To get rid of small flies in your house fast, you need to do two things at the same time: remove where they breed and trap/kill the adults.

Step 1: Figure out what kind of “small fly” you have

Different tiny flies need slightly different fixes.

  • Fruit flies
    • Hang around: overripe fruit, open juice/wine/beer, sticky bins, recycling.
    • Look: tiny, tan/brown, often red or dark eyes, hovering near food.
  • Drain (moth) flies
    • Hang around: bathroom/kitchen sinks, showers, floor drains.
    • Look: very small, fuzzy “moth‑like,” lazy flyers, often resting on tiles near drains.
  • Fungus gnats
    • Hang around: houseplants and damp potting soil.
    • Look: mosquito‑like, long legs, fly up when you water or touch the soil.
  • Phorid flies
    • Hang around: areas with sewage leaks, very rotted organic matter, trash, carcasses.
    • Look: tiny, hump‑backed, often run or “skip” before flying.

If you’re unsure, note where you see the most flies: near fruit, drains, or plants. That usually tells you what you’re dealing with.

Step 2: Kill the breeding sites (this is what really works)

A. If they’re fruit flies

  1. Deep clean food and drink zones
    • Throw away any overripe fruit, old onions/potatoes, forgotten leftovers, and sticky bottles or cans.
 * Wipe counters, cupboard shelves, and under appliances with a good cleaner to remove sugary film or spills.
  1. Fix rubbish and recycling
    • Empty and wash bins and recycling boxes (especially anything that held drinks).
 * Use liners and close lids properly.
  1. Short “fruit quarantine”
    • Keep fruit and veg in the fridge for a week or two so the current generation dies out.

B. If they’re coming from drains

  1. Clean the drains properly (not just pouring chemicals)
    • Remove the drain cover, scrape out the slimy gunk, and scrub with a stiff brush.
 * Then use an enzyme/microbial drain cleaner regularly to eat away the film the larvae live in.
  1. Check hidden wet spots
    • Look under sinks, behind/under dishwashers, fridges, or washing machines for leaks and slime; clean and dry thoroughly.

C. If they’re fungus gnats from plants

  1. Change how you water
    • Let the top 2–3 cm of soil dry out completely before watering again.
 * Rake or gently break up the top layer to help it dry faster.
  1. Treat the soil
    • For heavy infestations, remove and replace the top layer of soil with fresh, dry potting mix.
 * Some people also add a top layer of coarse sand to make it harder for gnats to breed.
  1. Reduce “problem” plants
    • Move worst‑affected plants away from seating and cooking areas, or, if one pot is clearly the culprit and not precious, discard it.

D. If it might be a sewage or serious rot issue (phorid flies)

  • Sniff and inspect basements, crawl spaces, and areas near drains for sewage smells or very soggy, contaminated soil.
  • If you suspect a broken pipe, you’ll likely need a plumber and to remove any sewage‑soaked materials.

Step 3: Trap and kill the adults quickly

While you fix the breeding sources, use traps so you’re not living with clouds of flies.

Simple DIY traps

  • Vinegar and dish‑soap cup (great for fruit flies)
    • Mix water and vinegar in a glass, add a few drops of dish soap.
* Cover with plastic wrap, secure with a rubber band, poke small holes; flies are drawn in and sink.
  • Open vinegar–soap bowl
    • Same mix, but no wrap: they land on the surface and sink because of the soap.

Store‑bought traps and tools

  • Sticky fly strips or glue boards around bins, drains, and plants.
  • Plug‑in light traps that attract and zap or trap flies (mount away from doors/windows and about 1.5 m off the floor).
  • In more severe cases, people sometimes use aerosol/contact sprays indoors after removing pets and food, but focus should still be on cleaning and prevention first.

Step 4: Keep them from coming back

Once numbers drop, a few habits keep things under control.

  • Kitchen
    • Rinse bottles and cans before recycling, empty bins regularly, and keep counters and sink free of sticky residues.
* Store most fruit in the fridge, especially in summer or during warm spells.
  • Bathroom and drains
    • Use enzyme drain cleaner on a schedule (for example, weekly at first, then monthly).
* Keep areas around sinks, tubs, and floor drains dry and well‑sealed.
  • Plants
    • Avoid constant damp soil; water only when the top layer is dry.
* Use clean, indoor‑stored potting mix when repotting.
  • House structure
    • Fit or repair window and door screens and keep doors closed or on closers where possible.

Mini “quick‑use” checklist

  • See flies near fruit and bins?
    • Throw out overripe food, deep‑clean surfaces, set vinegar–soap traps.
  • See flies on tiles near sinks or showers?
    • Scrub and enzyme‑treat drains, clean up leaks, use glue boards near drains.
  • See flies coming out of plant pots?
    • Let soil dry, replace top soil, add traps near plants.

If you’ve done all this for 1–2 weeks and you still have swarms, especially with strong bad smells or damp patches, it’s worth checking for hidden leaks or asking a professional pest controller to inspect.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.