How to Get Rid of Drain Gnats
Get drain gnats out of your home fast with these tips from Jerry, the insurance comparison super app.
Written by Shannon Martin
Reviewed by Melanie Reiff
Drain gnats thrive near standing water, which is why your bathroom sink is their favorite place to live. Preventing a drain gnat infestation is as simple as running water through your pipes and regularly cleaning your sink and drains. Once these furry, winged creatures get inside your water lines, simple household items like hot water and baking soda can remedy the situation.
Drain gnats tend to sneak into your home without warning in the early spring months. While they aren’t harmful and don’t bite or carry human disease, they are unwelcome houseguests. Additionally, a large infection can indicate the potential for other household pests.
That’s why
Jerry
is here to give you the rundown of a few tried and true methods for eliminating your home of drain gnats. Jerry, the licensed brokerage app
famous for saving people money on their homeowners insurance
, is the go-to expert with the latest tips and tricks on saving money and keeping your home safe. Here is a complete guide on how to get rid of drain gnats and keep them out for good!RECOMMENDED
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5 ways to get rid of drain gnats
Is there anything worse than waking up early in the morning, brushing your teeth, and suddenly noticing tons of little bugs with wings flitting and hopping about? Drain gnats breed quickly and can lay up to 300 eggs in just 24 hours. When you first spot even just a few of them, act fast!
How to get rid of drain gnats in your home
Luckily, getting rid of drain gnats is straightforward and pretty inexpensive. You probably already have most of what you need on hand. Here are five tried and true ways to get those pesky bugs out of there.
- Hydrogen peroxide: This is the simplest one-step solution we have. Simply pour ½ cup of hydrogen peroxide down the drain and let it bubble for a few minutes before rinsing it away. This should kill the bacteria the bugs feed on, the bugs, and their eggs.
- Boiling water and white vinegar: Boil a pot of water and carefully pour it down the drain. Next, pour down one cup of white vinegar. That is it! The hot water kills the bugs, and the vinegar kills off any remaining eggs.
- Salt, baking soda, and vinegar: Pour ½ cup of salt down the drain, followed by ½ cup of baking soda, and then finish with one cup of white vinegar. You should see a good bit of foaming action. Let it sit for a few minutes, then rinse it away.
- Apple Cider Vinegar Trap: This method is good to use with one of the above methods to trap drain gnats. Grab a cup and pour in a bit of apple cider vinegar and dish soap mixed with water. Then cover the cup with a funnel. If you don’t have a funnel, use cling wrap and poke holes in the top. The gnats will get in but will be unable to fly back out.
- Drain cleaner: If you still have drain gnats, it is time for some more potent stuff! A drain cleaner like Drano should do the trick. This will destroy the bacteria that the bugs feed on and stop new eggs from hatching.
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When should you call an exterminator to get rid of drain gnats?
While it can be simple to get rid of drain gnats yourself, you might have a severe infestation if the situation was left unchecked for a while. You can call an exterminator, but a plumber will be better equipped for the job.
Both professionals can eliminate the gnats, but plumbers can handle the underlying issues and prevent re-infestation. The cost for a plumber to eliminate drain gnats is between $170-$260.
How to tell if you’ve got a drain gnat problem
We have a trick for you! Cover your sink or bathroom drain with clear packing tape and leave it overnight. Then, when you check the tape in the morning, you will notice if you have a serious issue.
What do drain gnats look like?
Drain gnats are tiny winged bugs, only about ⅛-inch long, with fuzzy tan or grey bodies. They find homes in dark and damp locations like kitchen and bathroom sinks, tubs, and anywhere there is plumbing.
How to prevent a drain gnat infestation
The best way to prevent drain gnats from overtaking your wet rooms is by keeping your drains clean from bacteria and gunk and making sure to run water through your home's pipes every few days.
Some savvy homeowners pour a pot of boiling water down their drains at the start of every spring as an additional preventable step.
What are drain gnats attracted to
A drain gnat infestation can happen to anybody, so don’t feel bad if it happens to you. Aside from their name, drain gnats don’t get into the home by way of the drain, they are attracted to dark, damp areas, and the more bacteria they can feed on, the better. So they seek out these locations, hide in your pipes, lay eggs, and then populate very quickly.
The easiest way to buy homeowners insurance
Of all of the household pests one can encounter, drain gnats are probably the easiest and cheapest ones to get rid of. This is a relief since the cost of being a homeowner is so expensive. One way to save on household expenses is by downloading
Jerry
and saving money on homeowners insurance
. While Jerry is known for finding drivers the cheapest rates on
car insurance
, we do the same for our homeowners. Jerry works with 55+ top-named insurance providers finding the level of coverage each policyholder needs at a price that works for them. Once the app is downloaded, Jerry provides a comprehensive cross-analysis of the best policies paired with your current coverages and delivers results to you in 45 seconds. As a result, Jerry customers save on average $800+ per year on insurance, and that is before considering our insurance bundle rates!
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FAQs
Are drain gnats dangerous to my health?
No, drain gnats are not dangerous to your health. They do not bite or spread human diseases.
What is the best way to prevent drain gnats?
The best way to stop a drain gnat infestation before it starts is by keeping the areas around your plumbing dry and clean. Make sure to run water through your pipes several times a week and to keep sinks and drain areas clean of bacteria.
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