Are there worse things in life than flies invading your house? Of course. However, that doesn’t mean a fly infestation is an easy task. Nor does it mean you should sit back as these buzzing pests try to make your home their own.

You might be reading this blog as a proactive measure to stave off a potential fly infestation. Or you may be dealing with these buzzing intruders and need to learn how to get rid of flies quickly in the house. Either way, this advice on preventing and how to get rid of flies will go far in helping homeowners. If you are in immediate need of fly control – contact Pest Pros today.

Why Are There So Many Flies In My House?

Flies’ guiding force in your home is their exceptional sense of smell.

Pacific Northwest homes are uniquely appealing to flies since the conditions can be more humid compared to other areas of the country. Our moist environments contribute to more pungent odors, drawing in flies entering your home through open doors and cracked/ripped screens. 

Specifically, fly eggs thrive in warm places of 75 degrees or higher. Thus, you’ll find them in ripening fruits, garbage cans near the door, leaking disposal units, or other bacteria-fostering behavior in your home are all ideal for fly eggs.

While flies have short lifespans of 15 to 30 days, they breed 150 eggs simultaneously and do so between five and six times throughout their lifespans. One fly can multiply times 100 in your home. In other words, a lone, seemingly harmless invader can multiply exponentially instantly.

Diving Deeper Into Fly Infestation Causes

Stagnant water in your sinks, plumbing pipes, and general drainage areas also attracts flies (specifically drain flies, but sometimes fruit flies). Bacteria, algae, and sewage are ever present in these spots, leading to flies sprouting around your:

• Shower drains
• Bathtub drains
• Basement, kitchen, and outdoor sinks
• Septic tanks
• Sewers

Underused sink drains are covered by flies. Thus, guest bathrooms and shop sinks in the garage are vulnerable to fly infestations. Flies smell the dirty water, enter your home, and go to their targeted drainpipe.

These fly infestations don’t necessarily result from having an unclean home. Flies can invade a spick-and-span kitchen while you’re out of town. They merely require undisturbed water in a drainpipe for several days without human disturbance. From there, they’ll be off to the races.

Common Flies To Find In Your House

Here’s a breakdown of the typical house flies you’ll come across in the Pacific Northwest:

House Flies

House flies are a quarter-inch long. They are dull and gray, generally laying eggs on garbage and animal feces.

Fruit Flies

Typically three to four mm long, adult fruit flies are brown/tan. They love rotting food matter (specifically veggies and fruits) and are attracted to beer, wine, liquor, and other fermenting liquids.

Fruit flies breed in moist, dark environments (e.g., drains and garbage bins.) 

Cluster Flies

Cluster flies are around eight mm long as adults. They’re also dark gray with yellow thorax hairs.

These comparatively sluggish flies gather together in attics, wall voids, and other protected/isolated locations for winter hibernation.

These flies often emerge (and swarm) during spring. When dead, they can attract other pests like larder beetles.

Drain Flies

Also called moth flies, filter flies, and sink flies, drain flies are known for their dark, fuzzy bodies. They’re around the same size as fruit flies and have oversized wings to lend them a more moth-like aesthetic.

Drain flies don’t fly as prolifically as fruit flies. Instead, they typically hop from place to place. They can also breed up to 300 offspring in two days.

How To Get Rid Of Flies In The House Quickly

Below is a list of quick DIY fixes to mitigate a fly infestation. Be mindful that these aren’t permanent solutions, but they can give you some breathing room before hiring Pest Pros.

• Reduce dirty dishes, uncovered compost bins/trash cans, half-empty pet food bowls, and other fly food sources in your home.
• Inspect your window screens for tears. Replace or patch damaged areas. Examine the caulking around your doors and windows, then re-caulk where necessary.
• Use an empty plastic bottle and dry fruit to form a fly trap and keep flies away from your outdoor patio. You can also hang this trap away from regularly used doors to draw flies away from openings.
• Clean up any pet feces pronto. Flies love poop–especially for breeding.
• Mix water with eucalyptus, peppermint, lemongrass, basil, or other essential oils flies don’t like. Spray this concoction around your doorways and kitchen to prevent flies from entering.
• Placing plants/herbs like mint, lavender, lemongrass, and basil around your home can repel flies.
• Target drain flies by pouring a mixture of ½ cup of baking soda, one cup of vinegar, and ½ cup of salt down your drain. Let this concoction sit overnight before draining with hot water the next morning. This will kill the flies in your drain and eliminate the organic material they’ve been feasting on.

What Pest Pros Does To Combat A Fly Infestation In House

Hiring the expert team at Pest Pros will grant you access to high-level professional services to permanently do away with your fly infestation.

We start by correctly identifying the type of fly infestation in your home. Our team will then find the associated breeding sites and general activity areas.

Typically, we’ll inspect all potential breeding areas (e.g., broken tiles, drains, and other moisture-rich spots.) Once we’ve completed this inspection, we’ll recommend a fly infestation treatment and prevention system suited to your home. Our approach will be dictated by the type of fly infestation you’re dealing with.

Furthermore, we employ exclusion, restriction, and monitoring methods that prevent a fly infestation resurgence. 

Stop Waiting And Get Rid Of Flies Permanently: Hire Pest Pros Today

At Pest Pros, we view our work with customers as more than a transaction. When you hire us, we form a partnership with you. That means we treat your home as though it’s our home. Thus, our expert pest control team will work tirelessly to provide lasting solutions that improve your quality of life and prevent further infestations.

We’re so dedicated to ensuring our clients get what they want that we offer a free estimate. This way, you’re firsthand privy to our high levels of professionalism before you need to pay a dime.

Fly infestations can become full-on catastrophes at a moment’s notice. Act fast, and don’t wait longer than you have to. Fill out our free estimate form today. We look forward to putting a quick–and permanent–end to your fly infestation problems.