Advice for getting rid of drain flies?

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Luvz2travel

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I have a bad case of drain flies that I can’t seem to get rid of. When I first bought my house in may they appeared in swarms when I left the lights on after the first break in. I started leaving the lights off after that…I assumed the lights where drawing them in from outside and didn’t know they were coming from the drains. I’ve had several leaks going on on in the bathroom that I had taken care and another from an ac condensation line that was leaking (I didn’t know about this till I it flooded last week and the ac guy told me it was because the line was clogged. They appear to hanging out in the bathroom. I cleaned the drains several times with baking soda and vinager and then cleaned out what I could from the bathroom drains where they seem to congregate. I started using an enzyme cleaner on all the drains to eat away the stuff they like to lay their eggs in. It seemed to work at first but they are on their way back and nothing seems to stop them. I’ve been using an enzyme cleaner for about a month straight and it’s costing me a fortune in chemicals. I can’t afford to have the drains augered as I just had several leaks and the roof fixed as well as a termite treatment done not to meantion having to buy a security system after 3 breakins. I’m tapped out and emotionally exhausted from this house. It seems I get one thing fixed and another problem rears it’s head. No break even for a minute. Anyone have any ideas. I could sell the place yet because I’m out of money and who would buy it with a drain fly problem anyway. I’ve been praying my heart out but GOD remains silent on any solution to all this.
 
I know, based on your previous posts about your house troubles, that you are a pretty savvy homeowner and know quite a lot about maintaining a home. So forgive me if my advice is in ignorance or if you already tried it and failed…but have you tried closing all drains after each use, and especially at night, with those black rubber drain closures? Also, using a vinegar jar fly trap right beside the sinks might help. That is all I can think of. Good luck! God bless you!
 
mommamaree said:
I know, based on your previous posts about your house troubles, that you are a pretty savvy homeowner and know quite a lot about maintaining a home. So forgive me if my advice is in ignorance or if you already tried it and failed…but have you tried closing all drains after each use, and especially at night, with those black rubber drain closures? Also, using a vinegar jar fly trap right beside the sinks might help. That is all I can think of. Good luck! God bless you!/QUOTE

Two of the drains can’t be covered because one is a floor drain and the other is in the utility area behind the hot water heater and very hard to get to. All the rest are covered but that doesn’t seem to stop them. I’ve used fly paper, hotspot zone vapor fly replelors, have poored bleach down the drains regularly as well as vinager, I don’t want to use the vinager traps because I’m afraid that will just attract other bugs and I I don’t want to replace one problem with another. Managed to get rid of a lot of the bugs for the most part and don’t want them back. I guess I’ll try having the drains cleaned I don’t know what else to do. I can’t afford it but what’s more debt at this point next to going crazy.
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I know a trick that worked great for us!!

In a small bowl (like the kind you would eat cereal from), pour apple cider vinegar and a few drops of dawn or another liquid dish soap. Whisk it together and leave the bowl out overnight. The drain flies are drawn to it and they drown in the bowl. Good luck.
 
Ophelia23 said:
I know a trick that worked great for us!!

In a small bowl (like the kind you would eat cereal from), pour apple cider vinegar and a few drops of dawn or another liquid dish soap. Whisk it together and leave the bowl out overnight. The drain flies are drawn to it and they drown in the bowl. Good luck.
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This is the vinegar jar fly traps to which I was referring, but Luvs2travel has the concern that it will draw other insects as well, and lead to more insects in her home.

Luvs2travel,
I am sorry that I cannot be more of a help, but I just want to say that I have followed your posts about your home woes and I know you have had some horrible experiences making your house livable, and I will remember you in my prayers.
 
Do your sinks have an overflow drain near the lip somewhere? I lived in an apartment once where I had a similar issue. It turns out the buggers were laying eggs inside the sink itself. There was a little slit near the top of the sink where water would flow into to keep the water from pouring out of the sink if the faucet were left running.

I dumped all sorts of chemicals down there. I never really did manage to kill them all before I moved anyway. I think the only realistic solution would be to rip the sink out and replace it.

If these are the same kinds of flies, I am pretty sure they need some kind of space somewhere in which to lay their eggs. If the space gets regularly flooded with running water, then it wouldn’t work. Hence the hollow space inside the sink.

I too thought they were down in the drain because they were constantly flying into the drains for water. But they really were nesting somewhere else.
 
Rete said:
Do your sinks have an overflow drain near the lip somewhere? I lived in an apartment once where I had a similar issue. It turns out the buggers were laying eggs inside the sink itself. There was a little slit near the top of the sink where water would flow into to keep the water from pouring out of the sink if the faucet were left running.

I dumped all sorts of chemicals down there. I never really did manage to kill them all before I moved anyway. I think the only realistic solution would be to rip the sink out and replace it.

If these are the same kinds of flies, I am pretty sure they need some kind of space somewhere in which to lay their eggs. If the space gets regularly flooded with running water, then it wouldn’t work. Hence the hollow space inside the sink.

I too thought they were down in the drain because they were constantly flying into the drains for water. But they really were nesting somewhere else.
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I don’t know I find them consistantly around the bath tub flying around there or dead just a few right now the number is steadily increasing again. Also the bathroom floor which is cracking and has holes (long story) I’ve found a big one coming out of the bathtub drain though it was dead in the bath tub after a vinger/baking soda treatment. I though they might also be coming the water jets in the tub but I’ve cleaned those running bleach and vinager in the bathtub for a half an hour at a time to clean them thoroughly didn’t seem to make much difference. They also like a window in a bedroom which shares a wall with the bathroom. I found them by a drain in the kitchen as well. I’ve been treating all the drains with enymes to be on the safe side with totals about 7. I guess they could be in the walls I had some moisture that made it’t way into the bathroom and kitchen when the clogged AC condensate line leaked really bad.
 
Rete said:
Do your sinks have an overflow drain near the lip somewhere? I lived in an apartment once where I had a similar issue. It turns out the buggers were laying eggs inside the sink itself. There was a little slit near the top of the sink where water would flow into to keep the water from pouring out of the sink if the faucet were left running.

I dumped all sorts of chemicals down there. I never really did manage to kill them all before I moved anyway. I think the only realistic solution would be to rip the sink out and replace it.

If these are the same kinds of flies, I am pretty sure they need some kind of space somewhere in which to lay their eggs. If the space gets regularly flooded with running water, then it wouldn’t work. Hence the hollow space inside the sink.

I too thought they were down in the drain because they were constantly flying into the drains for water. But they really were nesting somewhere else.
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Were else were they nesting. I don’t have overflow areas in my sinks.
 
mommamaree said:
This is the vinegar jar fly traps to which I was referring, but Luvs2travel has the concern that it will draw other insects as well, and lead to more insects in her home.

Luvs2travel,
I am sorry that I cannot be more of a help, but I just want to say that I have followed your posts about your home woes and I know you have had some horrible experiences making your house livable, and I will remember you in my prayers.
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Thanks prayers are appreciated.
 
Check you local laws, but small amounts of chlorox will kill adults and eggs.

Peace
 
The University of Kentucky says that if the drain flies don’t go away when the drains are put back into use, their breeding sites have to be found and eliminated.

These two excerpts might be especially helpful, but look at the whole piece:

“Control of drain flies should be aimed at elimination of breeding sites. The most effective control method is to clean pipes and traps thoroughly to remove accumulated slime. Pouring hot water down the drain may provide short-term control. Drain fly larvae are difficult to drown because they are able to trap air bubbles and remain submerged for a day or more. Do not pour insecticides down drains to kill drain flies…”

and

"Sources of Drain Flies

As with most gnats, the larval drain flies need moisture. They can live most anywhere that water accumulates for a week or more. Common indoor sites include the fine slime layer that develops along the water surface in infrequently used toilet bowls and tanks, in sink or floor drains in basements or garages, or drain pans under refrigerators. Sometimes the gray, wriggling larvae can be seen swimming in the water. These areas need to be cleaned thoroughly with attention to removing surface films.

It can be hard to recognize breeding sites because the larvae are small and easy to overlook. Emergence of flies may be detected by the use of a simple trap. Clear plastic cups with a very light coating of vegetable oil or petroleum jelly can be inverted over drains for several days to catch emerging adults and to identify breeding sites. If these are not productive, then expand the search.

Drain flies can breed outdoors during the summer with adults entering homes through open doors or windows. Low, wet areas where air conditioning units drain, or clogged guttering are excellent places for these insects to develop. These should be addressed if adults do not appear to be emerging from within the house."

www2.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef615.asp
 
Update.

Turns out the most likely breeding site is around a drain in my utility area located weirdly enough behind the hotwater heater in a tight area and there’s no way to get to it to clean it without removing the hot water heater. The ac condensation line that was leaking caused water to get back there was well as the water that comes from the ceiling when it rains…most likely a roof leak or another condensation problem. I wish I had to money to take care of these isssues but I’m tapped out at the moment. :eek::rolleyes:🤷 Prayer requested
 
Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen
 
I had this problem as well. I poured bleach down the drain and it seemed to work.
 
Luvz2travel said:
Update.

Turns out the most likely breeding site is around a drain in my utility area located weirdly enough behind the hotwater heater in a tight area and there’s no way to get to it to clean it without removing the hot water heater. The ac condensation line that was leaking caused water to get back there was well as the water that comes from the ceiling when it rains…most likely a roof leak or another condensation problem. I wish I had to money to take care of these isssues but I’m tapped out at the moment. :eek::rolleyes:🤷 Prayer requested
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It’s good that you at least found the likely breeding area. Is there any way to get bleach or vinegar to it without moving the water heater?

We had drain flies years ago and it was horrible. Over the course of almost six months we tried everything we could think of without any luck. We believe ours were somehow breeding in our garbage disposal. We had to replace it and shortly afterward the problem went away.
 
Gordon_Sims said:
It’s good that you at least found the likely breeding area. Is there any way to get bleach or vinegar to it without moving the water heater?

We had drain flies years ago and it was horrible. Over the course of almost six months we tried everything we could think of without any luck. We believe ours were somehow breeding in our garbage disposal. We had to replace it and shortly afterward the problem went away.
Click to expand...
I use on enzyme cleaner on all the drains daily it’s costs me about $14 a week. The drain in question included it’s the area around the drain is also a big problem I can’t get to the area where a likely breeding site is. I still think they are also coming from the garbage disposal in the kitchen and the tub drain which is primarily where I would find them. I will continue to use the drain cleaner as the drains seem to be draining fine but the property was empty for a year and I think stuff got way into the drains and hardened and all the water in the utility area created a great places for the bugs to breed. Never buy a house that has been vacant for awhile it’s just not worth it.
 
Luvz2travel said:
I have a bad case of drain flies that I can’t seem to get rid of. When I first bought my house in may they appeared in swarms when I left the lights on after the first break in. I started leaving the lights off after that…I assumed the lights where drawing them in from outside and didn’t know they were coming from the drains. I’ve had several leaks going on on in the bathroom that I had taken care and another from an ac condensation line that was leaking (I didn’t know about this till I it flooded last week and the ac guy told me it was because the line was clogged. They appear to hanging out in the bathroom. I cleaned the drains several times with baking soda and vinager and then cleaned out what I could from the bathroom drains where they seem to congregate. I started using an enzyme cleaner on all the drains to eat away the stuff they like to lay their eggs in. It seemed to work at first but they are on their way back and nothing seems to stop them. I’ve been using an enzyme cleaner for about a month straight and it’s costing me a fortune in chemicals. I can’t afford to have the drains augered as I just had several leaks and the roof fixed as well as a termite treatment done not to meantion having to buy a security system after 3 breakins. I’m tapped out and emotionally exhausted from this house. It seems I get one thing fixed and another problem rears it’s head. No break even for a minute. Anyone have any ideas. I could sell the place yet because I’m out of money and who would buy it with a drain fly problem anyway. I’ve been praying my heart out but GOD remains silent on any solution to all this.
Click to expand...
We have had drain flies in our basement for a few years now. We have found that they are very hard to get rid of. We have never gotten rid of them completely, but we have found a solution that cuts down their numbers to nearly zero most of the time. That solution is to keep the humidity as low as possible. In the winter, this is no problem, because the air is very dry all the time. But in the summer, it means keeping all the air conditioning vents open in the basement so that it stays very cold and dry down there, and also running a dehumidifier, especially when the air conditioning is not running (e.g., spring and fall). Again, this hasn’t eliminated the drain flies completely, but it has gotten to the point where we very rarely see them except in spring, fall, or cooler summer days when the air conditioning is off.
 
This is so timely. I have noticed these same little flies flying around my computer screen. I just cleaned the cats litter boxes (2) and lo and behold there they are–a bunch of them. I didn’t notice them yesterday when I cleaned the boxes so they must lay eggs in the litter and then they hatch. I just put up a sticky fly trap in the bathroom where the boxes are. I am surprised by the number of them.
 
Luvz2travel said:
I use on enzyme cleaner on all the drains daily it’s costs me about $14 a week. The drain in question included it’s the area around the drain is also a big problem I can’t get to the area where a likely breeding site is. I still think they are also coming from the garbage disposal in the kitchen and the tub drain which is primarily where I would find them. I will continue to use the drain cleaner as the drains seem to be draining fine but the property was empty for a year and I think stuff got way into the drains and hardened and all the water in the utility area created a great places for the bugs to breed. Never buy a house that has been vacant for awhile it’s just not worth it.
Click to expand...
Go to an auto parts store and get a funnel with a long flex tube on it. They are usually used to add transmission fluid to automatic transmissions via the dipstick tube. Get some help and position the end of the tube over the drain and pour the enzyme mix in the funnel.
 
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