The word gnat refers to any small, winged insect. Common gnats in homes are fruit flies and fungus gnats. These pests breed frequently, so it can be hard for homeowners to get rid of a gnat infestation.
Even though it’s true that gnats bite, it’s important to remember that the word “gnat” refers to more than one species. Too broad of a term for any small insect with wings, like black flies, sewer flies, fruit flies, biting midges, and sewer flies. Gnats are tiny bugs that can bite, but not all of them have mouth parts that can pass through skin.
Dealing with a gnat infestation at work can be incredibly frustrating. Those tiny flying insects seem to appear out of nowhere and buzz around your computer monitor when you’re trying to concentrate. While gnats are mostly just a nuisance, an out-of-control infestation can negatively impact your work environment and potentially drive employees crazy.
The good news is that with a few simple strategies, you can get rid of gnats in your office and prevent future infestations. In this article, we’ll cover 8 effective methods to kick those pesky gnats out of your workplace once and for all.
Identify the Source of the Gnats
Before implementing control measures, it’s important to figure out where the gnats are originating from. Gnats need moisture to breed, so check for any sources of standing water around your office. Potted plants, leaky pipes, drains, trash cans, and dishes in the breakroom sink can all provide ideal breeding grounds.
Dump out any standing water and make repairs to eliminate leaks. This removes their breeding habitat and goes a long way towards resolving an infestation.
Use a Bug Zapper
A bug zapper is an electrical device that lures flying insects towards an ultraviolet light source and eliminates them with an electrical current. Install bug zapping lamps around your office, concentrating them near windows, doors, and other entry points. Run the zappers at night when fewer employees are present.
While this won’t fully resolve an infestation the lamps will attract and kill many adult gnats helping to reduce their numbers. Just be sure to clean the zappers regularly to remove insect carcasses.
Set Up Vinegar Traps
Vinegar is a natural attractant for tiny flies like gnats Fill a shallow bowl about halfway with apple cider vinegar and add a drop of dish soap to break the vinegar’s surface tension
Place several of these DIY traps around your office, focusing on areas where you’ve noticed the most gnats. The vinegar will lure them in, and the dish soap will cause them to sink and drown.
Use Wine to Make Highly Effective Traps
While vinegar works well for gnat traps, some studies have found that wine is even more effective. Red wines like merlot and cabernet sauvignon seem to be gnat catnip.
Follow the same method as the vinegar traps, using about 2 inches of red wine topped with a drop of dish soap in shallow bowls. For best results, place wine traps in areas with higher gnat activity. The wine’s irresistible fragrance will tempt gnats to their doom.
Leverage the Power of Candles
Ordinary candles can also double as improvised gnat traps. Simply place a candle on a dish and fill the dish about halfway with water. Light the candle and it will attract flying insects to the flame. Gnats that circle the candle will eventually fall into the water and drown.
Scatter candle traps throughout your office to capture gnats at night when fewer people are working. Just be sure to take proper fire safety precautions when burning candles unattended.
Use Drain Cleaners
If you have a serious gnat infestation stemming from the drains, using a store-bought drain cleaner can help eliminate breeding sites. Look for a cleaner that contains bacteria strains that digest organic gunk and residue. By getting rid of this debris, you eliminate food sources for drain-dwelling gnats.
Follow the product instructions and pour the cleaner down bathroom, breakroom, and janitorial drains to clear out breeding habitats. Be sure to take proper safety precautions when working with caustic drain cleaners.
Flush Drains with Bleach
For a more DIY approach, you can pour a diluted bleach solution down your drains to kill gnats and eggs. Mix 1 cup of bleach with 4 cups of water and carefully pour it down bathroom, kitchen, and other sinks. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before flushing with hot water.
Repeat weekly to prevent future gnat issues. Just be cautious when handling bleach and never mix it with other cleaners due to the potential for toxic fumes. Proper ventilation is a must.
Reduce Office Plant Watering
If your office has a lot of potted plants, they could be inadvertently harboring fungus gnat infestations. Overwatering provides the ideal moist environment for gnats to breed in the soil. Cut back on watering schedules and allow the soil to dry out more between waterings.
You can also place yellow sticky traps near plants to capture adult fungus gnats. Just be sure to periodically replace traps once they’re covered with insects.
Use Sticky Traps
For a low-effort way to continually catch gnats, place yellow sticky traps around your office. The color and scent attracts gnats which then get stuck on the adhesive.
Position traps near potted plants, sinks, windows and doors. Traps may need to be repositioned once covered in dead gnats. While this won’t fully resolve an infestation, it helps cut down on flying pests.
Stay Vigilant
Getting rid of gnats requires diligence and persistent effort. Keep using multiple trapping and control methods and continuously monitor for any lingering pests. Eliminate any secondary sources of moisture or decaying organic matter if gnats return. With a proactive, thorough approach, you can reclaim a gnat-free work environment.
Gnats can be incredibly bothersome, but implementing some of these smart control strategies can help eliminate infestations in your office once and for all. By identifying and removing breeding sites, leveraging natural attractants, and using traps, you can kick gnats to the curb and improve your workplace. Stay persistent, and you’ll be able to resolve gnat issues effectively.
How to Get Rid of a Gnat Infestation
There are several popular home remedies and traps that may reduce gnat infestations in homes:
- Sticky yellow traps: The bright color of these glue-coated, sticky paper traps draws gnats to them and then traps them as they land.
- Fruit traps: To catch gnats, some people cover a jar of rotting fruit with perforated plastic wrap and put it outside.
- Red Wine Traps Vinegar: This method is similar to a fruit trap in that it uses the gnats’ attraction to strong-smelling liquids to keep them in a jar.
While these methods may thin the pests numbers, they are not a permanent solution. Traps only catch adult gnats, which makes them less useful because soon there will be a new generation to start the problem all over again.
The best option to remove a gnat infestation in the house is to contact Orkin. These trained pest specialists can create a plan for safe and effective control.
Keeping gnats and flies out of your home is an ongoing process. Orkin Pros are trained to deal with any gnat infestation and put in place solutions to help stop future problems.
It’s best to get a trained Orkin Pro to help you get rid of a gnat problem, as with most pest problems. The best ways to get rid of and control gnats depend on being able to positively identify them. This is best done with the help of an Orkin Pro, who is an expert at identifying different kinds of gnats and flies.
Since every home is different, the Orkin Pro will design a unique treatment program. Orkin can help protect your home with a plan that is tailored to your needs and their unique approach to pest control. We can provide the right solution to keep gnats away and out of your home.
Call your nearby Orkin branch to find out more about how to get rid of gnats and keep your home safe.
How does a gnat infestation in the house start?
Fruit flies can enter homes through open doors and screens, or as eggs and larvae on produce. Once inside, they eat and develop in over-ripened fruits and vegetables. Other likely places for fruit flies to develop are:
- Poorly cleaned drains
- Trashcans
- Moist places containing decomposing organic matter
Fruit flies can lay up to 500 eggs at once, so they often get into things and stay there for a long time.
Fungus gnats are drawn to damp soil and usually get into homes by flying in or from houseplants that are already infested that are brought inside.
Fungus gnats live in the soil and eat fungi that grow there as well as plant roots that are dying or damaged. Fungus gnats are not dangerous to humans, but they can be a bother inside because clouds of them fly around and land again and again.
How to Control Fungus Gnats in an Office Building www.crawfordpestcontrol.com/commercial
How do I get rid of gnats in my office?
If you are still having problems with gnats in your office, try setting out an apple cider vinegar, fruit fly trap to kill the adult gnats that are buzzing around your home. Just fill a small jar with some apple cider vinegar and a few drops of dish soap. Place some plastic wrap around the opening, and secure it with a rubber band.
What causes gnats around the office?
An infestation of gnats in office buildings and at home are typically caused by fungus gnats. The moist potting soil of your potted plants and the discarded peels and cores of overripe fruits in your trash can will attract these pesky insects.
How do you stop Gnats from breeding?
If you have a wire brush or an enzymatic drain cleaner, you can stop gnats from breeding in your drains. If you have apple cider vinegar and a mason jar, you can make a gnat trap. If you have red wine and liquid soap, you can make a wine trap. If you have gentle hand or dish soap, you can make a spray for your plants.