DIY Fly Tape Can Finally Help Get Rid Of Nasty Pests In Your Kitchen

Many homeowners want to repel bugs naturally from their home, but sometimes, you just can't stop flies from taking residence in your kitchen. Fly swatters are great, but require manual work and an eye for accuracy. And while keeping clean counters and empty garbage cans can help deter pests from entering your kitchen, it's not a guarantee. Retail fly traps work, but some contain organophosphate insecticides which can cause health problems like muscle weakness and seizures.

One way to naturally keep flies out of your house is by using DIY fly tape, which can be a safe and effective way to rid your kitchen of flying nuisances. Best of all, the ingredients you'll need to make this solution are already likely in your kitchen. And, because of that, the ingredients are non-toxic, making them perfect to keep around your entire family without fear of health risks.

Ready to get started? Make sure you gather a ¼ cup each of sugar, honey, and water, along with a paper bag of some sort (think a brown paper lunch bag, a paper grocery bag, or other thick scrap paper). You'll also need a large spoon, scissors, a saucepan, tongs, string, a hole punch, and a cookie sheet with drying rack. While parchment paper is optional for this project, it does help with the cleanup.

If you've already tried some of the best ways to get rid of flies and you still have a bug problem, it's time to try the DIY route. The first step in making your own fly tape is to cut your paper into strips. Any size will do, but generally aim for 2 inches wide with a length between 6 and 12 inches. If hanging in your kitchen, it's wise to cut your strips a little shorter to avoid any accidental run-ins with your hair or body.

Next, carefully heat the sugar, honey, and water in a saucepan, stirring with the spoon often. Once the sugar has dissolved, dip your paper strips into the solution, making sure to cover every inch. Make sure not to use your hands for this part — save your fingers from the hot mixture and use the tongs.

Before removing the paper strips from the mixture, place a sheet of parchment paper on the cookie sheet, and place the drying rack on top of that. After letting the paper soak in the solution for an hour or two, carefully remove with tongs and lay on the drying rack. Once completely cool and dry, use the hole punch to punch a hole at the top of the strips and thread the string through, tying it to make a loop. Alternatively, you can punch the holes and loop the string before soaking them in the solution, hanging them to dry over parchment paper. Hang in your kitchen and watch the flies buzz right over to it.

While making your own DIY fly tape can be an easy home project to tackle in an afternoon, it does have some limitations. First, making this sticky trap can lead to a disastrous mess in your kitchen if you're not careful. The same sticky power you crave for your fly tape doesn't discriminate, and you could have a full-blown gooey mess on countertops and cupboards. Beyond that, the act of cleaning a sugar and honey mixture will require some elbow grease and some patience.

Also, this DIY project is best for larger flies, since it doesn't really put up a fight against smaller flying pests, like fruit flies. For those smaller pests, a store-bought option might be best due to its extra-sticky properties. And for large infestations, a DIY tape won't be enough — you'll need to call in a pest control pro. Similarly, DIY fly tape generally doesn't stay sticky for as long as store-bought options, meaning you'll have to bust out your DIY skills frequently.