Flies often breed in sink u-bends, and an expert has shared a simple kitchen-based method to stop them at the source. Rob Chadwick, of CGC Interiors and Outdoor Lighting, advises homeowners to “Cut the flies off at the source, which more often than not, is inside your sink pipes.”
Why Sink Pipes Attract Flies
The pipes below kitchen sinks are a literal breeding ground for flies, where they hide and lay eggs in the damp, dark spot. Chadwick explained: “The conditions inside a sink pipes are ideal place for flies to lay their eggs which grow into the nuisances we all hate.”
He said there is an easy way to stop flies from breeding in your basin, and it only takes a little bit of effort every few days and a kettle to boil water.
Boiling Water Trick
Pouring boiling water down the drain every three to five days will clear the drain and get rid of fly eggs as well as larvae or adult flies. Chadwick added: “Others will recommend mixing baking soda and vinegar together, with half the soda to vinegar as a rough ratio, followed by hot water. But we’ve found that hot water is usually more than sufficient.”
This is backed up by PestDefence.co.uk, which says that flies will live off the 'sludge' found down your drain. They said: "A drain fly’s life cycle lasts 1-3 weeks. Once they have found a habitat within the organic matter of your drain, this is where they lay eggs that are brown or cream and hatch within 2 days. Drain fly larvae feed on the drain sludge and can survive in high temperatures with low oxygen conditions."
Prevention Tips
Drain flies live in drains, sewers, septic tanks, and sewage-contaminated soil. Often, true to their name, they eventually make their way up to drain areas – they can be found around bathrooms and kitchen sinks, or bath/shower drains. You are more likely to find them if the drain has been stagnant for a long time, for example if you have been away on holiday or if you have a guest bathroom.
If you want to prevent drain flies you should try to make sure that your drain water is not sitting stagnant for an extended period of time. You can do this easily by regularly running water once a week for about a minute. The effect will be enhanced if you add half a cup of salt and half a cup of baking powder to the drain and flush it down with a cup of white vinegar.
