I have gnats in my home! How do I get rid of them?

Question

I live in an apartment with my husband and our two kittens.

One day, no more than two weeks ago, maybe, I noticed small flies(I think they're gnats) flying and landing in the kittens litter box. There were only two, so I assumed they would die and be gone.

Now there's tons of them! They're always bugging my husband, the cats, and myself, flying around trying to get in our eyes, mouths, etc. They're always in the sink too, with our dirty dishes right after we finish meals and then still swarm the kitten's litter box and our shower.

How can I get rid of them?!

Answer 1

That's a tough one because what might get rid of the gnats migth also hurt your kittens.  But here are some ideas:  #1 get deoderized kitty litter.  You might find one with some sort of additive that discourgaes insects.  #2  Next time you see a swarm of gnats get out your DustBuster or similar type of vacuum and sweep them out the air.  Go around the lights in your apartment as well.  This works surprisingly well.  #3  hang up a sticky trap for flying insects but one that is not tempting for kittens to bat around (and get stuck to!)  Good luck.

Answer 2

Just put up a few fly strips. They are attracted to them, it will not take long for them all to be caught. Until you get them all the breeding cycle continues, but the strips will have them gone overnight if you put them near the litter box and the sink.

Answer 3

I had the same problem not to long ago, and searching through this site I found the answer and it really worked.  I put in a clear dish or glass almost full with white vinegar and a couple of joy lemon dish soap drops, covered the container with a plastic lid which I made little holes so that the gnats can go in but they can't get out.  They drown anyways and you will be able to see this as the day passes.  In the drains you can drop some amonia and then put some cooking oil because this will make the nats not able to fly when they are trying to come up.  I tried it and it worked wonders.  Keeping your house clean and dishes done your problem will be solved in no time.  Good luck!

Answer 4

You probably have drain flies and they carry disease so you should get rid of them.  

http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/drain-...

If they look like the picture on this page, then they're disease carriers.  Otherwise search around this site for other household pests it could be.  

Answer 5

my sister had them in her room and it was mainly caused by leaving food dishes in her room. Her is a tip:

Buy some cider vinager and place it in the most vulnrable places ie near the sink and on the floor near ur kittens litter tray.when you see some get a spray bottle and mix white vinager and water so u can spray them and kill them when they are bothering u.

hope i helped this is wat my nan and grandad told me

Answer 6

Try getting a covered litter box if you don't have one already, like this one:

http://www.dkimages.com/discover/preview...

After we got one, we noticed fewer gnats around it.

As far as the dirty dishes, maybe wash them immediatly.  Try running the faucet in the sink for a minute or two.  Try the same with the shower.