How to Get Rid of Gnats in Your Basement

Of all the insects and pests that can infest your home, gnats are probably some of the most annoying, although less harmful than mosquitoes and less gross than roaches. These gnats are a big headache for homeowners because they’re quite difficult to identify and therefore, difficult to control. Here are some things to consider about gnat infestation. 

How Would I Know They Are Gnats?

This is probably the first question you have in mind, and this is the make-or-break query that will determine your success in preventing them. Unlike most pests, a gnat can either be carnivorous or a plant-eater, biting or non-biting. And you cannot eradicate them by ordinary pesticides. There are specific treatments and products that are effective against them.

Of all their species, the most common that you can find inside your house are the fungus gnats and fruit flies. They are dark or tan, short-lived, and very small winged insects that are 2 millimeters to 1/8 inch long at their adulthood. What’s annoying about them is that unlike mosquitoes and other winged insects, they do not fly alone. In fact, they fly as a brigade of a hundred or more, which is called a ‘cloud.’

If you have seen this annoying group of insects, you’re up for a big challenge.

Should I Worry About A Gnat Infestation?

Gnats are nuisance pests that lay eggs, spread diseases, and die. They are of different species and require moisture in order to lay their eggs, so it is vital for you to minimize the moisture that creates a hospitable nursery for them. Overwatered patches of grass and leaking pipes underneath the house both create ideal breeding environments for gnats to lay eggs. The effects of these elements seem to, commonly, converge in the basement areas of many homes. 

Methods to Get Rid of Gnats

What probably took you to this page is a gruesome scenario of over a thousand black gnats roaming around your basement when you last visited it. You probably tried spraying some products on them, but there seems to be too many that you keep seeing the same number of dead gnats after every spray. Don’t panic! A solution is surely on its way, but you have to take some steps to address the problem.

1. Remove the Food Source

You need to identify their food source. After all, they wouldn’t be there if they don’t feed on something. Gnats feed on fruits that are exposed to air. They love ripening and rotting fruits as well as perishable items brought inside from a garden, including melons and tomatoes.

They also devour sweet liquids, so don’t be surprised to have them if you keep empty and uncleaned bottles of energy drinks and other sweet beverages inside your basement.

Fungus gnats, on the other hand, feed on microbes that are associated with wet environments. Plants with wet soil are the main reasons why gnats live so comfortably in your basement. This is a favorable breeding ground for them so expect them to multiply in this condition.

2. Spray Them With Chemicals or DIY Solutions

Another very useful option is a spray or mist where the general purpose is to coat the problem area in an anti-gnat solution to disperse them for extended periods. Citronella oil is a common element in anti-animal sprays that also works very well with gnats. You can spray it around your home, near your plants or near garbage cans. Diluted rubbing alcohol can also be a very powerful agent in the fight against gnats as gnats tend to die rather quickly following contact with the alcoholic solution. 

If you found a gnat breeding ground in your basement, it should be washed with a disinfectant solution consisting of approximately 10% Clorox (bleach) and 90% water. You may also sprinkle some borax over the affected area and common areas of sanitary concern such as garbage cans. 

Other options include repellents such as “Deet,” which some deem to be very effective. The issue with these repellents, however, is that they pose a significant threat to all living things in the immediate area as prolonged exposure to these substances can be poisonous. 

3. Keep Things Clean

It would be wise to supplement the cleanliness of your home interior and exterior areas, such as the gutters, and ensure your garbage can is always clean and sealed with tight fitting lids. Should you observe heavy gnat activity in these problem areas, you should concentrate your efforts on removal of the species.

4. Use Insect Traps

A very practical way to remove gnats from the affected area is to make use of a trap. Gnats, commonly known as fruit flies, have garnered quite the reputation as a nuisance, giving way to countess trap and removal options. One such item comes from a reputable company, TERRO, and is aptly named a “TERRO Fruit Fly Trap.” Traps can also be made from cedar and wine, with the addition of dish soap, to help reduce the surface tension of the solution. The reduced surface tension will not allow the gnats to gain a foothold on the mixture, causing them, instead, to plunge straight through and drown.

5. Set Up Bug Zappers

UV Bug Zappers effectively free a problem area of all species of the gnat. As it stands, with UV Bug Zappers, all you likely need to do is plug it in and turn it on. As the bugs are then attracted to the UV light and directly to the light’s scalding surface to meet their end, this may be the most practical way to combat the presence of gnats.

Physical barriers between gnats and the problem area can be quite useful, except that it can be terribly difficult to erect them with the capacity to deter an adversary so small. Of the many existing options, do what you can to assess your unique situation and choose the item or items best suited for the job.  

6. Hire Professional Exterminators

The real challenge about irritating gnats is their identification. A person without any expertise cannot say for sure if the legion of black tiny insects inside the basement are actually gnats. It’s always best to consult pest control pros from Jersey City Exterminators to identify and address your gnat infestation problems.

Though we understand gnats as a common and casual pestilence, we need not accept them as such. Though they may be difficult to remove, we should be confident that it is not impossible. As long as you remain well informed of the gnats’ congregation points and the tools at your disposal, gnat removal from a basement area can be a simple and gratifying experience.