Flies are a common problem to deal with during the summer, but if you want to avoid using commercial chemical products, there are a few natural alternatives which can do the job. A hack recently shared by the team at Ideal Home utilises a surprising food scrap you may not have thought about.
In a recent TikTok video, Ideal Home explained that cucumbers could be your saving grace when it comes to a natural deterrent for flies. If you find yourself with leftover cucumbers in the fridge, it doesn’t have to go to waste. This is how cucumbers can be used to ward off unwanted flies in the house this summer.
Ideal Home wrote in the video caption: “One not-so-fun part of summer is the flies! But the good news is there’s plenty of clever tricks to keep them out, and this one is a great way to make use of that leftover cucumber at the back of the fridge.”
To ward off those pesky home invaders, cut up any unused or leftover cucumber into slices. Place them in a bowl, positioning them near any open windows or doorways, and near any kitchen bins or food waste containers.
The cucumbers should be replaced every two days. Glen Peskett, DIY expert at Saxton Blades, told Ideal Home: “House flies are repelled by the scent of cucumbers, particularly the more bitter varieties.
“The exact reason isn’t fully understood, but it’s believed that the natural compounds in cucumber skin, such as cucurbitacins, produce a smell that flies find unpleasant and instinctively avoid.”
Tony King, founder of Pied Piper Pest Control, explained that the chemicals, such as trans-2-nonenal, are also disliked by flies. He told Homes & Gardens: “It is also believed that the very high water content and acidic nature might interfere with the sensory receptors of the flies.”
Fruit flies will also avoid cucumbers, as they tend to prefer sweeter fruit.
It’s important to place the cucumbers in an optimal space to ward off unwanted flies. To maximize the cucumber’s effectiveness, cucumber slices can be placed near windows, doorways, or anywhere flies tend to gather, such as near rubbish bins.
It’s also important to replace the cucumber slices every few days, as they can lose their potency as they dry out or begin to decompose, unintentionally attracting more flies into the house. This hack works best for light fly activity, rather than swarms.
However, Tony pointed out that cucumbers may not be the most effective natural deterrent out there. He suggested fly repellent plants, sticky tape, or citronella candles, as eco-friendly ways to bolster the deterrent effects of the sliced cucumber.
