Before we go over the methods for how to get rid of gnats in kitchen, we have to stress that they’ll be most effective if applied close to the source. Look for the gnats’ source and apply the solution as close to it as possible.
Use a Gnat Trap
The most effective way is to buy a gnat trap. There are specially designed traps for gnats as it ensnares them right after they come up from the soil. What makes this effective is it eliminates the need for pesticides.
Vinegar
If you want to try a homemade method, use vinegar. You will need a container, water, dish soap, sugar and vinegar.
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- Mix a few drops of soap, a tablespoon of sugar, two tablespoons of vinegar and a litter of water in a container.
- Mix thoroughly and position the container where the gnats are.
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Now you just have to wait and see the results. The gnats will be drawn to the vinegar, but they will die because of the soapy mixture.
If the method proves effective, get other containers with the same mixture and apply in other locations where the gnats appear.
How to Remove Gnats in the Sink
If there gnats in the sink or drain, pour bleach into it. Pouring bleach may not be a permanent solution if the gnats are finding their way into the drainage however. If you do decide to go with the bleach method, don’t pour the bleach as it is. Instead:
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- Pour bleach in a container and add some water to dilute it.
- Pour the mixture into the sink.
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If it does not work, use some ammonia as gnats don’t like it. Do not combine ammonia with bleach as it will produce a toxic chemical.
Wear mouth and eye protection when you prepare bleach or other chemicals.
Red Wine and Gnats
For this method to work you have to draw the gnats into the red wine where they will drown. Some tips:
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- Add a bit of soap into the wine. Mix in a container and place in the area where the gnats are. The red wine will draw them and the soap makes it impossible for them to fly off.
- You do not need costly wine: even the cheap ones will do.
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Once you have prepared the mixture, pour the wine in a container. Put a plastic wrap around the container and make a few holes in it. Watch as flies and gnats get drawn into it.
Fogging Solutions
When you research how to get rid of gnats in the kitchen, you will find out about the many products that are available such as fogging solutions. These are commercially available and best suited if there are swarms of gnats.
Fogging products are made for indoor or outdoor use. Buy the one you need and follow the directions for its application. Apply only as directions indicate. Again, these are only for swarms and should not be used if there are only a small number of gnats in your home.
Rotten Fruits
You use this method the same way as the ones above. Get an overripe or rotten fruit and place it in a container. Punch a few holes in the plastic and watch as the gnats get drawn into it.
Preventive Measures
Once you have gotten rid of gnats, take the following measures to prevent a recurrence.
Clean the dishes. Don’t leave them in the sink as that will draw in gnats. Clean them up immediately after eating.
Dispose of thrash properly. Make certain all the thrash cans are covered. Get a trash bin if you accumulate a lot of garbage. Divide wet and dry thrash and cover well to prevent odor from escaping as that will gnats attention.
Eliminate damp areas. Gnats, flies, fungus and other pests thrive in damp areas. Dry and clean them up to prevent infestation. Look in the nooks and crannies of your kitchen for any damp spots and dry it.
Replace the pot soil. If you have plants indoors and near your kitchen, they might be drawn to the pot soil. Change the soil or move the plans away from your kitchen.
6 Simple Hacks to Get Rid of Ants in the Kitchen
Knowing how to get rid of ants in the kitchen is necessary, as they can be a real pest when you prepare food. But even if ants come in large numbers, there are several ways you can get rid of them permanently.
Find the Entry Points
Look for the entry points that the ants go through. The most common are floor cracks, doorways, widows and around accent lights. Cover these entry points.
Locate the Ant Nest
If there are still ants trying to get in your kitchen, follow their trail outside your home until you find their nest. Once you find the nest, spray it with an anti-ant spray to destroy the colony.
How to Get Rid of the Ant Trail
If you see one ant there’s a good chance a few – or a lot – more are close by and trying to get in. Ants leave a scent where they go, allowing other ants to pick up their trail. To keep ants away, you have to eliminate the scent:
1. Use Spray
If you see one ant there’s a good chance a few – or a lot – more are close by and trying to get in. Ants leave a scent where they go, allowing other ants to pick up their trail. To keep ants away, you have to eliminate the scent:
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- Combine 1/2 water and 1/2 vinegar. You can also use bleach instead of vinegar.
Mix well. - Pour the mixture in a spray bottle.
- Spray in the areas that ants frequent.
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Keep in mind this spray does not kill ants: it will only remove the scent so ants outside your home won’t be able to smell the scent.
2. Use Soapy Water
If the ants are on the table or sink, pour a spoonful of water and soap or liquid watery soap. Seal the bottle and shake it thoroughly.
Spray the ants with the soapy substance. Spray a generous amount wherever the ants are and wait until they’re no longer moving. Once the ants are dead – should not take more than 5 minutes – you can clean it up.
Bar soap can also be mixed with water. Just add a few bits of the soap and mix it with one liter of water. Heat the mix until the soap melts and pour the mixture in a spray bottle. Spray on the ant infested areas and wait a few minutes until the ants are immobilized.
3. Insecticides
When you research how to get rid of ants in kitchen, you may come across methods that recommend insecticides. While these formulas are potent, they can be dangerous for kids and pets. Furthermore you run the risk of contaminating the food in the kitchen.
4. Lemon Repellents
You can also use lemons to get rid of the ants. Try the following.
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- Mix 4 cups of warm water with a cup of lemon juice in a container.
- Dip a clean cloth in the mix and wipe the ants off the cupboards, cabinets, kitchen windows, the top of the fridge and other surfaces where the ants are.
- Wait until the ants are no longer moving before you remove them.
- Wipe the areas again with a clean cloth dipped in water.
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Aside from lemons you can also use other types of citrus fruits like oranges as ants do not like the scent. Cucumber rinds and orange peels are particularly efficient.
You can use the same solution above to mop the kitchen floor, just make sure to thoroughly go over the areas the ants frequent. Once you have mopped the floor and cleared the ants, prepare a bucket of water and mop the floor again to remove the citrus fruit residue.
5. Use Herbs and Spice
There are several types of spices and herbs that you can use to eliminate the ants. Some suggestions include:
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- Sprinkle ground cinnamon along the windows, the doorways, floor cracks, the counter edges, any place where the ants are. Ants don’t like the smell of cinnamon so they will stay away.
- Apart from cinnamon you can also use basil leaves, mint leaves, bay leaves, garlic, clove, cayenne pepper and chili pepper.
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Just choose one of these herbs and sprinkle a generous amount in the afflicted areas.
6. Use Diatomaceous Earth
Assess the area where the ants roam and apply dry diatomaceous earth. Some of the areas that this substance can protect are:
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- Along the windows
- Edges of baseboards and floors
- Cracks in the walls
- Corners and edges in your kitchen
- Small confined areas in the kitchen
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Just apply the diatomaceous earth in these locations and it should keep the ants away. It might take some time for DE to work, and if necessary apply some more.
You can also use wet DE to get rid of ants. Wet DE is most effective if the ants move along flat, large areas rather than kitchen cracks and edges. Wet DE will also be effective for ants that travel along the walls.
Wet DE are commercially available and sold in spray bottles or mixtures. Just follow the instructions and apply it where necessary.
Once you have applied wet DE, monitor the area for several weeks and check if the ants come back. If after a month the ants come back, they may have found a new entryway. In either way, apply more wet DE.
Bear in mind that wet DE does not take effect while it’s wet. It takes effect when the solution evaporates and dries. Only the powder remains and that is what will keep the ants at bay.
Other Tips and Suggestions
The most effective way to keep gnats away is to have a clean kitchen. Wash all utensils and clean all cooking appliances and cookware after using them. Also make sure there are no food crumbs or leftovers that gnats and other pests might be drawn to.
You can also make a homemade trap to get rid of gnats. All you need is a used jar or can. Fill it with apple cider vinegar as gnats are drawn into it. Once you have filled the jar, seal the can and make some small holes in it.
Leave the jar in the area the gnats frequent. Prepare several apple cider vinegar jars if gnats come in different locations.
After a while you will see the gnats drawn into the jars, but the mixture will make it impossible to fly away. Once the jar is filled, remove it and replace if there are more gnats.
If there is no apple cider vinegar, just use any type of vinegar as it should be effective. If regular vinegar doesn’t seem to work, add some dish soap with citrus scent to add more strength.
Another option is to use banana peel or chop a banana into small chunks and put in a jar. If you don’t have a covered jar, cut the upper third of a soda bottle. Put it upside down over a bottle and tape it. This will work fine.
You can also use baby powder, chalk, rice, coffee grounds and cucumber peels. Just sprinkle these in the affected areas and they should keep the ants away.
What makes herbs and spices potent is ants don’t like their smell and will keep away. Lastly, it is a good idea to seal the entryways so they cannot get in.
Conclusion
Figuring out how to get rid of gnats in kitchen is not as complicated as it seems, and you don’t need to spend a lot of money either. By using any of these techniques your kitchen will be free of gnats.
As we have shown here it’s not that difficult to learn how to get rid of ants in the kitchen, and any of the methods above should get rid of them for good. If you found this article useful, feel free to share it on social media!
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