Ugh! the Gnats!!!

Updated on August 30, 2010
J.C. asks from Gilbert, AZ
9 answers

I recently had a plant outside that my husband brought inside and it must have had gnats, because now they are in my house and the other plants, you can see them walking on the dirt and they are flying everywhere. I have tried everything and I cannot get rid of them. We seemed to be making some progress before, but just got back from a weeks vacation and they are worse than ever. I've removed the plant (back outside and now dead over our vaca) and have sprayed the dirt of all the other inside plants with a gnat spray several times, I've tried the apple cider vinegar in a cup with some detergent to trap them, not even ONE went in it. Actually, a bowl of water (cats water bowl unfortunately) works better than that did. I can't get rid of the other 2 plants, one is the last thing my husband's mom gave to him before she died, and the other is a sympathy plant sent from my sister when she did die. So they are both sort of sentimental. Help! I can't take it anymore! Anyone have any other suggestions?

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C.H.

answers from Phoenix on

The apple cider vinegar works, but you have to cover the container in saran wrap, stretch it tight with a rubberband, then with a toothpick, poke several holes in the top. After a day or two the gnats will go in because they like the smell of the fermenting vinegar (must be apple cider vinegar), but they can't get out. Eventually they give up and go for a swim. It may take a week, but once you start getting the younger ones, there will be no more egg laying. This worked for us when we brought home infested fruit.

Good luck.

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M.B.

answers from Dallas on

This same thing happened to me! I put a few glasses of apple cider vinegar and it trapped all the gnats.

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A.J.

answers from Fresno on

I had the same thing and they drove me nuts! This gnat trap was wonderful! Rinse out a 2 liter soda bottle. Cut the top off, a little above the label, like you're making a funnel. Pour in 1/2 cup vinegar, and 1/2 cup sugar. Then add enough water to get it about half full. Put the top back on upside down, but be sure the opening isn't in the water. If the top falls in, just tape it in place. The smell attracts them down into the bottle, but they have a hard time getting back out. This knocked my gnat problem out, hope it does the same for you. Oh, and I read that they can get into your sink drains and breed; the article recommended pouring baking soda and vinegar in the drain to get rid of them. Worked for me, good luck!

V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

Are you certain they are "gnats" and not aphids? Aphids crawl along the stems and underside of leaves and suck the juices of the plants. They also can fly if I'm not mistaken. Try getting a spray to treat aphids and see if that helps.

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L.L.

answers from Hartford on

Sounds like soil gnats a common problem when bringing plants in after having them outside, but it can happen even if the plants are always in doors. I would recommend getting an indoor plant insecticide with pyrethrins as the active ingredients. Then use it as a soil drench, don't just spray the leaves, but pour it into the soil. Allow the soil to dry out in between watering because this will help too.

J.C.

answers from Columbus on

J.,

We seem to battle this problem every year and have had the most success this past summer in getting rid of them. You've got to commit to a week or more of battling them. The other poster mentioned the 2 liter bottle trap, and that worked okay for us, but truthfully the trap we bought at the store worked better. It's like a little apple filled with a red wine vinegar mixture that traps the gnats. We placed one in the kitchen and one in the bathroom since the gnats breed in the drains. We poured the baking powder mixture in the drains daily. We kept the counters clean. We kept the dishbrush and sponge in the diswasher. We kept all fruit and food away and in the fridge.
Do the dishes every night and don't leave any standing water or any food sitting in the sink for a whole week and you should start to see their numbers dwindling.
Good luck! I know what a hassle they are!
J.

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J.R.

answers from Phoenix on

The best solution I've used over the years is to add a few drops of Ivory liquid dish soap, original scent, it is milky white or clear in color, to a spray bottle of water. Then spray the entire plants surface, top and underneath, also cover the soil with a light spray. You can use this both inside and out, all year, it is non toxic to both people and other plants.

Good luck :)

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L.H.

answers from Denver on

I know the feeling about gnats, they seem to multiply as rabbits to, if not worse. And worse because they can fly up your nose, not eat the greens in you garden. Laughs. But what we did, was put up many, many of those glry trap sticky things you hang from the celing and put them in every area there was a major collection of them. Eventually the started to thin out and become less of a mess and stoped flying up our noses. Laughs. I would make sure to you don't happen to have something spoiled in the house as well. Make sure to check crisper drawers, as I found out it is easy to forget there are things stuck in them. hope you win the fight against the Gnats.

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D.

answers from Houston on

Pour about a cup of ammonia in all of the drains in your house several times a week. They breed down there and this has been the only way I was able to get rid of them. I feel your frustration.

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