How to Make Homemade Gnat Traps

patio at dusk
  • 1 hours
  • Beginner
  • 10
What You'll Need
2 Liter Plastic Bottle
Utility Knife
Duct Tape
Permanent Marker
Large Mixing Bowl
Water
Apple Cider Vinegar
Sugar
What You'll Need
2 Liter Plastic Bottle
Utility Knife
Duct Tape
Permanent Marker
Large Mixing Bowl
Water
Apple Cider Vinegar
Sugar

If you've got gnats in your yard, you could actually have any number of a similar species of insects flying about. No matter what specific species of gnat you're dealing with, there are two things they all have in common: (1) they're annoying, and (2) you want them gone.

The simplest way to get rid of those pesky critters is by making a homemade gnat trap. It may sound odd to immediately go with a DIY solution as opposed to a store bought repellent. However, making a gnat trap could actually takes less time and energy than driving all the way to the store, and make no mistake, time is of the essence here.

With gnats in particular, you should start taking care of the problem as soon as you see it. An insect infestation doesn't take long to explode. Male gnats especially have a tendency to assemble at dusk in large mating swarms called ghosts.

Use the following items you likely have around the house to bust those ghosts wide open.

Step 1 - Prepare the Bottle

Start by cleaning out a plastic bottle soda bottle by simply adding a small amount of dish soap and running hot water through the bottle until all the suds disappear. Use a utility knife to carefully cut the top off the bottle. You should cut down no more than two inches from the bottle opening.

Don't discard this piece; place it to the side for later use. Mark the center of the bottle with the permanent marker. This will serve as a 'fill to' line.

Step 2 - Prepare The Liquid

Pour 1/2 cup of vinegar in to the large mixing bowl. Slowly add 1/2 cup of sugar and wisk until the sugar has dissolved. The sugar doesn't have to be completely dissolved, but you want most of it to be. Pour this mix in to the bottle, then add water up to the fill line you marked earlier.

If you overfill the bottle, the gnats will be able to get out, rendering the trap ineffective.

Step 3 - Assemble The Top

Take the piece you cut off earlier and place it in the bottle upside down. This should fit securely upside down without falling in, but you can use duct tape to secure it to be on the safe side. This will give the gnats plenty of room to get in the bottle, but make it difficult for them to get back out.

Step 4 - Set the Trap

Your gnat trap is now ready to use. Place this on your kitchen counter or in any area where you've seen a lot of gnats congregating. You should find a decrease in the number of gnats within just a few hours.

Extra Tip:

If you see gnats in your sink, you can simply pour baking soda down the drain, and follow it up with vinegar. Gnats can breed in sink drains, but this mixture will kill them off before they have a change to. You can also use a drain cleaner. Wait a few hours before running water back down the drain to ensure all the gnats have been killed.

It only takes a few hours for gnats to start overwhelming your home. They love bread crumbs and fresh produce. You can reduce the amount of gnats you have by placing your bread and produce in your fridge instead of leaving it on the counter.