Flies in Your Garage: 11 Ways to Eliminate Them

Dealing with large numbers of flies in the garage can be complicated. It can take days to find the source that attracts flies in the garage.

Foods are known to attract flies in the garage. Air currents might also drive flies in the garage which means a combination of factors might be in play when it comes to a large number of insects found in the garage.

Decaying food, organic filth, moisture, and warmth attract flies into the garage. Eliminating both fresh and decaying food is a must for getting rid of flies in the garage. Cleaning all areas including drains is also recommended to keep flies out.

Eliminating flies from the garage sounds easy, but it’s often a task that can’t be fully accomplished without a plan.

Types of flies found in garages

First, you need to know there are multiple types of flies that can be found in the garage. They might look different but they’re attracted to the same foods.

Housefly – the small black fly is known as a housefly is always looking for decaying food, waste, and feces in the garage.

Cluster fly – these flies are larger than houseflies and are identified by their gray color. They enter the garage in the fall looking for a warm home.

Blow fly – these flies are only found in the garage in rotting meat. They indicate there’s a dead pet, rodent, or decaying food in the garage.

Fruit flies – known to grow in high humidity areas of the garage such as drains, these flies are attracted to sugar and fruits.

Drain fly – these furry flies are known for developing in drains. They might be found in the garage sink.

Why are there flies in the garage?

As seen from the common flies you can find in the garage, certain foods or elements favor these insects.

Food

Rotting food is the main reason flies are seen in high numbers around the garage. Meats and fruits are known to attract the most flies.

Trash

Leftover trash and dirty trash cans are known to attract flies. These are often stored near the garage but it’s easy for insects to fly inside if the trash cans are located nearby.

Dirt

Dirt, grime, and clutter are known for attracting flies. These insects are rarely seen in a very clean garage that smells of cleaning products.

Moisture

High moisture attracts flies. Drain flies are known for developing inside drains. Garages with sinks and showers are particularly vulnerable to these types of flies.

Warmth

Some flies make their way indoors to protect themselves from the cold outside. It’s expected these flies will live indoors even in a perfectly-clean garage.

11 methods to eliminate flies in the garage

It might be impossible to have a fly-free garage when there’s food around. Even a spilled drink can attract flies for weeks. It’s best to eliminate sources that attract flies first to have a clean garage.

1.  Eliminate air currents

Air currents need to be dealt with first. Small flies are known to fly with air currents. This is the main reason flies are seen even in a clean garage.

Keeping the garage door closed is recommended. Closing the windows is also recommended, especially in the summer. It’s best to add a ventilation system to the garage or to add window mesh screens to keep flies out as they can come in with air currents.

2. Eliminate food stored in the garage

Foods are known to attract flies. There are various types of foods these insects are interested in and some of them might not even be on your radar at first.

Meat – rotting meat such as leftover chicken wings are known to attract flies. Other types of animal carcasses such as dead mice are known to attract flies for up to a few months.

Fruits – rotting or fermenting fruits are known to attract flies. As for meats, these need to be cleared as they constantly attract pests.

Juices – open sugary drinks and spilled sugary drinks are known to attract flies. You need to clean the area of the spill with soap and water.

Rodents – live or dead rodents are known to attract flies. Rats and mice leave droppings all around the garage which, in turn, attract flies.

Other pests – dead cockroaches and dead silverfish might attract flies. It’s best to vacuum the garage frequently to eliminate these pests.

Clearing out all of these foods is important. If you want to store foods in the garage it’s best to use a fridge or airtight plastic containers.

3.  Clear organic filth

Organic filth such as compost is often stored in the garage. This might not be the best idea as organic filth is also a place for flies to lay their eggs and multiply.

Taking out the trash and clearing all organic matter from the garage is important. Make sure to check for animal feces as these attract many flies.

4.  Vacuum the garage frequently

Many people tend to vacuum their homes but not the garage. Maintaining a clean garage is important for keeping flies out.

Using an old vacuum cleaner or even sweeping the garage floor is recommended. These maintenance tasks might be required more frequently in the summer when you spend more time in the garage.

5.  Look for water leaks

Water leaks are known to attract flies. They create small or large humidity problems in the garage. Flies can be attracted by sufficient foods but other pests that flies like to eat are attracted to high humidity.

Roaches and silverfish are attracted to high humidity. Dead roaches and other dead pests are one of the preferred foods for flies.

You need to fix even the smallest water leak problem in the garage to control pests properly.

6.  Consider pesticides

Pesticides are successfully used against pests and flies in the garage. While not the most natural method of getting rid of the insects, pesticides can provide quick results eliminating a large number of flies in a matter of minutes.

7.  Update the trash cans

Old trash cans might be difficult to clean. They have organic matter and trash buildup that you might not be able to wash off.

It’s best to buy new trash cans to store near the garage. Ideally, these would be trash cans with a lid so that flies don’t easily make their way to rotting foods and other organic matter.

8.   Wash the floors with soap

Vacuuming the garage is recommended but washing the floors might be equally important. Garage floors are known for their organic matter from the backyard or brought in with the wheels of your car.

Soap and water are enough to have clean garage floors free of dirt so that they don’t attract any pests or flies.

9.  Spray essential oils

Essential oils can be sprayed around the garage to deter flies. Essential oils with a strong smell are known to deter insects. Here are the most recommended essential oils to spray around the garage.

• Cinnamon
• Mint
• Lemon
• Pine

A few drops of essential oil are added to the water sprayed. You then need to spray the entire area of the garage including the floors, walls, and windows. The potent scent of essential oil deters flies and bugs.

10.   Invest in an electric light trap

Electric light traps are recommended against flies. These are installed in the garage or on the outer walls of the garage. They zap flies killing them on the spot.

One of the reasons why the electric light trap might only be a temporary fix is because it doesn’t eliminate the main attractions for flies.

A light trap only kills flies coming in but it doesn’t stop new insects from flying in the garage. You still need to eliminate food and water leaks in the garage. A clean space is still recommended to stop other flies from making the garage their home.

11.   Close the windows and the doors

Closing garage windows is recommended for files that don’t seek food but shelter. Flies tend to make their way indoors in the fall when dropping temperatures requires them to seek warmer habitats.

It’s best to start keeping windows and doors shut all the time at the beginning of the fall. Alternatively, you may still have the garage windows open when you install window mesh screens.

Summary

Finding the foods that attract flies is important when keeping them out of the garage. Rotting food such as meats is known to attract flies and pests. Open trash cans and water leaks are also known to attract many types of pests in the garage.

Maintaining a clean area where there’s no open food or drinks for flies to nimble in is recommended when you want to keep flies out.

Water leaks are a considerable problem as well. They attract roaches which may further attract the Common Housefly and other flies in the garage, mainly through feces.

Air currents might also bring in flies inside. Installing window screens limits the number of flies that can make it inside the garage.