Top News

Flies can be annoying, especially at this time of year when the weather is hot and a lot of food is exposed, which is why so many people look for methods to try and keep them away. However, what you may have also noticed is that dead flies are starting to gather on windowsills which is unsightly and also super frustrating to try and deal with in your home.

If you're wondering why it happens, it's because flies try and follow the light, but often they cannot pass through the glass. This causes them to become trapped, and they exhaust themselves when they try to escape.

When they don't have access to food or water, they quickly dehydrate, overheat in the direct sunlight and die. This is what causes the problem to build, but there's a simple hack you can use to keep flies away.

However, if you're wondering how to solve the problem, there may just be a solution. Spraying a key item on windowsills can help.

The topic previously came up on Facebook, when a social media user asked: "Hi guys, a bit of advice please. How do you prevent having dead flies on the windowsill?

"It's not just unsanitary but unsightly looking. It just seems I'm forever clearing dead flies on windowsills. Any advice is greatly appreciated."

Many people were quick to recommend a key ingredient, which they say can work wonders. Apparently, peppermint oil can help prevent the issue.

You may not know this, but peppermint oil can stop flies gathering on your windows. Its strong scent overloads a fly's senses, but it doesn't kill them.

Instead, it acts as a natural deterrent. To make use of the trick, you need to mix around 10 to 20 drops of pure peppermint oil with water in a spray bottle.

Shake it well and spray it around your window frames and sills. You can also soak cotton balls in peppermint oil and leave them on the window ledge if you prefer.

You just need to bear in mind that it evaporates quickly, so you will need to reapply it every few days. Also, it can be toxic to pets, so be mindful if you have any animals.

The reason it works is that the oil puts flies off going near windowsills in the first place, so you're unlikely to find a cluster of dead ones there if you use it. Its active compound, menthol, overwhelms the fly's highly sensitive receptors.

This leads to sensory confusion, forcing flies out of the area. If you already have dead flies gathering, you obviously need to clean them away before using this method.

They will be attracted to light, warmth and even the dead flies from previous days, so you need to clean the area before you begin. If you think they're getting in through small gaps, it's wise to seal all cracks around the frames using caulk.

There are some extra steps you can take to try and make your home fly-proof, and this is one of them. They're tips worth knowing as flies love entering our homes during the warm weather.

To avoid attracting them, make sure all areas are clean and cover up any exposed food. The smallest things can draw them in.