How To Get Rid Of Drain Flies The Natural Way

A close up image of a drain fly

Psychodidae, most commonly known as “drain flies”, have many alias’s. These flies are often called moth flies due to their fuzzy appearance and greyish color. Do not be mistaken though as these tiny flies are certainly not moths! These fuzzy flies feed primarily on the organic material that builds up in your pipes. They can be found in sewers, septic tanks or around pools of standing water. They’ve even been known to find comfort in your compost pile.

Fruit flies are commonly confused with Drain flies so use the photo above to see the difference!

So what do you do if you find yourself with a drain fly infestation?

Spraying them dead with a can of bug spray will not give you the long term results you are hoping for. It’s what we in the pest control industry call a “band aid solution”. It will provide you with some immediate relief and prevent those flies from laying new eggs, but what about the other eggs that have already been laid? You can’t always be on guard with a can of aerosol in hopes of killing every last fly as they hatch. Ain’t nobody got time for that!

Instead you must eliminate their home & breeding grounds by cleaning up. As time goes on, organic material builds up in our drains. This doesn’t mean you are unclean, it is simply just something that happens!

STEP 1:

Start by scrubbing your green bin and garbage cans to make sure no grime is left being. If you have any rotting food in your house you are giving the flies a buffet of options, so that must go.

STEP 2:

The next and most important step is to clean your drains. As the name suggests, this is their favorite place to be. This task is most easily done with the use of a foaming drain cleanser.

We recommend avoiding harsh chemicals that can damage your pipes. Instead opt for a drain safe product like our Mega Lab Bio-Gen Foam Drain Cleaner. This is a microbial based product, so no harsh chemicals are needed. When using this foaming product, just insert the tube as far down as your drain will allow and dispense the product until it starts pushing up through the drain. Leave it to sit for at least 30 minutes.

This green product works by breaking down the organic material and grease build up and eliminating the breeding grounds for drain flies. You may need to repeat your application in stubborn cases. If you feel like your issue is quite advanced you may also want to consider hiring a plumbing company to professionally tackle the issue.

Once you’ve eliminated the source of the infestation, the flies will die and your issue will too!

STEP 3:

Keep unwanted flies away by periodically cleaning your drains to prevent any organic material from building up again. Simply use the same drain cleaner once a month to prevent organic material build up from happening again! Don’t forget to run the hot water after cleaning greasy dishes and make sure to dispose of food waste in the garbage rather than down the drain! Follow our advice and watch your drain flies disappear!