If you see tiny moth-like flying insects in your bathroom, beware, they could be the drain flies.
Apart from drain flies, they are also called moth flies, sewer flies, sewer gnats, etc.
As its name suggests, it is an insect that grows in drains. These pests are mostly found in bathrooms, kitchen sinks, septic tanks, and where water is stagnant.
It is obvious that you would not like to have such a nasty insect bathing with you in the bathroom or sharing your food in the kitchen.
Although they do not have any significant effect on your health, since they grow in drains. And eat feces, there is a risk of infection from them.
Here I will tell you how you can get rid of drain flies in the bathroom and kitchen sinks, without hiring any Profesional.
But before that we will know a little more about the drain flies, how do they look like? where do they come from?
What do they eat? Do they go away on their own? I’ll give you answers to some such questions first. Then we will talk about how you can get rid of drain flies instantly.
So let’s get started.
What Are Drain Flies and How Do They Look Like?
Drain Flies belongs to the True Flies family. There are more than 2600 species of drain flies found all over the world.
The size of the drain flies varies from 1 mm to 5 mm in length. About an eighth of an inch.
They look like moths and their wings are covered with long black hairs which look very ugly. Adult drain flies range in color from light gray to brownish and tan.
The adult drain flies have 6 legs, a pair of wings, and an antenna. But the larvae of drain flies have neither legs nor eyes.
The life of a drain fly is not very long. A drain fly can live for a maximum of 8 days and can lay more than 300 eggs at a time within 48 hours.
If their infestation is not stopped in the beginning, then they spread very fast.
What Causes Drain Flies in Bathroom?
Many people suspect that the drain flies are coming from the drainage area in their bathroom. But it is not completely true.
Drain flies come into the drainage area of your bathroom from the large drains to which your bathroom drains are connected.
It usually comes when they smell organic matter which helps in their breeding.
Organic matter starts accumulating in your bathroom drains when they are not cleaned for a long time or water is stagnant for a long time.
Next, I will also tell you a remedy by which you can prevent organic matter from accumulating in your bathroom drains.
Will Drain Flies Go Away On Their Own?
Although drain flies go away on their own within 24 to 25 days in 90% of cases, they may not leave you for long if the infestation is severe. In such a situation, it becomes necessary for you to treat them.
If you detect their infestation at an early stage and treat it, then it does not come again.
What Do Drain Flies Feed On?
Many people have this myth that drain flies survive by eating feces. Which is totally wrong. Although it is true that the fecal environment helps them in breeding they do not eat feces.
Drain flies keep themselves alive by eating slime that has accumulated in the drains.
Many times, the black sticky substance that you see in your bathroom drains is slime.
This slime is made by bacteria that are found in hair, in hand lotions, soap films, or in toothpaste and phlegm.
Drain flies survive by eating these bacteria.
Can Drain Flies Drown?
Drain fly larvae require very little oxygen, so these larvae can survive underwater for up to 24 hours.
To survive underwater, they imprison themselves inside a type of bubble and can stay in that bubble for up to 24 hours. When they become adults, they break that bubble and come out.
Adult drain flies can also easily survive underwater for up to 24 horses.
Do Drain Flies Cause a Smell?
Because drain flies thrive in smelly places like drains, dirty pipes, and gutters.
In such a situation, smelly bacterias stick to their body. And when these flies are in large quantities, they leave a foul odor from their body.
The risk of spreading infection from them is also high, so it is important to get rid of them as soon as possible.
Are Drain Flies Harmful?
As it has been found in many pieces of research drain fly is not harmful to human health. But since they thrive in dirty places, they carry a lot of bacteria that can spread infection.
Especially when they are near the kitchen sink, in utensils, or on food, they can leave bacteria that spread diseases.
Before treating drain flies, it is also very important to find out where they are coming from in your home.
Where Are The Drain Flies Coming From?
The first thing you need to do is to check the drain areas of your bathrooms, kitchen sinks, and septic tanks to find out where the drain flies are coming from.
For example, if you have doubts about the kitchen sink, then you have to stick sticky tape on the hole in the drain area. Make sure that the sticky side of the tape is towards the drain hole.
You don’t have to pour water there for 24 hours. After 24 hours, if you see the drain flies sticking on that tape, then you understand that the drain flies are coming from there.
Now I will tell you how to get rid of drain flies in the bathroom, in the kitchen sink, or in the septic tank
I will share with you four very easy and instant remedies using which you can get rid of drain flies forever.
How to Get Rid of Drain Flies in Bathroom/Kitchen Sink:
Drain flies are not as serious as termites, so you do not have to take the help of a professional to get rid of them, you can easily get rid of them yourself.
Here I will tell you four methods to get rid of drain flies which work quite instantly and effectively.
Get Rid of Drain Flies with Vinegar , baking soda and salt:
First of all, you have to take a vessel in which 1 cup of vinegar, half a cup of salt, and half a cup of baking soda has to be taken.
You have to pour this mixture into your bathroom drain or kitchen sink and do not use water in that place for 24 hours.
After 24 hours you have to take a big mug of hot water and pour it into the drain.
If the infestation is less then you will get rid of the drain flies in just one go.
But if the infestation is a little more then by doing it continuously for 3 to 4 days you will definitely get rid of the drain flies in your bathroom or kitchen sink.
Get Rid of Drain Flies With Boil Water:
This method also proves to be very effective for small level drain flies infestation. You have to pour a pot of hot water into your bathroom drain or kitchen sink twice a day. By doing this continuously for a week, you will easily get rid of the drain flies.
Get Rid of Drain Flies With Metal Pipe:
This method only works for kitchen sinks and is a very easy and effective method.
The first thing you have to do is take out the pipe of your kitchen sink. And take a metal pipe and put it inside the pipe of the kitchen sink.
Whatever slime is stored in it has to be taken out and two pots of hot water have to be poured in it.
This is how you can get rid of these drain flies by cleaning your kitchen sink pipes.
Get Rid of Drain Flies With BioClean:
Vinegar and baking soda methods can take some time to get rid of drain flies but this natural product from Bioclean which is non-toxic and environmentally friendly can help you get rid of drain flies quite instantly.
This product is very well known and completely cleans the organic matter in your bathroom drains, kitchen sinks, and septic tanks, and drain flies automatically go away when there is no organic matter in the drains.
All four of these are natural methods to get rid of drain flies and work quite effectively.
Conclusion:
I hope you don’t have any doubts about drain fly now. And you must have understood why it comes and how to get rid of them.
Although these small insects do not cause much harm, they sit in nasty places, so there is a fear of infection from them.
Not only is there a fear of infection, but if they are in the kitchen or in the bathroom, then they also affect the beauty of your home. And if there is a large amount, they also start to smell like feces.
You can easily get rid of these drain flies in the bathroom, septic tank, or kitchen sink with the above-mentioned methods.
You can also read: How To Get Rid Of Drain Flies in Garbage Disposal?