SmokeAndMirrors
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I make a lot of my own household stuff. It's cheaper, and I feel more comfortable with having non-toxic stuff since I have a pet.
But a lot of the time, the homemade stuff isn't quite as strong as the store-bought stuff. This isn't always bad -- skin and hair care, for example. But sometimes, it is, especially for tough cleaning jobs... and bugs.
It is the dog days of summer. It isn't extremely hot, but it is extremely muggy, and the gnats are out in force. Some got in here, and being a single person, it takes me a while to fill up my trash. A couple got into it, and a few days later, there were more.
I HATE bugs. I hate how hard to get rid of they are. I recalled a few years ago, in New Zealand, when we had an ant army come in through a crack in the corner of the kitchen. I almost died of a heart attack as I furiously sprayed Raid everywhere.
But I didn't have a kitty in my home then. So this time I decided to try something homemade, with plans that I would probably wind up having to buy something commercial.
Apple cider vinegar with a touch of dish soap got consistently good reviews when I looked online. The little critters really like vinegar, and supposedly, the dish soap helps break the surface tension of the vinegar, so they can't get out and wind up drowning in it. Cheap and easy, and I had both ingredients already. So why not at least try, right?
With severe doubts, suspecting I'd probably just wind up giving them a tasty meal, I put some vinegar with a squirt of dish soap in a couple tupperware containers, stirred, and left them in the kitchen. The gnats wanted in before I had even put them down.
I went to bed, and when I woke up, practically all of them were dead. Seriously. There were only a couple when I got up, and now, I haven't seen one in a couple hours.
This is better than any bug trap I've ever heard of.
Just thought I'd let you all know, as the humidity bares down and these little jerks are everywhere. Apparently it also works in the garden, if you're having a plant infestation.
I obviously took out my trash, but I've also given things a spritz of diluted eucalyptus oil before I toss them. They hate the stuff, and it keeps them out. Plus it smells nice.
Stupid things didn't even notice their dead friends in the bottom of the containers. Just dove right in like lemmings.
Human: 1
Gnats: 0
Well I would encourage people not to spray it on their gardens or otherwise get it on their plants.......
Nah, it won't work that way. It's a drowning method, not a poison method. I assume you'd just put out a pot with the mixture in it by the plant?
Vinegar can be used as an herbicide as a substitute for RoundUp
I just put vinegar in a jar with little holes punched in the lid. It caught a few, but not enough. I'm going to try the apple cider vinegar/dish soap in an open container or two to see if I can get your results.
I've tried Drain-o and rubbing alcohol in the drains, but that hasn't got rid of them either. Maybe dish soap in the drains would work better?
I shall report back.
Thanks!
I shall put Baking soda followed by vinegar into the drains.
ALL GNATS MUST DIE!
I've gotten rid of fleas and ants before, but gnats seem like they're gone for a couple of weeks, then BAM, they're back.
Gnats? You mean fruit flies? I've never heard of gnats infesting someone's home.
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