How to stop flies around your trash can
2 min read
Flies are drawn to the smell of decaying food and the residue on a dirty can, where they feed and lay eggs. Take away the smell and the residue and the flies lose interest.
Why flies swarm the can
The odor of rotting food carries, and the sticky residue inside a can is both food and a place to lay eggs. Warm weather makes it worse, since heat speeds decay and flies breed faster.
Keeping them away
Bag and tie your trash, keep the lid closed, and rinse spills before they pool. Keeping the can in shade reduces the smell that draws flies. The step most people miss is washing the can itself, which removes the residue flies feed and breed in.