Getting rid of flies

annifranakapan

Wonder if any 'old stylers' have a solution to the problem of flies in this hot weather. We don't have a problem indoors but our local authority provides us with 3 wheelie bins for rubbish:eek: (recyclable, non recyclable, compostable)

The bin for 'compostable' material (which includes food scraps) is absolutely teeming all over with flies. As this bin has to be stored just outside our back door the flies are driving me to distraction every time I go in and out.

Is there anything I can 'do' to discourage these flies. We do have the bins scrubbed out every fortnight.

Thank you

Annifran

juliettet

I bought one of those old fashioned door curtains made from plastic ribbons. B&M £1.99.

It is great, lets the cats come and go while leaving the door open.

Flies hate lemon juice, maybe rub a half of used skin over the lid?

J

Purse_String

Yes I agree about the flies, our council have given us 4 bins! I give the lids a wipe of disinfectant and I also pour some disinfectant into the outside drain at the same time especially in this hot weather, (not very OS!) I don't know how much space you have but I have moved my bins to the far end of the garden. All kitchen rubbish is bagged up before binning and I wash out the tins/jars to get rid of smells. I have also moved my small collection of pots of herbs to outside the back door as I believe flies aren't as keen on these smells and have sprigs of lavender in vases around the window sills. Finally, I tend to draw the curtains during the heat of the day to keep the house cool and hope that the flies see the barrier and not be tempted by a clear window! Hope this helps!

Dazi

4 Bins! Purse String :eek: I thought we were bad enough having 3.

I hate my 'stinky' bin, we are not allowed to bag the food scraps, just wrap in newspaper, well that helps doesn't it we have 3 bins, and only place we can keep them is right outside the patio doors so I also wage a war on flies (and smells). The stinky bin and the recycle bin for cans, plastic and glass are collected every other week. Stuff that can't be recycled goes in another bin that is collected the weeks recyling isnt . OH cleans stinky out with a bottle of disinfectant version of stardrops and hosepipe but still the flies come, sometimes maggots too (i want a vomiting smiley here)

I have to own up and say sometimes I put the food scraps in a bag and hide them in the non recyclable bin on the other weeks. Hope I don't get caught out as it will mean they will not collect the bin, and I have no wish to rummage around inside it :eek:

When its hot like it has been, and the patio doors are open I tend to sit there with a newspaper and try to swat the flies back outside.

Am thinking of maybe getting a pet spider to eat the flies, although I am scared stiff of spiders so maybe that isn't a good idea.

I am all for recycling, but think maybe councils should realise that not everyone can house all these bins away from our living areas.

So in answer to the OP, sorry, no solution, but you are not alone

Butterfly_Brain

Try rinsing your bins out with a little jeyes fluid

Purse_String

Yes, 4 bins! One for paper & card, second for glass and cans, third for garden rubbish and a skinny half the size bin for for everything else. Perhaps with evolution the flies will go to their favourite colour bin and save us some pennies!

mioliere

For all those with persistent fly problems, try one of these http://www.pestcontroldirect.co.uk/acatalog/Red_Top_Fly_Trap.html

A lot of people here in France use them; they sound expensive at just under a tenner (plus P&P) but one trap will be effective for more than twelve weeks, and attract 20,000 flies - enough to get through a whole summer! They need to be placed about thirty feet away from the house, though, but possibly, by using a convenient neighbourhood tree, more than one household could benefit, and share the cost of the trap. Perhaps those of you whose local authorities are causing the problem by their insistence that you use so many different bins, could ask said local authority to stump up and pay for them. No-one should have to put up with so many flies - or so many bins.

System

saw a tip on "How clean is your house" they used parcel tape sticky side facing you turned the top over so it could stick to the window then smeared a little honey/jam on it attracted the flies and they were stuck .just bin + replace if necessary.

SuziQ

CHRISSYG wrote: »

saw a tip on "How clean is your house" they used parcel tape sticky side facing you turned the top over so it could stick to the window then smeared a little honey/jam on it attracted the flies and they were stuck .just bin + replace if necessary.

Just put 2 of these strips up in the kitchen-hope it works!

Sagaris

I hate flies with a passion and I'm always spraying/swatting/vacuuming the things up. I had one of those multicoloured plastic door strip things last year but it was rubbish.

This week I bought one of those £2.99 door screens from Aldi - basically it's 4 net panels (black or white) weighted at the ends and they all slightly overlap and hang from a strip above the door.

DH fitted it in about 10 minutes - and you wouldn't believe the difference it's made. I think we've had 1 or 2 flies in here in 3 days! And even our elderly (dementia suffering) dog copes with it, so it seems to be pet friendly too.