Cleaning experts have revealed how to keep pesky flies at bay with a 67p house plant.
As a kid, I had a dog, but clearly he wasn't enough as I used to trap flies in boxes and try and keep them as pets. Turns out, they don't survive very well in a box with only a few holes.
However, if you don't love and appreciate flies as much as me and find it hard to channel your inner Buddhist and not squish them when they hover near your face – or land on the edge of your television screen just as you're nearing the climactic moment of the scene – then this life hack is for you.
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It's time to retire your electric swatter and stop dancing around the room trying to chase the critters down, because a simple household plant holds all the solutions.
Living on the fifth floor, it would be impossible to not keep every window open without cooking alive, as temperatures have been getting as hot as the Sahara.
Alas, with a cool, cool breeze, comes the steady stream of small but highly irritating flies.
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Rather than being forced to close your windows and sit in a pool of sweat, experts have revealed that if you purchase a pot of basil, you can have the best of both worlds: a cool breeze and a reduced risk of a fly infestation.
Flies reportedly hate the strong smell of basil.
So like garlic to vampires, if you station a pot of basil by your window, you're likely to not get as many of the cheeky critters.
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If your local supermarket doesn't do basil, then mint apparently works well too.
According to Yorkshire Live, you can nab yourself a basil or mint plant from Asda for just 65p. Aldi does them for 67p. Or garden centres do them for around a quid.
However, if you don't fancy buying a potted plant, Polly Shearer, a cleaning expert from Tap Warehouse, has recommended a couple of other ways that can help keep flies at bay in the warmer months.
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She said: "The heat causes an increase in flies and means that house flies are more likely to multiply in hot weather!
"This could see tens of thousands of flies buzzing around BBQs and kitchens in the UK this week.
“We recommend using preventative measures to stop flies and insects breeding in your kitchen this summer."
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Instead of using the smell of mint or basil, you can also spray around essential oils like lemongrass and lavender to ward off the insects.
It's also important to make sure your kitchen is clean of any spillages – particularly from fizzy drinks – so it's less enticing to flies.
The carbon dioxide in the drinks is said to be particularly appealing to fruit flies, so storing them in the fridge also helps.
While us humans wrinkle our noses at bin juice, flies can't get enough of it – baking soda is reportedly handy at keeping the bottom of your bin dry and smell-free.
As hungover as you feel on a Sunday morning, it's also important to make sure to do your washing up – don't just leave the dirty dishes on the side or in the sink.
Leftovers should be properly stored too.
You can also trap flies using apple cider vinegar in a glass with cling film poked with holes over the top.
It's lucky Tap Warehouse has provided fly-haters with multiple other solutions to keep the insects at bay, because while a plant for less than a quid is good, trying to keep your basil or mint alive is another matter entirely.
Topics: Animals
Poppy Bilderbeck