How do I keep flies out of my house? Genius 1p coin, herbs and oil hacks to stop flies entering your home

The summer season may have got off to a wet start after a period of showers and grey skies, but the weather is forecast to pick up over the coming weeks.

The Met Office is forecasting a hotter summer than normal this year, with an increased chance of heatwaves.

The three-month forecast says the chance of hot and sunny weather is double that of previous years, and warmer-than-average conditions are expected over the course of the season.

The promising outlook is good news for sun-starved Brits, but the warmer weather also comes with some downsides, including sweltering hot nights that make it difficult to sleep.

Leaving the windows open during the day can help to keep temperatures cooler and more bearable for the evening ahead, but it can also bring with it the pesky problem of allowing flies into the house, resulting in nuisance fly infestations.

How do I keep flies out of the house?

If you have grown sick of chasing flies out of your house during the hot summer days, there are some simple home remedies you can try to deter the insects from coming inside in the first place.

Fans of British influencer Mrs Hinch, who is famed for sharing home cleaning tips on Instagram, have created various Facebook groups to share genius hacks for around the house - including how to keep flies away during the summer.

Water and 1p coins

One trick which has been widely shared involves hanging a plastic zip-lock bag filled with water and some coins from an open window, or above a door.

It is thought that the flies are deterred from entering due to the light that is reflected from the coins, causing them to become confused and overwhelmed, so they will quickly fly off.

The simple hack has gained a large following on the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook Group, where users have also shared other simple fly repelling solutions.

Natural remedies

While the coin trick is a popular method, plenty of other recommendations have been shared to keep flies at bay, including a number of natural solutions.

Tips include placing citronella candles and incense close to open doors and windows to keep them at bay.

Flies also do not like the smell of basil, so placing a few basil plants on window sills or in pots by the door should keep them from coming inside.

Putting dried cloves, mint, lavender or cinnamon in pots or bowls by open windows should also help to reduce the number of flies entering your home, as they do not like the strong smell.

Some essential oils sprayed around the house should also work, particularly strong scents such as lemongrass, peppermint, eucalyptus and peppermint.

Create a fly trap

If you don’t have any essential oils or herbs to hand, another simple solution worth a try is using apple cider vinegar.

Simply mix the vinegar with dish soap and place in a bowl by windows and doors around your home.

The aroma will attract the flies to the concoction, but the dish soap will decrease the surface tension of the liquid, causing them to become immersed and trapped in the solution.

Alternatively, you can fill a bowl with apple cider vinegar, seal it with cling film and poke a few holes in the top of the plastic.

The vinegar will attract the flies to the mix, but once they have ventured inside they won’t be able to escape the plastic seal.