Asked on Oct 01, 2016

Persistent small black flying bugs in the kitchen and bedroom

David
by David
Have tried many bug sprays. Have tried our bug terminator who sprayed and left a couple of small bug repellents in the corners and nooks but to no avail. Have debugged the sinks and quit leaving fruits or any food out. But to no avail! HELP please
  22 answers
  • Tim Tim on Oct 01, 2016
    At the hardware store are sticky traps that unroll and hang from hangers . They look terrible I admit , but they do the trick QUICKLY . the bugs and flies flock to them . Then get stuck . Change them often , so that no eggs hatch . In about 3 days the problem was solved . And like you , no more fruits or vegetables on the counters !!!
  • CrowEyes CrowEyes on Oct 01, 2016
    Did your exterminator identify the bug for you? Is there a bathroom in the bedroom area? Is this the first year/season you had the problem?
    • David David on Oct 01, 2016
      Two different men triex two doffdrent sprays no difference. Thanks for asking
  • Jan Smichoski Jan Smichoski on Oct 01, 2016
    Are these fruit flies? Try a small glass with juice and water and a teaspoon of dishwashing soap.
  • Lin Lin on Oct 01, 2016
    I heard filling a small glass with apple cider vinegar and a few drops of dishwashing soap.
  • Rosemary D. Rosemary D. on Oct 01, 2016
    just in case they are NOT fruit flies...................RUN HOT WATER DOWN ALL YOUR DRAINS..........shower, sinks, basement floor drains etc.
    • David David on Oct 01, 2016
      Tried and tried with vinegar.soap.bleach but no avail. Thanks anyway
  • Debbie Huff Periman Debbie Huff Periman on Oct 01, 2016
    Do you have a tub you don't use much? We have a soaking tub in our master that we never use, and I will start seeing those little gnat-like bugs after a while. Was told they were coming in through the dry drain in the tub... so just close it, fill it with water, and let it drain again, and the bugs go away. Hope that helps your problem!
    • David David on Oct 01, 2016
      No tub but sinks in kitchen , repeatedly got cleaned and debugged , and tried hourly hot water infusion , no use. Thanks
  • William William on Oct 01, 2016
    First you have to locate the source of the infestation. Put out some bowls with cider vinegar and some dish soap covered with plastic wrap and a few holes. You can try some dish soap and water in a spray bottle. Hydrogen peroxide and water in a spray bottle. Be careful, hydrogen peroxide can stain/bleach fabrics.
  • Johnchip Johnchip on Oct 01, 2016
    I would also be perplexed and annoyed. You have a hidden source. It has to have some water involved. I would start with bombing the whole house with smoke bombs to get inside the walls, cracks, outlets. If and when they reappear, I would be very observant as to where they seem to be coming from and then dig deep as to where that problem begins.
  • Rodger Tucker Rodger Tucker on Oct 01, 2016
    The best & only way (if its the same & smaller than a gnat) that we have had is to make a tour from room to room with a can of "Raid flying insect spray". Hold the can high & sweep a liberal amount. Then insect bomb the whole house. You'll get everything that way. Also, pour baking soda into every drain in your house followed by vinegar.
  • MM MM on Oct 01, 2016
    I'm having the same problem in my upstairs bathroom. I kno they're coming from the sink as I see the direction they came from. I had no luck until I thought maybe that overfill hole in the sink was the culprit. So after pouring vinegar and hot water down several times, I plugged it for a day with Kleenex and also plugged the sink drain. I have not seen one in three days
  • David David on Oct 01, 2016
    Will try to close it for a day and pour hot water with vinegar again. Thanks
  • Suellen Hintz Suellen Hintz on Oct 01, 2016
    Check your indoor plants. If these are the culprits, sprinkle with Sevin dust or leet the soil dry out completely, then water.
  • Debi53 Debi53 on Oct 01, 2016
    We had the same thing in both our kitchen and in a bath on a different floor. We tried pouring all types of things down the drains, etc. We have a very clean house with no food or garbage left out, so we were perplexed. We finally put out small juice glasses lined with a small baggy. We filled the glasses about half full of apple cider vinegar. tore a small hole in the baggy inside the glass. It has taken a while, but we no longer have the flying bugs. You can see them inside the glass. I can't explain it, I just know that this was the only thing that worked for us. (We recently had some tomatoes from our garden out on the counter and saw for the first time in a while, the awful flying bugs. I put the vinegar out next to the tomatoes and--the bugs were gone.)
  • Connie wedding Connie wedding on Oct 01, 2016
    Pour about 1/2 cup vinegar in a glass or jar and add a few drops of dish-washing liquid. Stir a bit and just leave it. The bug s will be attracted to it and drown in no time!
  • David David on Oct 01, 2016
    Thanks . Did try it few times with variable results
    • Rebecca Rebecca on Apr 13, 2020

      I’ve got this problem in SF now. Have tried this vinegar trap but no result. Currently closing drains but have not tried all. did you ever solve this?

  • Sue Sue on Oct 01, 2016
    We had some too, and I used apple cider vinegar, sugar, a few drops of dish soap, and water. I was amazed how fast the bugs went to the liquid. They are gone now.
  • Tim Tim on Oct 02, 2016
    I did use the vinegar solution as well , it did ......help , but the fly traps are what fully and finally worked . Our potato bin is where our problem started .
  • David David on Oct 02, 2016
    Thanks.
  • Kathy Bitzan Kathy Bitzan on Oct 02, 2016
    Check that potato bin, after it was mentioned I remember having the same problem years ago.... I use vinegar and dish soap seams to work best here in WA.
  • David David on Oct 02, 2016
    Thanks...Best result sofar big basin of water.vinegar.small amount of sugar.and liquid soap....leave it out in sink area with lights on....but not gone YET!! Thanks for all your suggestions and advuce
  • Tina Graves Tina Graves on Oct 03, 2016
    DUST THE HOUSE WITH "FOOD", AGAIN THAT IS "FOOD" GRADE di·a·to·ma·ceous earth. DUST AROUND THE AREAS THAT THEY CONGREGATE. ONCE THEY GO THROUGH THE POWDER IT IS SO MINUTE OF A GLASS IT WILL PUNCTURE HOLES IN THEIR BODIES, THEY DRY OUT AND DIE.
  • David David on Oct 07, 2016
    Thanks. For all the suggestions and advice. Much better since started putting out daily a basin filled with water, sugar, vinegar , liquid soap and leaving it on kitchen counter and bed room. The truck is keep the lights on as for some reason the bugs operate most in bright light .