- Pour 3 cups distilled water into a plastic spray bottle and add 3 to 4 drops of peppermint or spearmint essential oil. Replace the bottle’s top, shake the contents vigorously and spray the repellent on any surfaces infested with gnats. Use 2 to 3 drops therapeutic-grade eucalyptus or geranium essential oil and 1/4 cup witch hazel to create natural gnat repellent for use on humans and pets. Test a small area of a pet’s skin with the repellent before use to check for skin irritation.
- Fill a glass jar with 1 cup of white vinegar and the peel of an orange. Poke several holes in the jar’s lid and cover the glass container. Set the container in a heavily gnat-populated area and allow it to remain for two to three days. The vinegar and decomposing orange peels create a powerful bait that lures the gnats to their drowning death. Replace the vinegar and orange peel every three to four days and set out several traps throughout the home to control larger gnat populations.
- Introduce beneficial nematodes to garden soils to reduce the numbers of gnat larvae. The nematodes, or microscopic, parasitic roundworms, invade the adult gnat’s body and consume any growing larvae. Purchase and introduce entomopatho-genic, or insecticidal, nematodes to the soil through a gel, sprayer or the garden’s irrigation system.
- Avoid overwatering plants and remove rotting or decaying bulbs and plants, as these will attract fungus gnats. Cover any outdoor or indoor garbage cans with tight-fitting lids and remove any rotting or overripe fruits and vegetables from kitchen counters to prevent attracting fruit flies. Avoid pouring grease and rotting food down the drains, as these attract drain flies.
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