Cleanliness. By thoroughly cleaning the house (cupboards, drawers, all bedrooms, bathrooms, drains, etc.) you will be far more likely to find and dispose of fly breeding grounds. Start by cleaning the kitchen and the dishes. Get rid of any and all bits of food and wipe up any spills. Take the garbage out at least a couple times a week. Dust the bottom of your garbage bin with boric acid, it is a great natural fly killer. Be sure not to leave any fruits or vegetables out, and store all dry goods in containers with tight-fitting lids.
Close off entry. The second thing you should do is to make sure there is no way for flies to get into your house. If your window screens have holes in them, cover the the holes with duct tape. This is a decent temporary fix until you can get a screen patch. Seal your doors and windows with some weather stripping. Flies can fit through tiny little cracks. Look at cables, wires, and plumbing that enter the house, too. If there is enough space for a fly to crawl through, it will. Fill the space with some caulk even if it doesn’t look quite big enough. You should also invest in door sweeps.
Outdoor sanitation. By keeping your yard clear of things that attract flies, you will be far less likely to have flies in the vicinity of your home. If there are fewer flies around your home, your chances of getting them in the house will be diminished. If you have dogs, be diligent about picking up their droppings on a regular basis. Keep a close eye out for dead animals like birds, lizards, rodents. If you compost, do it as far from the house as possible and bury food waste underneath yard waste. If you have a large trash bin, move it away from the house and keep it clean. Avoid build up in the bottom of your garbage pails – flies will lay eggs there.
Yard maintenance. Flies are not big fans of windy or breezy areas, so try and increase air flow through your yard. Start by keeping the grass cut short. You will also want to trim back trees and bushes. Clear away any low-lying brush and vegetation. This will help with moisture control, which flies also like. Lmit water for the insects. Get rid of any standing water in old tires, planters, artificial ponds, drooping gutters, etc. If there are low-lying areas in the yard where water pools after a rain, fill them with some soil so water can disperse and get soaked up more quickly.
Natural fly control. Marigolds, mint, and basil are all natural fly deterrents that can be planted outside. Inside, you can hang pine boughs, scatter orange peel, or scatter cloves. Citronella oil and pyrethrin based products also help. Pyrethrin is a natural insecticide, derived from the Chrysanthemum flower (Pyrethrum).
Maid Brigade House Cleaning Services cares about our environment and health of you and your family. For more information on healthy green living and green cleaning, please log on to greencleancertified.com and maidbrigade.com. To learn more about the hidden allergy and asthma triggers in your home, log on to greencleancertified.com/greentv.
