Why it’s important to keep flies out of your kitchen?

Collaborative Post

Flies can be a real nuisance in our homes.  They’re frustrating and annoying, with that constant buzzing noise around your head, and that’s not to mention the potential for spreading disease.  The spread of disease is something you want to avoid, especially in the kitchen, where our food is prepared on a regular basis, and good hygiene routines are essential.

Saying all that, getting rid of flies from your kitchen should form part of any hygiene routine we have in place, but it’s not easy to get fly control perfect, as those little flying things have a knack of escaping even the most energetic of fly swatters.

Disease.

That says it all really.  House flies are not fussy about spending their time in clean areas. In fact, they prefer mucky filth, and revel in the internals of a rubbish bin, and we’ve all seen them swarm around dog poo.

After all that, they fly in through an open window or door, and flit around, from room to room inside our homes, spreading their lovely germs as they go.  If we don’t get rid of them straight away, they’ll land on our kitchen work surfaces, tables, and any uncovered food left lying around, or set out for the next meal.  Salmonella has been potentially linked to house flies, which are known to be carriers of more than 200 types of bacteria, so getting rid of flies should be a priority in our homes.

How to help stop flies invading your home.

We can’t actually avoid finding flies in our homes, especially from spring to autumn, but we can reduce the risk in our homes by taking a little action.

• Make sure that any gaps and cracks in the exterior walls of your home are sealed up.
• Make sure that debris is cleared away from the exterior of your property.
• Keep outside rubbish areas clean and tidy, with lids on.  Open rubbish tends to attract flies and the closer they are to your house, the easier it is for them to get in.  Wash your outside bin with hot soapy water.
• Consider hanging screens on windows and doors you leave open frequently, to make it harder for flies and other insects to get inside.

What if flies do invade?

Let’s face it, you only have to open a door, and flies can get into your kitchen. You need to make sure that you get rid of them straight away, so that they do not have chance to spread disease in your home.

Taking preventive measures can help reduce the amount of flies that get into your property. But, you need to look out for those that do get in, and make sure that you get rid of them straight away.

• Make sure that food is kept in the fridge or covered up.
• Dispose of waste products properly and keep it outside, eg cat litter and nappies.
• Clean your sinks and hobs regularly with hot soapy water.  Any food residue will attract the flies to your home.  Remember that flies can breed in dirty mops and cloths, so don’t leave them lying around.
• There are several home remedies that you can use, to help you get rid of flies. You can also opt to use a fly spray, or a UV-A lamp which attracts flies and then kills them.
• Grow insect repelling herbs, such as mint, rosemary and lavender on your window sills, to deter them coming in.