How to Get Rid of Gnats in Refrigerator
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for homeowners to get a pest infestation in their fridge. And gnats are among the most popular unwanted guests.
Thankfully, getting rid of gnats in the fridge is not too difficult. Simply clean the appliance, get rid of rotten fruits, fix the gasket if it’s damaged, and set a few gnat traps.
Below you will find detailed instructions that will help you get rid of the pests for good.
How to Get Rid of Gnats in Refrigerator
Clean Out the Fridge
The best way to get rid of the gnats that have made it into your fridge is to thoroughly clean the appliance.
- Unplug the fridge.
- Clear it out. As the majority of flies will get into the fridge together with ripe fruit and rotten vegetables, the first thing that you should do is throw these foods away, seal the trash bag, and take the garbage out of the house. You can also check the expiration dates on the rest of the products and clean the bottom of the jars and packages with a damp cloth.
- Remove the shelves and drawers.
- Give the fridge a quick clean. If you’re planning on defrosting the appliance, you would have to prepare some towels to avoid flooding the kitchen. But if you don’t have that much time, all you can do is quickly wipe all the shelves and drawers and the inside of the refrigerator with soapy water.
- Disinfect the fridge. Cleaning the appliance with soapy water might be enough for some, but if you can’t get the image of an insect crawling around the fridge out of your head, then you might want to disinfect the appliance as well. To do that, you can mix a gallon of water with a tablespoon of liquid bleach and wipe the inside of the fridge.
- Clean the gasket. Dirt buildup on the fridge’s gasket might prevent the door from properly closing. This will allow even more gnats to enter the fridge.
- Let the inside of the fridge dry. Before returning all the food items and drawers back to the refrigerator, you should either dry the appliance with a towel or give it enough time to dry on its own.
- Return the shelves and products to the fridge. Wash all the fruits and vegetables under running water and dry them with a paper towel before putting them back.
- Turn on the fridge and ensure that you are able to properly close the door. Your gasket is damaged or bent if you can easily pull out a piece of paper after you have placed it between the fridge and its door. The paper should feel tight against your hand and there has to be friction, otherwise, the refrigerator is not sealed correctly.
Set Traps
If you have already cleaned your fridge, but you’re still worried that there might be a couple of tiny insects left behind, then you can try setting up a few traps.
- Apple cider vinegar traps
Add a few spoons of vinegar, a tablespoon of sugar, and a few drops of dish soap into a small bowl or a cup and mix all the ingredients together. Place the cup into the fridge and leave it there.
The gnats will be drawn to the sugary substance, and once they get inside the cup, they won’t be able to get out, and the acidity from the vinegar will kill the insect.
White vinegar can work as well, but it would be a bit less effective than apple cider vinegar.
- Wine traps
If you have an unfinished glass of wine, you can use it to create a gnat trap. Pour the drink into something a bit more stable, like a cup, for example, and leave it in the fridge.
The insects will get attracted to the wine’s fruity scent. When they end up in the cup, the alcohol will kill the annoying insects in no time.
There are several articles on our website that are similar to these How To Keep Refrigerator From Scratching Wood Floor, How To Remove Stains From A Stainless Steel Refrigerator and How To Keep Broccoli Fresh In The Refrigerator
Final Thoughts
Gnats don’t just eat your food and look disgusting. Some of them are capable of transmitting various diseases to humans!
So, you would definitely want to get rid of these creatures as soon as possible. And the good news is that all you would have to do is clean your fridge and set a few traps.
References
https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/pdfs/5-steps-to-clean-your-refrigerator.pdf
