As warm weather persists, flies may increasingly enter homes. However, natural deterrents can help keep them away without compromising comfort.
Expert-Recommended Fruit Fly Remedy
Cleaning expert Anna Louisa, known on Instagram as @anna_louisa_at_home, suggests pushing cloves into half a lemon and placing it in your fruit bowl. Both lemon and cloves emit scents that flies find repulsive, ensuring they avoid the fruit bowl and the entire kitchen.
Why It Works
Interior expert Keely Smith explained to Ideal Home: "Lemons release limonene, which is a strong citrus compound that interferes with the way flies find food."
"When you stick cloves into the lemon, you're adding eugenol, which has a sharp, almost spicy scent that flies dislike even more. The combination of lemon and cloves throws off their senses and makes the area smell too intense and confusing for them to stick around."
Additional Tips
If this remedy proves ineffective, Anna offers other suggestions. Placing fresh mint near an open window acts as a natural deterrent. She also recommends dusting cinnamon around the bases and inside the lids of bins to discourage flies from being drawn to unpleasant odours.
Another method involves creating a simmer pot with lemon, rosemary, cloves, lemongrass, and essential oils. Anna advises: "Fill a saucepan halfway with water, add one sliced lemon, one to two sprigs of rosemary, 10-20 cloves and 10-20 drops of lemongrass essential oil."
"Bring to the boil, then simmer. Top up the water as and when needed - refresh every couple of days when the scent starts to fade."
