‘i’m a pest expert - these five steps will banish flies and reduce infestations’

There’s nothing worse than a house full of flies - whether it’s blue bottles, fruit flies, houseflies or sewer gnats. Britons may have noticed a spike in the pests entering their home

recently as they tend to be more active during the warmer months, peaking in late summer. However, flies’ breeding season comes to an end in October which means they tend to be much less

active. But until then, an expert has shared exclusively with Express.co.uk how to banish flies from homes and reduce infestations. Pest exterminator, Georgios Likopoulos from Fantastic Pest

Control said with “a little thorough cleaning and a few household products, you can keep flies at bay”. HERE ARE GEORGIOS’ FIVE STEPS: 1. FIND THE SOURCE Infestations can occur when food

items are overlooked such as a forgotten onion or bag of potatoes. Homeowners who find forgotten items of food need to dispose of them correctly to discourage infestations. 2. EMPTY BINS

Normally, homeowners clean bins when they are full, but it's a good idea to do it daily during the warmer months. Georgios added: “Pay particular attention to compost bins and any other

bin containing food waste. “Emptying and wiping them daily will help reduce the breeding grounds for flies and unpleasant kitchen smells.” 3. DRAINS SHOULD BE SANITISED AND CLOSED Drain

flies, also known as sewer gnats, are another pest that can be misunderstood for baby flies due to their similar appearances. Sewer flies will thrive in stagnant and standing water. To keep

drains clean, use bleach, a drain cleaner or a homemade mixture of baking soda and white vinegar to “deep clean” drains. 4. KEEP RIPE FRUIT REFRIGERATED Fruit can encourage flies to enter

homes so it’s important fruit is washed straight away and kept in an airtight container in the fridge or a fruit bowl to deter flies. 5. SET A FLY TRAP Georgios also shared a fly trap that

works to catch flies and stop them from buzzing around. He said: “After cleaning your kitchen and removing any possible breeding grounds, you will need to set a trap to get rid of any

insects still present. “Pour apple cider vinegar, washing up liquid, and ripe chopped fruit into a couple of small containers. “Wrap the containers with cling film and poke a few holes in

them with a toothpick. Flies should be able to enter but not leave these traps.”