The holiday season is a time of joy and celebration. However, this can also be one of the most stressful times of year for many people. Between shopping, traveling to see family and friends, and hosting parties, there are so many things to plan in such a small window of time. The last thing you want to think about is how to get rid of gnats, but this is a reality for many people.
If you’re struggling to find time to clean your home during the holidays, you might be feeling the stress of trying to get everything done. But keeping a tidy space, especially in terms of food, is important to removing gnats.
The last thing that you probably want right now is another cleaning challenge. However, it’s unfortunate that gnats seem to appear every holiday season when there is food to enjoy. If you’ve been dealing with these pesky pests recently, read on for some great tips that will help rid your home of gnats quickly and efficiently.
What are Gnats?
Gnats are small flying pests that can be found all over the world. They feed off of decaying matter. They are most commonly found around rotting vegetation and drains.
Meanwhile, gnats only live up to 1 week. Their eggs can remain dormant for a while, especially if you are dealing with soil gnats. It’s important to consider the type of gnat you are dealing with when you are trying to get rid of them. Their lifespan is closely tied to temperature. Warmer weather will help them live longer.
What Causes a Lot of Gnats in the House?
Just like mosquitoes, gnats love warm environments and can wreak havoc on your home. If you’ve ever tried to get rid of gnats before, you know how annoying and persistent they can be.
When you want to kill gnats in your home, the best thing that you can do is clean up any potential breeding grounds. This means you’ll need to keep a close eye on leaving out food, especially during holiday gatherings.
The good news is that there are lots of things that you can do to prevent indoor gnats from multiplying. You can also make sure to keep your house as clean as possible. This is especially true when there is rotting fruit or clogged drains in the home. These are more places there will be for gnats to lay their eggs.
Why Can’t I Get Rid of Gnats During the Holidays?
If you’ve been trying desperately to kill gnats in your home, but you can’t seem to find a solution, you’re not alone. It’s sometimes an uphill battle!
There are many reasons why you can’t kill all the gnats. Being able to recognize the signs of why you’re not being successful will help you to adjust your cleaning routine and find a solution quickly. If you’ve taken all of the steps to prevent gnats from breeding in your home and you’re still finding them in large numbers, it’s likely that you have a gnat infestation. You may need the help of an exterminator to get rid of them.
These pests are very resilient and can live and multiply for months. This is why it’s important to break the breeding cycle. Gnats are adults for only 1 week, but their entire life cycle lasts about 30 days.
You can often kill gnats with aerosol insecticides. However, it isn’t a good idea to continuously spray for gnats in the home. Insecticides come with their own dangers and health risks to consider. Generally speaking, the best way to get rid of gnats is to clean up any potential breeding grounds.
What is the Quickest Way to Get Rid of Gnats in the Holiday Season?
If you’re struggling to remove gnats quickly, the best thing that you can do is get ready to clean and scrub your home. This often involves removing the source that is attracting the gnats.
Before you start trying to kill gnats in your home, take a few minutes to assess your cleaning routine. If there are any areas where you’re not as efficient as you could be, try to fix them as soon as possible.
Here are a few tips that can help you save time and remove gnats more efficiently:
– Clean as you go. If you wait until the end of the day to clean up, you’ll find yourself overwhelmed by the amount of work that needs to be done. If you clean up as you go, you can make sure that you get as much done as possible. This will help ensure that you will quickly get rid of rotting food.
– Make sure to clean and unclog drains. Drains are often a breeding ground for gnats because of their consistently moist environment and abundance of organic matter–e.g., food from your sink. Organic matter, such as fruits, can easily decompose in a moist environment, providing a feast for gnats looking to lay their eggs.
Gnat eggs have a sticky coating that allows them to stick to whatever they fall on, often within the soil of a drain. Once in place, moisture provides a perfect environment for the gnat larvae to grow, and the drain becomes a convenient source of food when the eggs hatch.
Get Rid of Gnats: Check Your Food Storage
If you’ve been trying to kill gnats and you notice that they are flying around your kitchen, it may be a sign that there’s a food source nearby. Many foods, especially fruits and vegetables that have been sitting on your counter for a long time, can attract gnats.
If you notice that your kitchen is becoming a breeding ground for gnats, there are a few things that you can do to prevent it from getting worse. Here is how to remove gnats when it comes to food storage:
– Make sure to properly dispose of any food scraps that accumulate on your counters. Putting them in the garbage is the best way to get rid of them and prevent them from attracting gnats. If the food is rotting, place it in a bag and put it in the outside trash can.
– Store all of your fruits and vegetables in sealed containers. This will keep them from attracting gnats and will make it harder for them to get to them.
– Make sure to empty your dishwasher and clean it on a regular basis. If you leave old food in your dishwasher, it will become a breeding ground for gnats.
Top Tip: Throw Old Food Away
It’s important to take note of how long certain foods have been sitting out on the counter and replace them before they become a food source for gnats. The best way to kill gnats hat are attracted to food is to throw it away. If you notice that your food has attracted gnats, here are a few things that you can do to get rid of them:
– Take inventory of your food. Check your fridge, cupboards, and pantry to make sure that you don’t have any food that is past its expiration date.
– Throw away any food that you’re not sure about. Food that is past its expiration date will attract gnats and other pests.
– Clean your countertops regularly. Throw away any food that has been sitting out for too long and make sure to clean your countertops.
Use Vinegar and Dish Soap to Get Rid of Gnats
If you’ve tried everything that you can think of to kill gnats, it’s possible that you’ve become overwhelmed. When you’re feeling like you don’t know where to start or don’t have the energy to keep cleaning, you can use a homemade solution to kill the gnats in your home.
To make a homemade solution to get rid of gnats, you’ll first need a half cup of warm water. You’ll want to add two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, one tablespoon of sugar, and 6 drops of dish soap. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle. Spray the solution in the areas of your house where you’ve noticed the gnats. This solution will kill the gnats quickly and effectively.
Do You Have a Gnat Infestation? Contact Drive-Bye Exterminators for Help
The holiday season is a wonderful time of year, but it can also be a stressful time if you don’t plan ahead. If you’ve been dealing with gnats in your home, it’s important to find ways to get rid of them quickly. These pests can be very persistent and can be really hard to get rid of once they’ve found a source of food.
When you need to get rid of gnats for good, contact us at Drive-Bye Exterminators this holiday season and beyond.
