How I Keep Flies From Taking Over the Porch

Porch flies can wear your nerves down fast, especially when they swarm the second you sit down with a drink or try to eat outside. I’ve dealt with it every summer, and after plenty of trial and error, I’ve found what actually works.

Most of the “help” you hear online either doesn’t help or isn’t worth the effort. These are the things I stick to now that actually keep flies from taking over—and make the porch a whole lot more bearable.

Keep Food and Trash Sealed Up Tight

It sounds obvious, but food scraps and trash are fly magnets. Even a little dripped sweet tea or leftover barbecue sauce can bring them in quick. The problem gets worse if there’s anything sitting out in the heat.

Make it a habit to wipe down surfaces after eating outside, and use sealed trash bins with tight lids. If you’ve got a trash can on the porch, it needs to be emptied often—and it’s worth lining it with something that locks in smell.

Hang a Few Fly Traps (And Actually Replace Them)

Fly traps work—but only if you use the right kind and keep up with them. I’ve had the most luck with the hanging bag-style traps that use bait. They smell awful, but they draw flies away from where we’re sitting.

Hang them a little ways off the porch, not right on it. You don’t want to invite flies in closer than they already are. And if the trap’s full, it’s useless—so check them often and toss when needed.

Don’t Let Water Sit Around

Flies love damp areas almost as much as they love food. If you’ve got standing water on or around your porch—plant saucers, clogged gutters, dog bowls—it’s giving them one more reason to hang around.

Dump out anything collecting water and scrub it out every so often. Even moisture from a leaky hose connection or a drip tray under the grill can cause trouble if it sits for too long.

Use Oscillating Fans to Mess With Their Flight Path

Flies aren’t strong fliers, and they hate wind. A couple of fans blowing across the porch can make it tough for them to land or even stick around. Bonus—it helps keep you cooler too.

Set the fans up at angles that cover the main sitting area. I’ve had good luck with a box fan on the ground and a smaller fan clipped up high. It doesn’t kill flies, but it makes them avoid the space.

Burn Citronella or Lemongrass-Based Candles

Citronella won’t fix a full-blown infestation, but it does help keep flies from zeroing in on you. I usually light a couple of larger citronella candles on each side of the porch when we’re outside in the evenings.

Lemongrass-based products can also help. It’s not a perfect solution, but it makes a difference—especially when paired with other methods like traps and fans.

Clean Under and Around the Porch

If your porch is raised, take a peek underneath. Dead leaves, old pet food, or anything rotting can invite flies. They don’t need much to settle in, and shaded, damp crawlspaces are perfect for them.

Sweep out under the porch and spray it down every now and then if you can. The cleaner the space underneath, the less attractive it’ll be to flies—and that keeps them from swarming the area above too.

Keep Pet Bowls Away from the Porch

Food and water for pets can draw in flies fast—especially in summer when everything heats up quicker. Even if your dog finishes the food, crumbs and moisture stick around.

Move bowls off the porch if possible, and rinse them out between meals. If they have to stay outside, pick a shady, breezy spot farther from where people gather to keep flies from circling the porch.

Watch for Bird Droppings or Nesting Mess

Bird droppings are a surprisingly strong attractant for flies. If you’ve got nesting birds or regular perches nearby, it doesn’t take long for flies to catch on. And the mess under a bird feeder can be just as bad.

Clean feeders and wipe down railings or furniture that birds hang out on. If you’ve got nests that are no longer active, clear them out to prevent buildup from drawing in more bugs.

Swap Out Porch Lights That Attract Bugs

Some porch lights attract more insects than others—and where bugs go, flies usually follow. Bright white or blue-toned bulbs bring in the most attention at night, while warm yellow bulbs are less tempting.

Switching to amber or bug-repellent LED lights helped reduce the swarm around our porch in the evenings. It doesn’t stop them completely, but it helps lower the overall bug traffic.

Don’t Leave the Door Cracked Open

It only takes a second for flies to sneak in when the door’s ajar. And once they’re inside, it’s a whole other problem. We’ve had to get into the habit of being quick in and out—and making sure the kids don’t let the door swing open for minutes at a time.

Installing a screen door or self-closing hinge can help keep things tight. It’s not always about the porch itself—sometimes it’s about keeping the line between inside and out closed off as much as possible.

*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.