Keep your home free of flies by taking some common sense precautions and trying out a few non-toxic pest control methods.

Keep it clean.

• The first step in pest control is to make sure areas around food, compost and garbage are kept clean.
• Wash garbage bins regularly and use tight fitting lids.
• Take compost outside or keep it in your refrigerator.
• If you do have food out for extended periods, keep it covered.

Use screens.

• Install screens in any open windows or doorways, and make sure existing screens are secure and are free of tears or holes.
• Remind family members to close doors behind them.
• For open doorways, try hanging partitions, such as beads to deter flies from entering.

Go herbal.

• There are some scents that flies just don’t like including basil, mint, pine and cloves.
• Hanging these plants or sachets with these scents near windows or doorways will help keep flies away.

Homemade fly paper. Here are two recipes to try.

• Care 2 Living calls for mixing 1/4 cup corn syrup and 1/2 cup sugar, then dipping 2 inch wide strips of cut, brown paper bags. (The strips will drip, so hang these over bowls to avoid sweet puddles.)
• A recipe from the book A Slice of Organic Life calls for mixing together equal parts of sugar, golden syrup and water then boiling until thick. After the mixture is cool, dip strips of brown packaging tape, then dry them outside for 30 minutes. Hang inside to catch flies.

Swat ‘em. Of course there’s always the good, old fashioned fly swatter.

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