A Maggot is a fly larva that will normally feed for between three to five days when they are in their initial life stages.
When it’s in this stage, the maggot is noticeable for its white color, tiny size, and devastating ability to send shivers down the spine of all who comes into contact with it!
When you see maggots in and around your home, your initial reaction (if you are like me) is to kill the tiny pests.
Let’s take a look at some of the things you can use to kill maggots.
What Can I Use to Kill Maggots?
While the maggots do not typically pose any harm to homeowners (bacterial infections aside), they do pose an unsightly and unpleasant problem when they begin to infiltrate the trash cans.
But the good news is that there exist simple and effective solutions for homeowners looking for what kills maggots.
Does Bleach Kill Maggots?
Bleach is effective when dealing with large hordes of maggots. All you need to do is to combine it with some water in a metal or plastic bowl.
If your plan involves dumping this solution onto a surface, you will need to gently and slowly pour it into the location where the maggots are located.
Make sure that the solutions hit the entire horde. No maggot should be wriggling!
Does Boiling Water Kill Maggots?
Boiling water is a great way to kill most insects present in your trash cans.
You will need to let the water come to a slow boil before gently pouring it into the inner walls of the trash bins.
All insects touched by the water are likely to die immediately.
As effective as it is, it has a downside in that it doesn’t prevent their return.
Does Salt Kill Maggots?
Salt is among the maggot killing methods that have already been tested and seen to work.
Every living creature needs to remain hydrated for it to survive. Natural salt, on the other hand, works as a natural dehydrator.
Maggots are not able to handle table salt and will slowly die when it’s sprinkled on them.
Does Vinegar Kill Maggots?
For homeowners interested in trying natural methods to eliminate maggots, they should use three parts of boiling water with a single part of vinegar.
It’s a method that will kill the maggots inside the trash bin and help eradicate the odor that is attracting the flies to your bins.
It may also prevent flies from laying any new eggs. However, this method will require you to repeat it at least once every seven days to be truly efficient.
Does Dish Soap Kill Maggots?
Water and dish soap is one of the oldest remedies used in many households to eliminate maggots and many other flying insects instantly.
You may not have known this, but some dish soap does contain an amount of borax. This means that creating a water and dish soap solution and then sprinkling it over the maggots will slowly cause them to stop breathing.
Eventually, they will all die.
Borax is a good maggot killer you should consider using.
Does Lemon/Lime Juice Kill Maggots?
Whenever you come across a maggot or insect infestation in your home trash bins, you can always cover them with lime or lemon juice.
The lime or lemon juice will kill the maggots, but you may need to clean the area using a vinegar and water solution to ensure that an infestation does not occur again in the future.
Does Ammonia Kill Maggots?
Maggots happen to be the larvae stage of all common flies. When left alone, they are likely to start infesting your trash bins and cans as they are attracted to the rotting meat and food in the bins.
Whenever a fly lays an egg in your bin, a maggot is likely to appear between 8 to 20 hours as it starts to feed on the food in the bins. You can use ammonia to get rid of them.
You will need one gallon of ammonia to eliminate all the maggots in the bin. Pour it over the contents of your trash can and then replace its lid.
Make sure the can is tightly sealed. Leave the can alone for a day or two before reopening it.
Ensure that you clean the trash can thoroughly afterward!
What Kills Maggots Instantly?
Pesticides
A good pesticide is what homeowners who find themselves constantly battling maggot infestations require.
Unlike the popular methods described above, such as vinegar, boiling water, salt, and the rest, many pesticides tend to be designed for controlled releases.
This means that a single pod can provide the homeowner with as many as four months of controlled protection.
Put, using a single pod can guarantee you a summer free of any form of maggot infestation. And the best news is that the pods are quite easy to use.
All you will have to do is make sure that you have adhered to all the instructions provided by the manufacturer. A good pesticide will not only eliminate the maggots but will also take care of other common flies. It is a win-win situation!
Frequently Asked Questions
Do not leave any food items lying around, and reduce access to your trash.
Flies look for a food source so the maggots can begin to eat straight away. If there is no food, flies will lay no eggs.
It takes 2-5 weeks for a freshly laid egg to develop into a fly.
A fly will lay its eggs wherever there is a food supply for the maggots when they hatch. Food usually includes something rotting, be that a plant, some food, or an animal.
Conclusion
You can use many methods to eliminate a maggot infestation, many of which have already been described above. But the surest way to ensure that this problem doesn’t recur is to learn what caused it in the first place.
Learn about the enemy, learn what flies are looking for. Flies lay their eggs in areas where maggots can hatch and begin eating immediately. If there is no food available, they will not lay their eggs.
Prevention is the key take-away message!
