Top 5 Ways to Get Rid of Fungus Gnats

Did you catch my reel on “How to Get Rid of Fungus Gnats”? Well lucky for you, here is the long form version with extra directions! I haven’t seen any fungus gnats in my home for over a year. No more swatting, no more clapping, no more frustration. Try it out yourself you will definitely find relief from these pests.

Fungus gnats are an inevitable part of plant parenthood. These small annoying bugs are attracted to high moisture and fungi in the soil. The top way to prevent fungus gnats is to make sure you don’t overwater. Read on to see how to get rid of fungus gnats when they do appear in your home.

1. Diatomaceous Earth

I have found sprinkling diatomaceous earth on top of the soil to be the MOST effective way to get rid of fungus gnats. I fill up an old spice jar and shake it on top of the soil 1st thing when I bring a new plant home. I also sprinkle diatomaceous earth in between waterings when the soil is dry on top. Diatomaceous earth kills fungus gnats by drying out and puncturing their exoskeleton. Please note that mixing the diatomaceous earth with water will make it ineffective so only use it when the top soil is dry.

2. Hydrogen Peroxide Mixture

Mix 1 Part Hydrogen Peroxide and 4 Parts Water and use it to water your plants. The hydrogen peroxide kills the fungus that fungus gnats feed on and reduces moisture so gnats can’t live in the soil environment! The hydrogen peroxide will also keep the fungi from living in your planter too.

3. Mosquito Bit Infused Water

To kill fungus gnats you infuse 4 tablespoons of mosquito bits in 1 gallon of water and water your plant. I personally use an infusion pitcher where I put the mosquito bits in the core but you can also use tea bags for this. For infested plants I do this once weekly for 3 weeks. For prevention I use it once a month. Make sure not to get any of the actual mosquito bits in the soil since it can grow mold.

4. Electric Trapper Zapper

We use the Zevo Insect Trapper in our house year round! There are other trappers on Amazon that seem to work well too so just choose one within your budget. Keep in mind you typically have to purchase refills of the trapper component that attracts the fungus gnats to their doom. These trappers attract a host of other flying bugs too like mosquitos and flies.

5. Sticky Traps

Sticky traps definitely work but the tricky part is you have to figure out which of your plants is infested. Once you do that, quarantine your plant from the others and place 2 traps on either side of your plant for maximum catch probability. This works for only the flying gnats, not the larvae.

Good luck Plant Fam! ☼