Fruit flies, diaper flies, and the m-word

Maebb

If you're grossed out by bugs, I don't know why you opened this thread because the title is pretty descriptive, but this is a warning that the rest of this post is about horrifying bugs, so stop reading now if you want to!

Ok, so...we have fruit flies, diaper flies (maybe the same as fruit flies, but they're in the diaper trash) and maggots in our trash. DH just took out the trash (kitchen and the diaper trash, which is in a Dekor diaper can similar to a Diaper Genie with a lid), and we discovered them, and I am still shaking from being so freaked out. We had this problem once before, and we haven't left any fruit out and have tried to keep messy trash (food items) outside, but I guess we need a more aggressive approach because these little buggers are persistent.

I'd rather not do anything with harsh chemicals because we have a 9.5 month old who loves to crawl, pull up, and put everything in his mouth. For now, we're keeping the kitchen trash can outside because I can't bear the thought of bringing it inside. Google said that I could wipe down the inside of the lid with a combination of olive oil and peppermint essential oil. Does anyone know if this works? Any other ideas? What about the diaper trash? I am so grossed out right now. Thanks for reading this disgusting post and for any advice you can offer.

kellyrn9956

We live in the country, and this year we have had one infestation after another. Wolf spiders. Pavement ants (complete with flying ones). Earwigs. We finally had to break down and spray and keep our pets and baby away for a few days. We used chrysanthemum spray, which is totally nontoxic once it's dry. But we tried a ton of stuff and that's what finally worked.

Maebb

Kelly, did you have to literally leave the house for 2 days to have it sprayed? How long ago did you have it done? Thanks!

kellyrn9956

No. You can stay in the house with the spray the we used. We sprayed in June and no issues since. We had another team of ants try to make their way in last week and they all died before they could get in the house since we also sprayed the outside perimeter. I walked outside to a dead pile of ants.

Forenzicsgirl79

If you have diaper flies I'd stop using the genie and just start throwing diapers out the old fashioned way.

cedenton

We're having the same problem. We've never had fruit flies before and now they're in the trash, diaper pail, around the fridge water dispenser, the sink. It's infuriating!

Maebb

@Forenzicsgirl79, by "the old fashioned way," do you mean taking each individual diaper to the outside trash?

Has anyone had flies in your diaper trash or kitchen trash, and you were able to permanently (or semi-permanently) get rid of them without having your whole house sprayed?

Maebb

@SunnyDays26, maybe maggots. Maggots are like little wormy white fly larvae things. I hate them so much. Sorry that you have them too! I told DH that for now, I am just going to take all trash to the outside trash can because I don't want to keep anything inside that will attract more bugs. We keep a pretty clean house, so this was pretty disturbing tonight.

nanabanana06

The only time we've ever had a fly problem was the summer Rosie was in sposie's. It's probably from the food your kid is eating. Hence why they are in the diaper trash. Plus the maggots. Heat makes it all worse. I have no help other than maybe find a new way of getting rid of your dipes.

Forenzicsgirl79

mbenit4 said:

Clean the diaper thing out. Put it outside with water and bleach in it. In the meantime take the diapers out. Pee can stay but shit ones outside. Keep your counters wiped and disinfected. You can use Lysol kitchen cleaner or Clorox Aywhere spray. Pour some bleach down your drains before bed and let it sit overnight.

This is what I meant OP...put the poop diapers in a like a plastic gricery bag and outside for the time being. 

klondikebar

I'd bleach the trash cans and throw the poo diapers outside from now on. Make up a spray bottle of natural fly repellant to keep by the outside garbage to randomly spray inside it.

scoutkate

The day I dound maggots in the Dekor was the day the entire contraption got thrown out.  We switched to the grocery bag/straight outside method and it was so much better.

NotSharknado

We also throw diapers in a grocery bag and take it straight outside. We do get maggots in the outside cans here and there but we just spray bug spray in it and once it gets picked up we hose it down.

cedenton

We can't get rid of our diapers right away because they're cloth and we use a service. They pick up once/week. I've cleaned the diaper pail and trash cans 3 times since it started and it isn't making a difference.

Helenahhandbasket

I have no advice but I wanted to say sorry-- hope you figure out a way to get rid of them.

 

I am also sorry for myself.  I was not smart enough to realize that the m word was maggot.

wino2006

Once the girls were eating solids, we got rid of the diaper genie and just kept a small trash can in the room and would empty it daily-with every poop-which by then was about once a day. It's gets too nasty and stinky when you keep it that long.

kwitt22

I did the glass with plastic, vinegar didn't work. We used really sweet white wine and threw in a sliver of watermelon. It worked like a charm.

wino2006

Sauvignon Blanc seems to work great at catching fruit flies. I have had to throw out 3 glasses now because I have had one land in each of them.