The Raid Ant Killer Trick People Use To Banish Drain Flies (& Should You Try It?)

Drain flies (also known as sink flies, sewer flies, or sewer gnats) are not directly harmful to humans, but an infestation may cause an asthma attack and is certainly not something you want anywhere near food. Keeping these and other pests out of sink drains is always a good idea, and the Raid ant killer trick claims to be a three-second fix. The actual process is just to spray the pesticide for 3 seconds and then leave it to work overnight, but if it works as well as is claimed, it has got to be worth a try.

Or does it? Even if this method is really effective at banishing drain flies, there are some very good reasons not to use it. In the majority of homes, at least one sink drain is right by food preparation and cooking areas, but Raid's own instructions warn to "Remove people and pets from area of treatment." Even without the risk of contamination, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says pesticides should never be poured into drains. In fact, Raid's own instructions for its ant killer reinforce this: "Never place unused product down any drain."

There is an argument that the amount of Raid ant killer used is small and soon rinsed harmlessly away. This is false logic; even a little pesticide sprayed by a lot of people starts to add up. The EPA warns that many municipal water treatment facilities cannot remove all pesticides, and this presents the danger of toxic contamination not just for people but for fish, plants, and wildlife.

In the same way that certain toilet cleaning products can be harmful to septic tanks, pesticides can be too, upsetting the chemical balance and killing beneficial bacteria. It's equally important to check the labels of organic pest control products to ensure you're not accidentally introducing dangerous elements into the water system. The EPA has useful advice for the safe disposal of pesticides on its website.

There are lots of easy ways to combat drain flies, fruit flies, and other pests without resorting to substances that can harm the environment. The simplest is to pour boiling water down your sink drain. It's fast, effective, and not a pesticide in sight.