacterial wipes yourself too!
- Above you can see how to clean a jetted tub. If you haven’t done this yet you’ll be disgusted as to what comes out of them. You don’t want to sit and bathe in all of that yuck.
- We have a home cleaning schedule ebook you can print out for free too.
Loved the recipe for removal of gnats
I always thought gnats came in the fruit from the grocery store. Probably eggs in the skin of the fruit that eventually hatch at your home.