People across the country have found their homes invaded with flies as windows are left open during the warm weather. But there are ways to remove them without resorting to harsh chemicals, according to experts.
Common house flies are attracted to decaying waste such as rotting meat, whereas fruit flies look for sugary substances and feed more commonly on overripe fruit, spilt fizzy drinks and alcohol.
Fpr the hack, you get an empty plastic bottle and cut it in half, with the bottom half slightly taller than the top, according to Good Housekeeping. Remove the bottle cap and fill the bottom with water.
You may want to add a splash of vinegar to ward off bees, and then stick the top half upside down in the bottom half of the bottle, giving it a funnel shape. Spread some sugar water around the mouth of the bottle to attract the pests, before punching two holes at the top of the bottle to put string through so you can hang the trap where you want.
Sugar can be purchased from Asda for 89p, reports The Mirror. Flies smell the bait and fly into the bottle to get to it, and once inside, they are easily trapped as they fly down the neck of the bottle.
The pests will become trapped because they can't navigate back up the narrow opening or they will be unable to fly if their wings get wet.
Other cheap and easy ways to get rid of flies include buying some fresh herbs. A Facebook user asked on the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips page: "Loads of flies everywhere in my house. How do I get rid? Thanks."
The post received over 100 comments, but there was one tip in particular that stood out because of its simplicity - and the deterrent actually smells good.
One woman said: "Fresh mint. The stuff you grow in pots. Flies and ants hate it." Another agreed, commenting: "Mint, they hate it, have some in the window sill."
You can pick up fresh mint from any supermarket, for example at Asda for 90p. Others suggested the social media user should try the equally pleasant-smelling basil plant, which can also be picked up at Asda for 90p, however, it's currently showing as sold out. It's available on Tesco's website for £1.50.
"I read somewhere if you put a pot of fresh basil at the windows it helps. "Tried it and 100% works, I just bought the 'living basil' from Asda for £1," recommended one person.
Another simply said: "Basil plant on the windowsill."
