Flies can be repelled or driven away by various natural and chemical methods that exploit their sensory dislikes and behaviors. Key ways to make flies go away include: Natural Repellents and Plants
- Flies dislike the smell of certain herbs and flowers such as basil, marigold, lavender, parsley, mint, eucalyptus, lemongrass, cloves, thyme, and citronella. Placing these plants indoors or in gardens can deter flies from entering or lingering around the home
- Essential oils like lavender, peppermint, lemongrass, and citronella can be sprayed around the house to repel flies with their strong aromas
Traps and Baits
- A common homemade trap uses apple cider vinegar mixed with dish soap in a bowl covered with plastic wrap with small holes. Flies are attracted to the vinegar, enter through the holes, but the soap breaks the surface tension, causing them to drown
- Venus flytraps are carnivorous plants that capture and digest flies naturally, useful as a living trap
- Natural baits like sugar, molasses, wine, beer, or fruit can lure flies into traps
Other Methods
- Burning citronella candles or using citronella oil burners produces smoke and scent that flies hate, helping to disperse them
- Vodka-based sprays mixed with essential oils like lemon eucalyptus can be used as a natural fly repellent spray
- Lemons studded with cloves placed around the house act as a natural fly deterrent due to the strong scent
- Hydrogen peroxide diluted with water sprayed on surfaces can repel flies
Preventive Measures
- Keeping kitchen surfaces clean, covering food, and sealing rubbish bins reduce fly attraction and breeding grounds
Overall, flies go away when exposed to smells they find offensive (certain herbs, essential oils, spices like cloves and cayenne pepper), trapped by baits and soap-vinegar mixtures, or deterred by smoke and cleanliness
