Why Do People Use Vinegar To Get Rid Of Cluster Flies And Does It Actually Work?

If you've suddenly got a whole gang of flies in your home in the winter, they may not be house flies at all. They might be cluster flies instead. These pests look just like regular house flies to most people. You can tell them apart by their slightly larger bodies, their sluggish flying pattern, and the fact that there are whole clusters of them. The other major difference is that these flies are more likely to be invading your home during the winter, as they are drawn to the warmth and protection of the indoors. As such, they are often found near windows in empty rooms or attics. Unlike house flies, they don't reproduce inside and don't pose much of a sanitation risk — they'll go back outdoors once it's warm, where they feed on earthworms. Nonetheless, no one likes an uninvited flying guest. 

Some people use vinegar to get rid of cluster flies. This involves spraying surfaces with diluted vinegar to help repel cluster flies from these areas, due to the vinegar's unappealing smell. While that method may be effective, it's best used in conjunction with other pest control techniques if you want to keep annoying flies out of your home for good.

Others recommend creating a trap by pouring dish soap and apple cider vinegar into a small cup or bowl, a common DIY fly trap for all types of flies. The apple cider vinegar attracts the flies, while the dish soap traps them in the liquid. But if you want long-term results, you'll need to use other defenses against cluster flies as well.

Using vinegar to get rid of cluster flies is not the method that experts recommend first. Physical prevention is more effective. Seal up cracks, gaps, holes, vents, and any other tiny opening that cluster flies may use to enter your home in the fall and winter. This first step is essential to keeping the flies from returning (if not this year, then next). Regular cleaning can also help get rid of cluttered areas that cluster flies may use to hibernate.

In addition to vinegar, other natural methods can help. Since cluster flies are such slow fliers, simply swatting them or vacuuming them on sight is an easy way to cut the population down. And since they're attracted to light, turning unnecessary lights off can be effective at steering them elsewhere, as well as using a UV light trap to catch those already inside. Herbs like mint and eucalyptus may also help repel them. As a last resort, apply an insecticide on outside walls and at the flies' common entry points, or call a pest control professional for help.