Are those pesky gnats bothering you while you’re trying to have a nice summer Fourth of July barbecue with the family? Cedar gnat bites can even hurt more than mosquito bites! Mosquitos use the proboscis which punctures the skin, while cedar gnats use mandibles to slash open the skin. Even if you aren’t dealing with the biting gnats, it still sucks when you’re walking through your yard and don’t manage to see the gnat swarm you are about to walk through, or even worse when one flies straight for your eye then disappears before you can seek revenge. However we have a cure for this with our four simple methods to repel gnats.
Start by filling a small sized bowl with vinegar half way to the brim, and then add dish soap. The gnats will be attracted to the vinegar and land in the bowl, but they will be unable to take off as they will find they are trapped in the bowl due to the soap residue. Remember to replace the bowl and the solution often to keep from building up a large amount of dead gnats on your counter.
A Vinegar Bottle
Take an empty water bottle; fill the plastic bottle with vinegar, leaving empty air space at the top. Then poke holes in the cap of the bottle. Since the gnats are attracted to vinegar they will enter the holes in the cap of the bottle, but they won’t be able to exit the bottle again.
Use Plants
Lavender
Lavender has a wide variety of uses, such as incorporating the dry pedals of lavender into drinks and on desserts or using its oil to soothe skin, and filling a small cheese cloth bath bag with it and tying that bag to the bath tub faucet will result in a lavender scented bath water which will soothe skin, calm nerves, and smell good. Another great use for lavender is gnat repellant; besides making your yard smell and look fantastic (it also will attract butterflies and humming birds) if you plant lavender gnats are sure to keep away from your yard.
Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is a plant from the mint family, and can be distinguished by its small, green, jagged leaves that smell of lemon, hence the name. Lemon balm is used in making tea by boiling the water with lemon balm leaves. You can also use lemon balm in your favorite muffin recipe by finely chopping 1-2 leaves and adding it to your batter along with a pinch of lemon zest. Another great use is it repels gnats as well as lavender! You can plant it in your yard or even in a pot inside your house.
Scented Geranium
Scented geranium is often used as massage oil mixed with almond oil, but rose, mint, or lemon scented geranium can also be used as a garnish to fancy dishes. Planting scented geranium in a hanging pot inside or along the side of your home will repel pesky gnats too.
Use Lemon Oil
Humidity attracts gnats, so watering your indoor plants will most likely result in more of them. Which also may be why you see them circulating your plants, your kitchen and any expired fruit you may have lying around. So be sure to throw out those “not-so-ripe” bananas you have out on the counter and don’t forget to put drops of lemon oil in the water catcher of your hanging potted plants.
Use Fabric Softener Sheets
Simply put a fabric softener sheet into your pocket before heading outside. This works because the scent of the fabric emulates smells like lavender, lemon balm, scented geranium and various other gnat repelling plants. Since it’s a fabric sheet and not flower petals though, you have no chance of attracting random butterflies, bees, or humming birds to your pocket due to the chemicals that are also come within the fabric sheets.
Bridget Rogers is an independent freelance writer based out of Madison, Wisconsin. Bridget's work can be found on a variety of sources in both online and print media.
