If you have noticed tiny flying insects around your home, you may have a gnat infestation. Gnats could be many different insects, and they are easy to get rid of from your home:

First, find out which type of gnat they are. Next, eliminate their food sources. Then trap them or kill them. Finally, take preventative measures to stop them from returning, including maintaining a clean home, storing food well, using airtight trash cans and eliminating moisture.

Fortunately, most gnats are only annoying and aren’t dangerous to humans. For an in-depth look at getting rid of gnats, read the rest of this article.

You might also be interested in reading this related article “How To Get Rid Of Houseflies“.

Are These Tiny Flying Insects Gnats?

Gnat is the common name for several types of tiny flying insects that invade homes. Finding out which gnat you’re dealing with allows you to get rid of them more effectively. Three common types of gnats are:

Fruit Flies

Rotting or overripe fruits and vegetables attract fruit flies. You’ll often see them hovering around fruit bowls, looking for a snack. They also congregate near open alcohol containers, stinky trash bins and garbage disposals. 

Fruit flies are most abundant in the late summer, early fall and during the harvest season. But you could see them in colder months too. They have a lifespan of about 50 days and prefer slimy environments for breeding.

Despite their name, fruit flies don’t eat fruit. They eat the fungus that grows in rotting fruit. They have a powerful sense of smell and can tell when fruit begins rotting on your counter from outside your home. 

Fungus Gnats

These small, black and silver flies infest compost, potting mix, soil and other decomposing organic matter. They eat mycelia and compounds in dirt. They have a habit of chewing on plant roots and pose risks to nurseries, greenhouses, houseplants and indoor plantscapes.

If you first notice gnats after bringing home a new houseplant, it could be fungus gnats from the plant nursery. You can test your plant for fungus gnats by shaking it. The disturbance scares the gnats, and you will see them fly away.

Cologne and perfume attract fungus gnats. They lay their eggs in moist soil. You might notice that they have long, thin wings and long legs.

Drain Flies

These gnats live in drains, sewers and septic tanks and have a moth-like appearance with wings that extend past their hairy bodies. They lay their eggs in stagnant water, and you might see them flying around your kitchen sink. In homes, they lay eggs in the slimy goop that collects inside of plumbing.

Drain flies feed on decaying organic matter. They are perhaps the most common insect in sewage treatment plants. These gnats might help keep your drains clean by eating the organic matter that could eventually cause a clog.

They are weak fliers, usually only flying a few feet at a time. Conversely, they are difficult to drown because they trap air bubbles and can stay underwater for more than a day.

DIY Ways To Get Rid Of Gnats

There are several ways to eliminate gnats with ingredients you probably have in your home already. The following are some simple DIY methods of getting rid of gnats, with the type they target included.

Apple Cider Vinegar Gnat Trap

The sweet odor of apple cider vinegar appeals to fruit fly gnats because it has the same smell as the rotting fruit they eat and lay their eggs inside. To make a trap, pour a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into a jar or bowl, then mix in some drops of liquid dish soap. 

When the gnats come to taste the sweet rotting apples, the sticky soap covers them and stops them from flying away. You can make the bait sweeter by adding some sugar or jam, which might have an extra powerful attraction for the gnats.

Other types of vinegar could work as a substitute for apple cider vinegar. Red wine can also work in place of apple cider vinegar. You could try setting out multiple traps if you have a large infestation. 

Produce Bait Gnat Trap

This is another trap that uses fruit fly gnat’s voracious appetite for rotting fruit against them. For this trap, place an overripe piece of fruit, such as banana, apple or berries, into a bowl or jar and cover it tightly with plastic wrap. 

Poke small holes in the plastic wrap using a tack or sewing needle. The gnats will be able to crawl into the openings to get at the fruit, but getting out won’t be so easy for them. Many people who have problems with fruit flies leave a baited trap like this in their kitchen to catch any insects that come around.

Save A Sip Of Wine To Trap Gnats

Wine is the result of rotting fruit, therefore, it also attracts gnats. Leave a sip at the bottom of your next bottle with the cork out. Gnats will fly in to drink some wine and won’t be able to get back out. Cork the bottle before you throw it away to ensure no gnats escape. 

Flush Drains With Bleach

If drain flies congregate near your sink, a diluted bleach solution will kill them and their eggs. Be careful while mixing a half cup of bleach in a gallon of water. Pour the solution down your drain and let it sit for at least a half-hour. 

Next, flush your drains with boiling water. Repeat this process if the gnats return or as a preventative measure.

Sticky Traps For Gnats

Fungus gnats might require a different type of trap. Yellow commercial sticky bug traps shaped like butterflies work well. Just hang one near the plants that have gnats and watch the insects get stuck.

If you don’t want to buy a commercial sticky trap, you could hang a piece of duct tape with a piece of overripe fruit on it near your plants. This trap may not be as effective as the commercial version, but you could be surprised by the results.

How To Get Rid Of Gnats With White Vinegar

You can make a gnat-killing spray with white vinegar. The steps to do so include:

•  Mix two parts water, one part white vinegar and a few drops of liquid dish soap. 
• Put the mixture into a spray bottle.
• Spray any gnats you see.

This gnat-killing solution won’t hurt plants, but be careful about getting it on marble because the acid in the vinegar could etch it. This method is best if you notice just a few gnats, but killing a swarm would be difficult.

Candle Trap For Gnats

This trap only works at night. Put a tall candle onto a candlestick and place the candlestick in a saucer of water. Light the candle and turn off all the lights.

The gnats will fly towards the flame and either burn in it or fall into the water first. Never leave a lighted candle unattended.

Are Commercial Gnat Traps Effective?

Gnat traps are most effective at identifying what types of gnats you are dealing with and where they grow. However, most homeowners purchase gnat traps hoping to eliminate the insects. This strategy rarely works because traps only catch visible gnats, and do nothing to change the conditions that produce the insects.

When you only kill the living gnats in your home, they likely have already laid eggs. Soon after you catch your gnats, the new generation will appear and cause problems again. These reasons make prevention a critical part of getting rid of gnats.

How To Prevent Gnats

Once you have shooed the tiny flies, you need to stop them from returning. For the most part, keeping your home as clean as possible makes it less inviting for gnats. They will jump at the chance to investigate any food scraps you leave out for too long.

Besides being extra clean in your home, some preventative measures you can take are:

• Store food in sealed containers.
• Clean up after each meal.
• Use a kitchen compost container with a tight lid.
• Store fruit in the fridge.
• Clean out your sink, drains and garbage cans on a regular schedule.
• Let houseplant soil dry out between waterings.
• Sprinkle diatomaceous earth on top of house plant soil.
• Seal cracks or any openings around your home.
• Eliminate sources of moisture like leaking pipes or roof holes.
• Repair or replace window and door screens.
• Patch cracks in your home’s foundation.

Do Gnats Bite?

None of the gnats we have discussed bite, but a tiny flying insect you call a gnat could bite you. The three gnats we talked about don’t spread human diseases, aren’t dangerous to humans and aren’t pests.

If gnats are biting you, it could be important to have an expert identify what type of gnat it is. Then they can help you eliminate the gnats with the best methods for that biting species.

Also, if the methods we have discussed aren’t stopping your gnat problem, you should consult with a pest control expert. They will inspect your home to find the source of the gnats and create a safe and effective solution to eliminating them.