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Every August it seems to be an attack of the gnats. I have no idea why. But I have to ask guests to wash all fruit/vegs, ,etc. and store in the fridge. All bottles, juice containers have to be rinsed before putting in the trash. If not, it will be gnat city.
In between guests I will use a jar of apple cider vinegar mixed with Dawn dish lotion soap, and poke holes in the lids. Has anyone tried this method, and do you know how long it will attract the gnats?
I usually do not leave it there but I am thinking I should since guests will be staying a week. Or I can bring them fresh jars of it every day if the potency wears off.
Anyone try this method and know how long it works?
Does your gnat issue spiral out of control? It was sooo bad a couple of summers ago when a guest left lemon peels in the bathroom trash…wtf?? - and it just spiraled out of control from there. Last summer I was able to get it almost completely under control. This August it has been okay. But could be better. A recent guest mentioned it in private feeback and said he figured it was just a seasonal thing. - This makes me think my partner did not mention it!! So I already went over it with tomorrow’s guests. I just hope current guests kept it at bay - he did go over the procedure with them.
This method works very well for me, and I’ve found that adding water as it dries works fine in effectiveness as I think the smell of the dead gnats in there attracts them even more. I would put them in hidden/discrete places and mention them to long-term guests that you have little jars of vinegar out to prevent insect activity.
Yes, they can be terrible - one piece of fruit that’s gone a bit off and you’re done for.
They will also be attracted to any lotions, etc., that have alcohol in them - that’s what they are looking for. I finally figured out that’s why they get into the bathroom.
So the vinegar attracts them because vinegar is rotten fruit - sort of - the dish soap (any brand) causes them to stick. A splash of water seems to be important but I don’t know why.
Keep the covered jars or little bowls around and they should be gone in a few days.
Yes, I think they are fruit flies or drain flies. A couple years ago I spent endless hours on the internet trying to figure it out. When I think of “gnats” these things I see do not come to mind. But my partner says the pesticide guy saw them and said they were gnats. I believe he is dreaming this…it’s quite a long story.
Do you think the same jar can be used for several days…or will lose it’s potency?
I have to go clean soon once guests check out. I will set out a jar right away. But not sure if I should bring over some fresh lidded jars throughout the week. These people will be there for a week, so it kind of concerns me. They are checking in today.
My pest guy calls them filth flies because they also like trash cans (which is why they like bathrooms). I’ve had the same jar in my bathroom for 2 months now, I just add a little water and swirl every few days. And then I have to be diligent with emptying trash cans (toddlers and diapers, ugh), but I maybe see 3-4 a week now instead of them on every surface of every bathroom.
They won’t lose their potency - I think they may get stronger - the more dead little flies rotting in there, the more attractive to other flies it will be!
But they will begin to smell. I would change them after 3 days.
Yup I hear ya. We’re right in the middle of fruit fly season and it really doesn’t matter how spotless we keep the place, there will always be garbage and smells down the drain. I use the apple cider vinegar / Dawn dishwashing soap method as well (in mason jars with tiny holes in the lids). I found the trick is to have at least 2 in the kitchen and 2 in each bathroom. If you leave a particular window open all the time, but one beside it. I don’t think you’ll need to change them out before your guests leave, if you have enough vinegar in them.
We got this little machine with a blue light, it attracts them and sucks them in and keeps them there, it cost us about $15 USD, we turn it on in between guests and also leave it there when they are there just in case, but since using it we have no issues, one of the best things we have even bought!
but you mean cool enought to keep the windows open…right?? This is till A/C season and stink bugs are starting. Yikes!!
What the hell even causes fruit fly season?/ Yes, my kitchen drains stink too! I spent all day pouring boiling hot water down kitchen drains. Guests who left today didn’t rinse out any beer cans, wine bottles…nothing!! They had my apple cider vinegar concoction still laying there and it did catch a lot. I have a feeling my partner “forgot” to tell them to rinse out the stuff.
They watered the plants and left the place spotless. And thankfully they ate out most of the time…even said so. But there was some food bits caught in the kitchen drains…no garbage disposal. I think that is what is attracting them - aside from food in garbage.
Just the other day I was looking at a local listing that got slammed for having “hundreds of fruit flies” in the kitchen. The guest was pissed that she had to deal with the problem herself before she could properly settle in. I would imagine with a number like that the guest would have felt swarmed…so less grossed out and more annoyed.
I told my partner that…and then last minute he threw the 3 day old container down the damn kitchen drain!! I had it set aside asking him where we should take it so the fruit flies wouldn’t be attracted to their dead friends…long story. It really pisses me off!!
I only get fruit flies when I buy bananas and they start to ripen. No question the little guys are on the bananas and not “native” to my house. Since I keep bananas around nowadays for my AirBNB guests, I am careful to make banana bread the minute the bananas get just on the other side of ripe.
It is this horrible, irritating bug - it’s harmless. But they swarm outside in the fall, and if they make their way into your house, they will hibernate there all winter. When spring comes around, they try to make their way back outside. They fly around and crawl on windows. Also, they really like log cabins because it reminds them of their natural habitat in the woods. I think they also like houses where the suns hits on them.
We finally got them under control after spraying last Fall. My partner did not spray before that and the place got infested. But once they fly off in the Spring, then if you keep spraying inside and out…you should not have a problem.
But I still don’t know if there is a way to prevent the fruit fly thing. Do they get brought in on fruits, or other things? I guess I just don’t understand the whole thing and how it works with the season.
Suite - if you happen to remember where you ran across that negative review…I would love for you to PM it to me. That way I can share it with my partner. He really is nonchalant about these things, and it turns into such heated discussions. He thinks all “nature” issues are just a part of living in the country. To a certain extent they are…but he conveniently “forgets” that with the stink bug infestation, we made out with no negative reviews, and only minimal refunds. I kept telling him I don’t think the amount of stink bugs is normal. He kept denying it. Then the pesticide guy confirmed to me it was an infestation. Stubborn men!!!
