Barn Fly Remedies

Thieve's Oil

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Katzie (Calgary, Canada) on 06/06/2021
★★★★★

I had noticed I was spending more time lately swatting flies away and that their numbers were growing. I have to keep both front & back doors open for airflow as not to run the a/c all day, but could not figure out how to get rid of them. After reading up for an hour or two of research, I came up with a winning recipe:

  • 1 large spray bottle
  • 1 bottle of Remede de Marseilles (aka Thieves Oil)
  • Dish soap
  • Glycerine (if you have)
  • 1 bottle of vinegar

I fill up my sprayer with 1/2 water, 1/2 vinegar, 8 drops of Thieves Oil, 8 drops glycerine, 8 drops dish soap. The glycerine helps the solution adhere and the dish soap coats their wings. This spray kills them quickly if you can douse one, but you will find dead ones later too! It also smells amazing and clean in your house!

I also laid down a large layer of diatomaceous earth (DE) with salt over top of it to keep the dust down, and noticed the flies would land on it, a lot, and later found those ones dead. Both dry them out.

2 days now and I went from 35+ flies down to 1 or 2 (and I'll get them too today). It's like my spray bottle is a video game controller and I do battle with flies by spraying alot! I'm pretty good at it too and hey, it's fun. Once I get them to land on a certain window screen, they are toast. I am fast on that sprayer button! This spray also works on other flying pests too. Also gotta recommend the DE & any-kind-of-cheap-salt on the floor! I will keep it down for another day and then clean up. My floor has been a valuable ally in my battle against "the swarm".

Best of health, everybody!

Thieves Oil contains: Clove, Lemon, Cinnamon, Eucalyptus & Rosemary Essential Oils. A very powerful blend.


Vaseline and Cayenne Pepper

3 User Reviews
5 star (3) 
  100%

Posted by Diana (Florissant) on 08/05/2006
★★★★★

I did not try any remedies from your website as I just ran into the website today. I do have a remedy, if you wish to post it, if it is already not on the website. When I took my German Shepherd to the vet for his shots. She noticed that the tips of his ears were oozing and told me that flies like to bite the tips of German Shepherd ears and it leaves them crusty from the dried oozing. She did not have a product in stock to prevent the flies from biting, but suggested that I put a bit of vaseline on the tips of his ears to soften the crusts. And I said I would and also would put some red pepper (cayenne) mixed in it so that the flies would leave them alone, which did the trick. I had never noticed this before on his ears; only this year. He is nine. So I hope I didn't miss it all these years. We just moved and this is the first summer in this new location.

Replied by Ladyvee
(Hampton, Virginia)
06/22/2009
★★★★★

well i used the vaseline and cayenne pepper for my dog ears to keep the flies from bitting him and it worked....I have a roc. and he's about 2 yrs old and every summer the flies come back eating at him but not anymore thanks to whom ever thought of this. It really works!

Replied by Byron
(Gardena, CA)
07/18/2009
★★★★★

The cayenne pepper and vaseline remedy worked wonderfully in reference to keeping the biting flies off our dog's ears! We have a two and a half-year-old at home who loves to play with the dogs, and has excluded us from using the commercial sprays and ointments that contain pesticides.

We had mixed 1/2 tsp. of cayenne pepper to 1 tsp. of vaseline, and the dogs seemed to tolerate it very well. Before our son came along, we used Fly's off, which worked well, but the dogs hated it. The minute we applied it the dogs would go into a frenzy trying to get it off their ears.

We will also try the ACV and water in the future.

A hearty THANK-YOU to all who have shared the information!

Replied by Candace
(Vista, Ca)
06/15/2011

I heard bacon grease is better than vaseline, it last longer, I haven't tried it yet.

Replied by Cheryl
(Ocala, Fl)
04/11/2014

Will the vaseline and pepper work on my mules ears?

Replied by Theresa
(Mpls., Mn)
04/11/2014

Hey Cheryl!

I can see no reason why this would not work for your mule - please give it a try and report back!

1/2 cup of cayenne pepper to 1 cup of Vaseline - you can double this if its not enough.

Good luck!



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