The easy way to stop flies coming into your home and dying on your windowsill this summer using a £1 seasoning buy

The Sun

04-06-2025

FLIES are a common pest in the summer.
And although they are harmless, they are annoying to deal with when all you want to do is sit down and relax in the summer heat.
While we often open the windows or doors in the summer to keep us cool, flies also have the same idea.
The reason we see an influx in the heat is because they too are trying to get out of the sun's rays.
This can often lead to flies buzzing around the home before eventually falling dead and creating a mess on your windowsill.
Thankfully, an expert has shared a simple way to keep them away for good.
While commercial fly sprays are convenient, they contain toxic chemicals that can pollute your home and be poisonous to breathe in.
This might lead you to try a more natural method to keep them away.
Andre Kazimierski, a cleaning expert from Sophia's Cleaning, and has shared how you can easily keep flies away without spraying chemicals using a kitchen staple.
He revealed some cayenne pepper, which many will already have in their seasoning drawer is all you need.
He said: 'Mix cayenne pepper with a cup of water to make a simple spray that repels common fruit flies.
"To be exact, mix one tablespoon of cayenne pepper in two cups of hot water.'
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It may sound odd, but flies rely on their sense of smell to find food and to navigate their surroundings.
However, cayenne pepper contains capsaicin, which has an incredibly strong smell and is also spicy so will really irritate flies senses.
Not only do flies find cayenne pepper uncomfortable, but it makes them less interested in lingering about as it will mask the smell of food that attracts them to homes.
To keep flies away with the DIY solution, you will need to boil 475ml of water in a kettle, then pour the water into a bowl.
Keep pests out all summer
IF you want to ensure that your home is pest free this summer, here's what you need to know.
Hornets and wasps - hate the smell of peppermint oil so spraying this liberally around your patio or balcony can help to keep them at bay.
Moths - acidic household white vinegar is effective for deterring moths. Soak some kitchen roll in vinegar and leave it in your wardrobe as a deterrent.
Flying ants - herbs and spices, such as cinnamon, mint, chilli pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cloves, or garlic act as deterrents.
Mosquitoes - plants, herbs and essential oil fragrances can help deter mozzies inside and out. Try eucalyptus, lavender and lemongrass.
Add one or two tablespoons of cayenne pepper to the bowl and give it a good stir.
Wait for the water to cool down before placing it into an empty spray bottle.
You can usually buy spray bottles in the cleaning section of most supermarkets but pound shops, garden centres and hardware stores will also sell them.
Spray the solution around windows, doorways, kitchen and anywhere else flies are known buzz about.
Flies will naturally stay far away from the spicy scent so your home is more likely to stay insect free throughout the summer.
Cayenne pepper can travel in the air after spraying and get into pets eyes so generally should not be used if you have a cat or dog.
You can purchase a container of the seasoning for as little as £1 in Tesco.