Domakihub How to Get Rid of Flies Indoors Fast
Simple, proven steps to clear house flies from your home, rental, or hotel room.
Reviewed by Domakihub home & decor pros · 2026-06-23 · 4 min read
Flies are a persistent nuisance across Greek homes, holiday villas, and hotel rooms, particularly during the warm Mediterranean months when windows stay open and food is left out. The video above walks through the core control method visually; this article turns that approach into a clear, ordered plan you can follow today. Whether you are dealing with a handful of house flies or a larger infestation triggered by nearby garbage or a drain, the steps below work for any indoor space.
Why Flies Move Indoors in Greece
Greece's long hot season — running from May through October — creates near-perfect conditions for the common house fly (Musca domestica). Warm temperatures accelerate the fly life cycle from egg to adult in as little as seven days, meaning a small problem can multiply rapidly if left unchecked. Open balcony doors, unscreened windows, and the proximity of tavernas or communal bins in urban areas all act as entry points.
Holiday rentals and hotels face an added risk: frequent guest turnover means food residue, open bins, and wet mops can accumulate between clean cycles. A proactive fly-management routine saves both complaints and professional pest-control callouts.
What Attracts Flies to Your Space
House flies are drawn to three things above all: food waste, moisture, and warmth. Uncovered rubbish bins, leftover pet food, unwashed dishes, and standing water in drains or plant saucers are the most common attractants found in Greek homes. Even a tiny smear of cooking grease on a hob can be enough to draw flies from outside.
Fruit flies — a separate, smaller species — are attracted specifically to overripe or fermenting produce. If the flies in your kitchen are tiny and hover around the fruit bowl or recycling, you are most likely dealing with fruit flies rather than house flies, and the treatment overlaps but differs slightly.
5 Steps to Get Rid of Flies Indoors
- 1
Cut off every food and moisture source
Go through the space methodically: seal all rubbish bins with lids, refrigerate or cover any ripe fruit, empty and rinse recycling containers, wipe down all cooking surfaces, and pour a cup of boiling water or diluted bleach down every drain. Flies cannot thrive without a food source, so removing attractants is the single highest-impact action you can take before reaching for any product.
- 2
Seal entry points and fit fly screens
Check that all window and door screens are intact and properly fitted — even a small tear is enough for flies to squeeze through. Fit magnetic fly-screen curtains to balcony doors that must stay open. In rental properties, inspect the gap under exterior doors and use a door sweep if needed. No insecticide approach holds if flies keep entering freely.
- 3
Set DIY traps for immediate population reduction
Place a shallow dish of apple cider vinegar (with a drop of washing-up liquid to break the surface tension) near the problem area. The vinegar draws flies in; the surfactant prevents them from flying off. For house flies, a sticky fly strip hung away from food-prep areas catches large numbers overnight. Replace traps every 48-72 hours and position them near natural light sources, where flies congregate.
- 4
Apply a targeted indoor fly spray or electric trap
For a faster knockdown, use an aerosol fly spray labelled for indoor use — spray along windowsills, behind bins, and at entry points, then leave the room for 15 minutes with windows closed. Alternatively, a UV electric insect killer placed in a corner (not competing with a window) will attract and kill flies continuously without chemicals, which is the preferred option for food-service areas and holiday lets.
- 5
Clean and maintain to prevent re-infestation
Once fly numbers drop, keep them down with a simple daily routine: rinse all food waste before binning it, empty indoor bins every evening, mop kitchen floors with a disinfectant solution, and check drains weekly. In outdoor-facing rooms, spray the window frame and door threshold with a residual permethrin-based insecticide every two weeks during the peak season. This barrier treatment stops new arrivals before they settle.
Rather have a pro handle it?
Get a vetted pest control pro in your city — one number, booked in EN/EL/DE.
FAQ
- How long does it take to get rid of a fly infestation indoors?
- With source removal and traps in place, adult fly numbers typically drop within 24-48 hours. Because the fly life cycle is 7-10 days in summer heat, continue treatment for at least two weeks to break the breeding cycle and prevent a new generation from emerging.
- Are there natural fly repellents that actually work?
- Several plant-based options show genuine repellent effect. Basil pots placed on windowsills and kitchen counters deter flies reliably and are widely available in Greek supermarkets. Cloves stuck into a halved lemon near the dining table is a traditional Mediterranean method that works for light infestations. Essential-oil sprays containing eucalyptus or lavender can supplement other measures but are not strong enough on their own against a heavy infestation.
- Why do I still have flies even though the house is clean?
- A clean-looking space can still harbour hidden attractants. Common culprits include a thin layer of grease inside the oven or extractor hood, organic matter building up inside drains (especially in showers or bathroom basins), an unnoticed piece of food waste that slipped behind furniture, or a blocked external drain close to a window. Check drains first — pour boiling water followed by a baking-soda-and-vinegar flush to clear biofilm, which is a favourite breeding site for drain flies specifically.