Get Rid of Flies in Your Kitchen: Tips for a Fly-Free Home | OT - Help Flies!

[cwinter474]

This is gross, so week tummies may want to avoid this.

Saturday morning, woke up and went to fix oatmeal for my grandson. Threw package in the trash, I missed the trash can and went to pick it up, moved the trash can and saw what I believed to be brown rice all over the floor. So I started throwing a fit about people in the house not cleaning up after themselves, ect. Then I noticed several flies in the window that is right behind the trash can, so I took time to kill them. then I went and got the broom and started to sweep up the "RICE", well as I was sweeping the "RICE" began to "HATCH" and to fly about my kitchen.

done barfing yet? ok, I will continue

The "RICE" was fly larva.

I sweep my kitchen daily, I mop twice a week, my kitchen is CLEAN, so don't even go there. I have been killing flies all weekend. Well over 60 on Saturday, 20+ on Sunday and so far more today. They seem to be contained in the kitchen window and patio door, same room.

I just don't know what to do. I have mopped, I have sweeped, I have vaccumed everything (Curtains, furniture, floors, under my icebox, under my washer and dryer. I've cleaned all my windows.

We am going out of town on Thursday and will be back Sunday at the earliest. I'm afraid that if I don't get this figured out before we leave my house will be over run by flies.

I have two gold tabbies. They will be staying here so I can't use chemicals that they might get into.

We had the wheels on our patio door changed about two weeks ago, I'm wondering if this began then and I just didn't see it, or if the seal around my doors aren't right and that's where they are coming in, as to trying to get out?

HELP!!!!!!

 

[Nanisu]

Maggots (fly larva) usually show up when there is something dead or dying around--do you notice any odors around? Not trying to be gross, but that is when they usually appear. Is there something around your home maybe that you didn't notice--not necessarily inside, but outside maybe? If you get rid of the source they will go away...

 

[esavvymom]

or maybe a grease spill or some on the floor around the trash? They seem to like that too. I don't have them INSIDE but whenever my DH BBQs and smokes on the grill, they just appear from everywhere- we think they are under the grill somewhere. So perhaps some grease was on your floor and you couldn't see it.I'd keep doing what you are doing, and maybe get a fly-bait strip for when you leave- Just in case.

 

[cwinter474]

Maggots (fly larva) usually show up when there is something dead or dying around--do you notice any odors around? Not trying to be gross, but that is when they usually appear. Is there something around your home maybe that you didn't notice--not necessarily inside, but outside maybe? If you get rid of the source they will go away...

My hubby is the outside guy, haven't noticed any smells that I'm aware of. This has my brain going, wonder if something has maybe gotten into our attic and died? I know that several years ago our neighbor buried his dog out back. But I would think that by now that wouldn't be an issue. I did notice that where we used to have one of those basketball goals that you can move around, my son came and got it and there is some mold where it used to sit. I'm cleaning that today. Could they be attracked to the mold?

 

[cwinter474]

or maybe a grease spill or some on the floor around the trash? They seem to like that too. I don't have them INSIDE but whenever my DH BBQs and smokes on the grill, they just appear from everywhere- we think they are under the grill somewhere. So perhaps some grease was on your floor and you couldn't see it.

I'd keep doing what you are doing, and maybe get a fly-bait strip for when you leave- Just in case.

I'm hanging a few of those strip things in the window today. I've heard that you can take an apple and stick cloves into it and it will drive flies away. But I don't want them going futher into the house.

Thanks

 

[AnnieBee]

I agree with the dead animal theory. The whole point of maggots (in the circle of life!) is to eat rotting flesh and clean it up. The one time we started to get tons of flies was when we had (Unknowingly!) a bird carcass in the basement, courtesy of our cats. The good new is that they clean up the carcass amazingly efficiently (one time I found a dead vole on our patio with a few maggots. The next time I went to check it, maybe a day later (I'd been meaning to tell DH), all that was left was fur and bones), and then the problem will be gone. In the meantime, set up fly papers, and try to find what the maggots were eating and remove it.

 

[Teresa Lynn]

what about rotting potatoes?
I had 3 in my longaberger basket where I keep them and they didn't smell but flies were hatching

 

[cwinter474]

I agree with the dead animal theory. The whole point of maggots (in the circle of life!) is to eat rotting flesh and clean it up. The one time we started to get tons of flies was when we had (Unknowingly!) a bird carcass in the basement, courtesy of our cats. The good new is that they clean up the carcass amazingly efficiently (one time I found a dead vole on our patio with a few maggots. The next time I went to check it, maybe a day later (I'd been meaning to tell DH), all that was left was fur and bones), and then the problem will be gone. In the meantime, set up fly papers, and try to find what the maggots were eating and remove it.

Searched high and low.... nothing dead here. Darn.

 

[cwinter474]

what about rotting potatoes?
I had 3 in my longaberger basket where I keep them and they didn't smell but flies were hatching

Had potatoes on the counter along with two bags of sugar. Sugar appeared to be fine but is now in a tight ziplock and put away. Potatoes seem to be fine not mushy or anything but I did remove them from the bag and place them into a tub and set them in the garage.

 

[cwinter474]

I've been online looking around here. I know that flies come from maggots that come from cleaning the dead. But shouldn't I be worried about the females laying eggs? Or am I just missing something here?

 

[cwinter474]

Evening update, re-cleaned EVERYTHING in my kitchen and dining room from floor to ceiling. Re-vaccumed the entire house. Talked to my vet about what I could use as friendly to my cats as possiable. Was told nothing really chemical would be safe. SO, I have contained them my by having someone in the living room all day to keep them out of those rooms. I sprayed around the window and door, both inside and out. Now the flies that I am finding are dead, so that is a step in the right direction.

Right?

 

[cwinter474]

Off to bed, with my cats and the door closed to keep them out of the chemicals. Still finding dead flies, but it is certainly better than it was.

Thanks for your help.

 

[cwinter474]

I went to bed and said a birthday prayer
(today is my birthday 46yrs young, by the way)
It went something like this - Dear Lord please don't let there be flies in my home tomorrow and if there is, plese help me to find the answer and be able to rid my home.

SO this morning I woke up to NO FLIES, NOT even a dead one!!!

Happy Birthday to me! Happy Birthday to me! AND THANKS BE TO GOD!

 

[caraighan]

Happy birthday!!!

 

[diradt]

So I was telling my hubby this (we found maggots in our Christmas tree last year...we keep it in our garage in a box...yada yada...we bought a new tree this year!)....and he said that once they are laid, they will just keep growing if it is a warm, dark place. Until you treat it. So sounds like the problem is gone but maybe check your trash can to see if there is anything in the bottom.
Personally, I am buying a new can. And spray that stuff outside your house around the door and window where they are near. It really could be a dead mouse/bird etc outside, and once they beginning growing, they just keep going.

Sounds like you have it under control but just thought we would add our experience.

 

[cwinter474]

Happy birthday!!!

Thanks, your the only one that noticed!!!

 

[cwinter474]

So I was telling my hubby this (we found maggots in our Christmas tree last year...we keep it in our garage in a box...yada yada...we bought a new tree this year!)....and he said that once they are laid, they will just keep growing if it is a warm, dark place. Until you treat it. So sounds like the problem is gone but maybe check your trash can to see if there is anything in the bottom.
Personally, I am buying a new can. And spray that stuff outside your house around the door and window where they are near. It really could be a dead mouse/bird etc outside, and once they beginning growing, they just keep going.

Sounds like you have it under control but just thought we would add our experience.

New Can.....done, new kitchen if I could afford it believe you me.....

So far, I am still finding a few dead ones here and there... It is MUCH better

Thanks

 

[babywings76]

Okay, so I avoided reading this thread, cause everytime I saw it I was eating something and didn't want to risk being grossed out.First off: Happy Birthday! Phew! Glad to hear they've gone away. So gross! We've had the problem out in our garage. We keep our trash cans in the garage, and one has a hole in the bottom. It seems that a couple times when I've had chicken guts and gunk in the trash bags and put them in there, if they leaked or the lid wasn't on tight, it would lead to getting maggots. This past trash day I was so disgusted when I wheeled out the trash cans and found maggots on the garage floor. YUCK!!! EEEWWW! I left the garage door open all that day and a lot the next few days hoping that they'd hatch and fly out.

 

[cwinter474]

For the most part, they are gone. I'm only finding dead ones now. WHich I'm glad but don't understand.

I'm so hoping that this was my once in a lifetime experiance!

 

[cwinter474]

NO Flies, ALL day LONG!!!

I'm so Happy!!!!!

 

[PCGINA]

Thank You Lord :thumbup:

Happy Birthday in deed!!!

~Gina

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

Happy nirthday to both of you!

Are you, by chance, a little on the OCD side?

 

[cwinter474]

If I wasn't..... I am now! My kitchen will now forever be squeeky clean.

 

[Ann F]

Happy Birthday! Sorry for your bad experience, but glad it seems to be over.

 

[KellyTheChef]

Happy Birthday (late) and I sure am glad it sounds like everything is good now! Stuff like that is enough to make you nuts, huh?

 

[pampchefsarah]

3 and a 1/2 days later, I finally read the thread (mostly, because I knew I wouldn't have any useful suggestions), but HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!! Hope the whole year is blessed.


Years and years ago, when my son was little, and my daughter was not yet born, I was washing dishes, when I heard rustling in the garbage can, which was behind me. I turned and looked, but there was nothing there. Went back to washing dishes, and heard the sound again. Went over to look, and the can was CRAWLING with maggots! So gross! Fortunately, we line the the cans with bags, so it was just a matter of tying the bag and taking it out, but, ewww!! You can believe I washed long and hard just to get rid of the creepy feeling.

Another time, I took a baby bottle out of the microwave (yes, this was how I heated their bottles, and since they are 14 and 1

 

[akrebecca]

My two cents (from experience!) is to keep up with the extra cleaning. In a couple days you may need to deal with a new batch or two. Not sure if the flies are the larger ones or the gnats. For gnats I have used a cheap glass of wine, the top covered with plastic wrap with holes poked in and the glass left on the counter. Every couple days I toss the contents and refresh the wine.