I’m a gardening expert – my 65p plant hack will banish pesky flies from your home this summer

IT’S summer, which means that sadly our homes and gardens will likely be full of flies in the next few months.

While we all know that we shouldn’t kill these creatures, no matter how annoying they might be, sometimes it seems as if that’s the only way you’ll be able to get them out of your home.

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In the summer heat flies may enter your home and contaminate your foods and surfaces[/caption]

Asda

Placing mint plant at entry points can deter flies from entering your home[/caption]

Luckily, there are plenty of home and garden experts who can offer some advice on how to keep your house a no-fly zone.

And as it turns out there are two plants that flies do not like – basil and mint.

Deter flies from entering by placing some basil and/or mint plants on windowsills and near doors and at any other point through which they may enter.

You can buy these plants for as little as 65p from Asda, £1.30 from Tesco, and £1 from Wilko.

They’ll also be available for purchase at the majority of garden centres – so just be sure to keep your eye out for these life changing plants.

Speaking to Yorkshire Live,  cleaning and gardening expert Polly Shearer has shared how to keep your kitchen fly-free this summer.

Creating your own fly deterrent spray is a great way to ward flies away from your interior, says Polly.

All you need for this is some water, a spray bottle, and some essential oils. Use mint, lemongrass or lavender oils as these are hated by flies – just spray throughout the day and the scent will deter flies from entering.

As a bonus your house won’t just be free of flies but it will also smell lovely.

Polly also suggests keeping your kitchen clean and tidy throughout the summer days, making sure to wipe up any spills and not leave leftovers out on the table.

You should also avoid leaving dirty dishes in the sink for too long, as these can attract flies, and they can even end up laying eggs on your plates if left for ages.

She further suggests one great hack for avoiding a maggot infestation – sprinkle baking soda at the bottom of your bin before putting in a new bin bag, this will absorb any smells and liquids that leak out of the bag.

Her final tip is using apple cider vinegar to get rid of fruit flies. All you need to do is half fill a glass with apple cider vinegar and cover it with cling film and poke small holes into the cling film.

This scent will attract fruit flies into the glass, and you can then take the glass outside and set them free.