A cleaning expert has shared a simple trick to keep flies and maggots out of bins using an 80p kitchen staple: table salt. In a video on Instagram, Claire from SisterPledge demonstrated how sprinkling salt over tied rubbish bags in outdoor food waste caddies stops flies from breeding.
Claire said: "If you've got food caddies like this, make sure you sprinkle loads of salt in it so that the flies just can't breed." She explained that salt kills maggots, dries out fly eggs, and absorbs bin juice and odours that attract flies. She only recommends this for council food waste caddies where waste is collected for biofuel, not for compost.
How to use salt for fly control
After tying up rubbish bags, sprinkle a generous amount of regular table salt over them inside the bin. Even if the caddy lid locks, flies can lay eggs around the outside or on food before it's bagged. Claire noted that in summer heat, bags can quickly become infested.
Commenters praised the tip, with one saying: "I tried it and it's amazing! I can't believe it. Thank you." Another added: "Thank you. Brilliant."
Other natural fly deterrents
Natural fragrances like basil, mint, lavender, and marigold repel flies. Placing these plants near windows or doors can help. Roasting coffee grounds in the oven for 15 minutes releases an aroma that deters flies. Keeping surfaces clean and food covered also discourages pests.
