How To Get Rid Of Drain Flies

Drain flies are small flies that like to live, lay eggs and gather around areas where there is moisture and stagnant or standing water. Their name comes from the fact they are commonly found around drains that slow draining or completely blocked. They love the slimy film that forms over drains and in sewer pipes as a place to breed and lay their eggs. When such places in the home are not regularly cleaned and checked it becomes the perfect home for them.

With a “furry” moth-like appearance, these small flies are formally known as Psychodidae but go by many names including sewer gnats, sink flies or moth flies. Here is a closer look at where you can find these pests and how to get rid of drain flies.

Are drain flies a big problem?

Due to the fact they love damp places, you are more likely to find them in kitchens and bathrooms when inside the home but around drains, sinks, windows and in basements are possible places too. They are a nuisance or pest because they grow in numbers very quickly and can cause problems in the home and are often associated with blocked drains in Sydney. Spreading the bacteria they prefer to live in, they can contaminate your food if they land on any as you are preparing it. They do not spread a specific disease to people but it is important to get rid of drain flies when you spot them. You will see the adult drain flies resting on your bathroom walls or near the drains.

How to get rid of drain flies effectively

The key is to find all the places they are, clean out the breeding sites and all the organic material they like to live in and that you remove the eggs they lay. The adult flies have just a short lifespan of 20 days and cannot breed if you do not have nice smelly drains for them to reproduce in. Just pouring drain cleaner down a drain or two is not going to fix everything. You need to find, inspect and clean all the potential breeding sites, or call in someone to handle it for you.

Find the source

1. Check all the drains first – When getting rid of drain flies it makes sense to check the drains first! Place some tape over the drain with a few holes in it and then see if drain flies get stuck to it overnight. Finding eggs or larvae and seeing adult flies means you have found one of the breeding sites. Make sure you check them all.
2. Shower and bathtub drain – In the home, the bathtub and shower drains are another area to look at. Shower pans leak and the area below them is a place they love. If cleaning out the shower drain is not enough you can have someone drill a hole in the area beneath the pan, or into the wall behind it. Since the flies are attracted to light you will see flies come to the hole in just a few minutes if there are any there. You could try a drain flies home remedy if you want to.
3. In your kitchen – When getting rid of drain flies in your kitchen you need to look in all the places organic debris can get trapped in. Slow draining or blocked sinks are a common culprit but small cracks, tile grouting, fruit baskets and open bins are all favourite habitats for drain flies to thrive.
4. Other areas to check – Also look under the washing machine, under houseplants, in and under dirty garbage containers, around air conditioners, anywhere stagnant pools of water might form.

Get rid of drain flies fast

1. Once you have located where drain flies are breeding in your home it’s time to get rid of them! Time to clean, clean, clean – any moist or damp areas should be cleaned thoroughly. Ensure there are no water leaks or dripping taps that would cause stagnant or damp areas. This won’t get rid of them but will help prevent them from returning.
2. The next step is to clear your drains. Boil the kettle and pour the boiling water down the drain. This will kill the drain flies and also help flush out the deposits in the drain they are feeding on.
3. If you notice the water is slow to drain, there is a more serious blockage. In this case, it’s time to pick up your tools and try some more ways to unblock your drains!
4. Are drain flies still persisting? Time to check again for leaks. If there is a broken drain pipe underground or under a slab floor there could be the right kind of material under the slab to create a living space for the drain flies. To see if that is where they use the masking tape trick there too. To get rid of drain flies under a slab you or someone doing it for you will need to drill through to find the broken pipe, inspect and repair it. Modern pipe relining technology means you may be able to repair a broken pipe without digging it up or cutting concrete.

Conclusion

When looking at how to get rid of drain flies if you are unsure or unable to get rid of them consider calling in your professional local Sydney plumber. Affordable plumbing in Artarmon, Normanhurst, St Ives, Hornsby and beyond, we can unblock pipes and drains and get rid of those ideal breeding grounds so that you are free of drain flies very quickly.