Drain flies are a common nuisance here in South Carolina. The sight of these little varmints congregating in your kitchen is particularly unpleasant when you’re trying to cook and eat. You might be wondering why you have them and wondering if it’s because your home isn’t clean enough. However, it often doesn’t have anything to do with kitchen and bathroom cleanliness.
If you have drain flies around your kitchen or bathroom drains, there are many things you can do to get rid of them. Drain flies can warn of a bigger problem developing in your plumbing so here’s what you can do to get rid of them once and for all. Just don’t try drain-cleaning chemicals! You are better off reaching out to us for plumbing repair in Lexington, SC to solve the problem.
Why You’ve Got Drain Flies
Common drain flies breed inside drains, sewer lines, drain pans, and septic tanks. They love moisture and areas of stagnant, shallow water. That makes drains one of their favorite places to lay their eggs. When searching for a nest, they prefer laying their eggs in organic debris such as mold, food waste, hair, and sewage.
This is why they’re often spotted near kitchen and bathroom sinks. If you’ve noticed drain flies around a particular drain, it’s likely that the drain has a buildup of organic material. To determine if they’re in one specific drain, try this trick. Place a piece of tape sticky-side down over the drain opening and check it after a few hours.
DIY Methods to Remove Drain Flies
The first thing you should do is check the surface of the drain. Take a dull knife or spatula and scrape around the edges of the drain. If you find any sludge or debris, dispose of it in the trash and take the garbage out since the sludge may contain larvae and eggs.
There are a few home remedies you can try to eliminate nests further down the drain. A simple method is to pour boiling water down the drain. Boil a large pot or kettle of water and pour it down the drain twice a week to see if this eliminates the problem.
If this doesn’t do the trick, try a mixture of baking soda, salt, and vinegar. Combine 1/2 cup salt and 1/2 cup baking soda, then add 1 cup of white vinegar. In the evening when you’re done using that sink for the day, pour this solution down the drain. Leave it in the drain overnight and the next morning, flush it out with another pot of boiling water.
The Full Drain Cleaning
If you’ve tried these DIY methods and are still plagued by drain flies, you’ll need to contact a plumber. Professional drain cleaning utilizes powerful scouring tools to completely remove all that organic debris that drain flies love so much. We’ll remove the debris from your drains, pipes, and sewer lines. Once we’ve finished drain cleaning, your drain flies will disappear and you’ll have cleaner, healthier plumbing that’s unlikely to develop clogs.
Schedule your next drain cleaning service with Fulmer Heating & Cooling.