A popular YouTube channel has shared a simple and low-cost natural fly repellent trick that could help deter flies from your home this summer
Brits keen to stop flies from swarming into their homes this summer are being encouraged to try a remarkably straightforward windowsill trick using just two everyday kitchen staples. The budget-friendly solution has gone viral after a well-known YouTube channel insisted it could banish the pests “forever”.
According to Smart Fox, the hack calls for nothing more than a lemon and a handful of cloves. The channel, boasting more than 560,000 subscribers, revealed the tip in a video that has since amassed more than 124,000 views and over 1,000 likes. In the footage, Smart Fox described the technique as a “really ingenious trick” that everyone ought to attempt during the warmer months.
“Have you ever put these things in a lemon? The benefits will really blow your mind, and you’ll only want to do it this way in the future,” said the presenter.
The method itself is incredibly simple and costs next to nothing to replicate. Simply slice a lemon in half before inserting approximately 10 to 15 cloves straight into the flesh.
Pop these lemon halves into a bowl or dish before setting them on a windowsill. Smart Fox maintains the aroma created by this pairing can help discourage flies from venturing indoors in the first place.
“Because flies can’t stand the mixture of lemon and cloves at all, they will therefore avoid these places,” the presenter continued. Rentokill UK reports that warmer temperatures throughout spring and summer can spark heightened insect activity within British households. The pest control company notes that flies, alongside mosquitoes, become considerably more active as temperatures climb, especially around open windows and areas with standing water.
Research referenced by Mosquito Reviews indicates that cloves may possess certain insect-repelling qualities thanks to eugenol, a naturally occurring compound present in clove oil. It suggests clove oil solutions managed to repel some mosquitoes for between 120 and 225 minutes under laboratory conditions.
Calendar UK notes that cloves emit a powerful aroma that numerous insects find deeply unpleasant. Pairing this with citrus fruits such as lemon could enhance the effect. Lemons themselves may offer further household advantages beyond deterring pests. The British Nutrition Foundation states that lemons are naturally packed with vitamin C and antioxidants, while their potent citrus fragrance is frequently incorporated into cleaning products and air fresheners.
Nevertheless, some experts have advised caution regarding claims that natural remedies alone can entirely prevent insect issues. According to AFP Fact Check, specialists cautioned there is insufficient scientific evidence demonstrating that inserting cloves into lemons can completely prevent flies or mosquitoes from entering homes.
The fact-checking organisation reported that concentrated clove oils may possess repellent qualities, but experts warned whole lemons and cloves may not offer the same degree of protection as approved repellents. AFP cited mosquito control adviser Daniel Markowski, who stated that concentrated clove oil “can have repellent properties” but added that simply placing cloves around the home would “almost certainly not repel mosquitoes” completely.
Despite this, numerous social media users remain convinced by the budget-friendly trick throughout the summer months. Smart Fox revealed the lemon and clove combination is now something they position on windowsills “every year” once mosquito and fly season arrives.
