How To Get Rid of Flies - Reader Tips

Filed under: Know-How, Living Spaces, Outdoors

When I tested the top homemade ways to get rid of flies, the response was overwhelming. Here's a sampling of ideas straight from DIYLife's ingenious readers.

mastahanky, flickr

When you want to get rid of flies, you'll often get exceptionally creative. Check out these tips:

Be a sharp-shooter

I shoot their wings off. When the wife's not around one of my favorite sports is hunting flies with my father's old pump pellet rifle. I just give it two or three pumps (no pellet), sneak up on them and pow!. The compressed air leaves a scattering of wings and legs.
It's no country for old flies...
- erebus99

I like to hunt them down and kill them. I tie several rubber bands together, stretch it back and flip them with it. Very effective once you refine your aim. It's flips them so fast they never see it coming. My dog loves it. When they hit the ground bussing and spinning he bites them and spits them out.
- DaveCski

Be a hostess

The way I get rid of flies and other insects is to play hostess. I put out goodies for them on a small paper plate, like honey, sugar, crumbs of all kinds, etc. If they venture near the plate, it's only for a quick browse, then their off and I never see them again. Perhaps I somehow offended their filthy little palates.
- Anaconda

Bring out the booze

I went on a vacation to Cancun, Mexico. We ate all our meals outside in a restaurant with no walls, just a ceiling. I noticed there were NO FLIES anywhere near our food....asked the waiter and he said "look up," and I saw clear plastic bags (like Baggies) hanging from the rafters...and he said they were full of vodka. For some reason, flies cannot stand the smell of vodka. I now use then on MY patio and it works great.
- Valerie

A soda bottle with about an inch of Sour Mash Whiskey. It will collect flies like nothing you have ever seen short of a cadaver.
- Ace (And we'll take your word for it, re: cadavers!)

This is my foolproof way to kill the big green flies that are common to living near the coast....When one of these "jumbo-jets" enters the house, my first defense is to try to get him drunk by spritzing him with a blast of alcohol from a sprayer bottle. When he drops to the floor, I finish him off. For particularly energetic flies who defy the alcohol blast, I use light to entice him into a small space such as a bathroom. How to lure him into the bathroom is easy. Turn off all the lights in the area and leave on the light into the bathroom. He will follow the light. Once you see him fly into the bathroom, close the door and spray him with either alcohol or insect spray. He will drop, spin and die.
- NANCELO

Repurpose household helpers

My non-toxic solution to the fly problem indoors is my vacuum cleaner. I use the hose attachment and turn it on and start fly hunting. The trick is to wait for the fly to land on something, then approach it very slowly. If you do it right, the fly gets sucked in just before it feels threatened enough to fly off. I feel like a big shot small game hunter now!
-Becky Johnson

I caught my 5 yr old son doing this...once you have your 'eye on the fly', spray it with Windex...Clean your windows, stop the fly dead in its tracks, and leave a clean fresh scent as well...all at the same time.

Your results may vary.
- John From Philly

Krud Kutter is amazing at knocking out flies cold! It's biodegradable and non-toxic too.
- Brian

Want more tips on how you can get rid of flies? Take a look at...
Testing: 10 Odd Ways To Get Rid of Flies
The Daily Fix: Get Rid of Fruit Flies
Recycle plastic bottles into fly traps

And for the most unusual way to get rid of flies, try this carnivorous plant...

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://www.diylife.com/2011/07/14/how-to-get-rid-of-flies-reader-tips/

cabinet refacing california general contractors california home improvement add a room