Keep flies from entering your home with genius 1p coin, herbs and oil tricks

After months of rain the UK has finally been enjoying some much needed sunshine, with temperatures reaching a scorching 30C during this week’s heatwave.

The heat may have died off a bit over the weekend, but the weather is still forecast to remain warm meaning more sweltering nights with the windows wide open can be expected.

While letting the air in provides a welcome breeze, it also comes with the pesky problem of allowing flies into the house, leaving many complaining of nuisance fly infestations inside their homes.

How to keep the flies out

If you have grown sick of chasing flies out of your house during the hot summer days, there are a few simple remedies which will deter the insects from coming inside in the first place.

Fans of British influencer Mrs Hinch, who shares various simple tips for home cleaning on Instagram, have created various Facebook groups to share genius hacks for around the house - including keeping flies away in the summer.

Water and 1p coins

One trick which has been widely shared involves hanging a plastic zip-lock bag filled with water and some coins from an open window, or above a door.

It is thought that the flies are deterred from entering due to the light that is reflected from the coins, causing them to become confused and overwhelmed, so they will quickly fly off.

The simple hack has gained a large following on the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook Group, where users have also shared other simple fly repelling solutions.

Natural remedies

While the coin trick is a popular method, plenty of other recommendations have been shared to keep flies at bay, including a number of natural solutions.

Tips include placing citronella candles and incense close to open doors and windows to keep them at bay.

Flies also do not like the smell of basil, so placing a few basil plants on window sills or in pots by the door should keep them from coming inside.

Putting dried cloves, mint, lavender or cinnamon in pots or bowls by open windows should also help to reduce the number of flies entering your home, as they do not like the strong smell.

Some essential oils sprayed around the house should also work, particularly strong scents such as lemongrass, peppermint, eucalyptus and peppermint.

Create a fly trap

If you don’t have any essential oils or herbs to hand, another simple solution worth a try is using apple cider vinegar.

Simply mix the vinegar with dish soap and place in a bowl by windows and doors around your home.

The aroma will attract the flies to the concoction, but the dish soap will decrease the surface tension of the liquid, causing them to become immersed and trapped in the solution.

Alternatively, you can fill a bowl with apple cider vinegar, seal it with cling film and poke a few holes in the top of the plastic.

The vinegar will attract the flies to the mix, but once they have ventured inside they won’t be able to escape the plastic seal.

This article originally appeared on our sister site, NationalWorld.