Keep Flies Away For Good With This Genius Vodka Hack

If only Seth Brundle in David Cronenberg's 1986 science-fiction masterpiece "The Fly" knew this genius hack, his experiment might have gone differently. It's not a secret — few insects are more annoying than flies, and even fewer alcohols are as popular as vodka. Interestingly, there's a genius hack that will keep your flies away and vodka excusably replenished. All you need is a plastic quart bag and some not-so-finest bottom-shelf vodka to fill it with. Then you can hang it up in problem areas and watch it keep the flies at bay.

Flies can be harmless, and getting rid of them isn't always on top of our priority list — some of us wait until we're really annoyed to go after the buggers. However, if left untreated, flies can spread bacteria throughout your home — and not just the tiny and insignificant bacteria but the dreaded most unpleasant kinds like salmonella, typhoid, and E. coli.

Flies are not fans of vodka, and this hack takes advantage of this. With that being said, let's get to it.

To begin, grab your quart bag and poke one hole in the middle of the top of the pack. Next, resist the urge to take a celebratory shot and pour ½ cup of vodka into the bag before tightly zipping it up. Remember, although zipped up, a hole is still at the top of the bag — no need to get clumsy just yet. 

Now, hang the bag by the hole in the middle and hook it wherever the flies tend to be. Understandably, finding a place to hang the bag may be tricky, so consider some clever options. You can try hanging it by threading a string through the top hole and tying it to a beam, or you could even loop it onto a convenient hook or groove somewhere. Additionally, as a last resort, you can use a good old-fashioned nail in the wall to pick your place, hang it up, and call it a day. Although this will help keep the flies away, make sure you're covering enough ground — a quart bag per 8-by-10-foot area. Repeat this process until all areas of invasion are covered. 

Suppose the smell of vodka happens to be too strong for you. First, you and your enemies seem to have more in common than you think. Second, you need not worry, for there is a solution to that as well. Before hanging up the booze bag, dip a teaspoon of your favourite essential oils in it. Lavender may be a great option, and if not, try eucalyptus.

There are alternative ways to get rid of flies by using vodka. After all, what if you're outdoors? A bag of vodka will cover less ground. The outdoors is their territory, so you have to get more creative. No problem — instead of a quart bag, use a spray bottle. Fill the spray bottle with the same amount of vodka you put in the bag (½ cup) and add 2 teaspoons of aloe vera juice and 1 teaspoon of eucalyptus oil. This concoction is not only beneficial for any outdoor area needing a fresh-smelling ward for protection, but it's also safe to use on your skin. Next time you're out gardening, barbecuing, or simply looking to relax, have this spray bottle handy.

Another more aesthetically pleasing way to go about this method is to take out a decorative jar or bowl. The method doesn't change much — just fill it up with vodka and add some sprigs of rosemary, lemongrass, or basil. As a bonus, it looks nice and will keep a lovely fresh aroma in the air.

The next time you see a fly buzzing around, instead of exhausting yourself on a stealthy hunt, take a deep breath and shamelessly reach for that bottle of vodka.