How to get rid of midges at home

Key steps to get rid of midges:

1. Use citronella and eucalyptus on your skin, clothes, and when cleaning the home.

2. Eat and grow garlic in your home - midges hate the scent!

3. Cover up as much of your skin as possible. Keep windows and doors closed at night.

Although they can’t spread disease like their mosquito friends, midges can (and do) still bite. Often flying in swarms, they can be a real nuisance as soon as summer hits ... but not if you learn how to get rid of midges with these tips.

Prevention is the best method for getting rid of midges: keep your windows closed at night and use citronella or eucalyptus oils when cleaning.

How to get rid of midges on your skin

If you’re looking to avoid midges and their bites, the best place to start is by making your skin less attractive to them.

• Keep your skin free of perfume. Use unscented soap, shampoo, and deodorant.

• Cover up as much as possible. Particularly at dawn and dusk when midges are known to bite more.

• Apply citronella and eucalyptus oils to exposed skin. These scents are known to repel midges.

• Eat a lot of garlic. Its scent is excreted through the skin when we sweat and midges hate the smell.

How to keep midges out of your home (before they arrive)

Prevention is always better than cure so learn how to keep midges out of your home before worrying about how to get rid of midges that have already made their way in.

• Make your home less appealing. Add citronella or eucalyptus scented products to your rooms or when cleaning.

• Remove any sources of standing water. Bird baths or ponds might look harmless but midges love open water like this.

• Keep your windows and doors shut at night to stop midges coming in.

• If you have lights on when it's dark, keep your curtains firmly closed so that you don't attract midges from outside.

• Fit tightly woven screens with small holes to prevent midges from getting inside while still allowing air to flow.

How to get midges out of your house (after they arrive)

If you’re unlucky enough to find midges in your house, don’t be too upset! You can get rid of them by creeating a few simple homemade trap.

1. Pour half an inch of apple cider vinegar into a dish or bowl.

2. Mix with two drops of quality liquid detergent, like OMO.

3. Place the bowls around your home, replacing every few days to catch more midges.

Once you’ve laid your traps, you can work on other repelling methods such as soaking cloths in pine oil and placing them around your house. If you’re wondering how to get rid of midges in a kitchen, try covering any open items of food and emptying your bin frequently.

Getting rid of midges and keeping them out of your home isn’t too hard once you know what you’re doing. To keep your summer pest-free, try reading our tips on how to get rid of mosquitos next.