Get Rid Of Gnats: Tips & Remedies

Fungus gnats are small dark flies (about 1/8″ in size) that look similar to mosquitoes and are often confused with fruit flies. They thrive in humid environments and breed in the damp soil of houseplants. The gnat larvae is what causes damage to your plants by eating the plant roots, root hairs and stems. The symptoms of a gnat infestation can be stunted plant growth, plant wilting, yellowing leaves and rotting roots. The adults feed on fungi at the top of the soil (where they lay their eggs) while the larva feasts on the plant roots.

How To Get Rid Of Gnats

Here is a collection of home remedies to get the gnats out of your house along with some tips for trying to control them:

• Dry Them Out: Allow the houseplant’s soil to dry very well to the point that your plants start to wither before watering again (approximately the top one to two inches of soil is completely dry). The soil needs to get this dry so the gnat larvae in the soil will dry up completely (ending their cycle), the adult gnats cannot breed in the dry soil so the cycle ends.
• Sticky Traps: You can purchase yellow sticky cards for houseplants with the purpose of indoor insect control, these will work with fungus gnats. The idea is that the color yellow will attract the gnats and when they come to investigate, they get stuck or trapped by the sticky substance on the card. Look for these in home and garden centers or greenhouse supply stores. If you’d like to try making your own, cover bright yellow index cards with Vaseline or Honey. Tape the card to a straw or chopstick and stick into the soil of the potted plant that has the gnat problem.
• Gnat Killer Soap Spray Recipe: Mix 2 tablespoons Ivory liquid soap or lemon dish detergent with 1 gallon of water, use this mixture to water the plant and drench the soil that is hosting the gnats. After about an hour, lightly spray the plant leaves with clear water to rinse the soap off.
• Gnat Trap: Pour a tablespoon or two of apple cider vinegar into a small cup, top with water. Leave the cup near the plant with the gnat problem. The gnats will be attracted to the vinegar and will be killed by drowning.
• Vodka Spray: Mix 1/2 cup vodka with 1 1/2 cups water, pour into spray bottle. Spray plants that are affected by gnats (first test a leaf to make sure the alcohol isn’t too harsh for the plant, if it doesn’t burn the leaf after a day or two it should be fine).
• Rubbing Alcohol Spray: Mix 1 cup rubbing alcohol with 1 quart of water, pour into spray bottle. Spray the plant affected by gnats, treat every three days for two weeks. Make sure to test a leaf first to make sure the mix isn’t too harsh for the plant.
• Tobacco: Break open a few cigarettes and make a light layer of tobacco over the top of the soil, the nicotine will get rid of the gnats. Do not use on herbs or plants that are eaten and watch that pets aren’t able to get at the tobacco.

Tips For Controlling Gnats

• Try putting a layer of sand on top of the soil in your potted plants, this may help deter the gnats from setting up home.
• Does your plant have gnats? Here’s a trick to find out if you’re not sure: slice a chunk of raw potato and leave it on top of the soil where you suspect gnats are thriving (lay it cut side down). After seven days, lift the potato up–if you have gnats you will see larvae on the potato.
• To prevent another infestation of gnats, reduce watering as gnats are usually a sign of over watering. Also make sure to remove any water from the saucer underneath the pot. Make sure soil is dry between waterings.
• Remove fallen leaves and plant debris so there’s no organic matter resting on the soil to attract gnats for them to feed on.

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