GBBO winner says ‘keep flies out’ by using simple cupboard ingredients

Flies buzzing around the house can be a real bother, particularly in the summer months. Yet, one expert has shared a surprisingly simple trick to keep these pesky insects at bay.

Nancy Birtwhistle, a well-known author and familiar face on ITV’s This Morning, took to Instagram to reveal her straightforward solution. The hack involves just egg cups and a couple of common kitchen staples.

“Keeping the flies out,” she said, standing in her kitchen. “Two egg cups, lemons. Cloves, stick them in [to the lemons].” Nancy demonstrated by inserting cloves into each section of a lemon half.

The 2014 Great British Bake Off winner continued: “Insects hate the smell of cloves, not too fussed about lemon, whereas we love the smell. I keep one in my pantry [and I] keep flies away from my houseplants.”

Popping another lemon into a squeezer she went on: “Or use your lemon [first and] add your cloves.”

It turns out that Nancy is not the only one employing this tactic. Citrus fruits are renowned for their role as natural insect repellents across various cultures, possibly due to their phytochemicals, which emit scents that may repel insects.

However, it’s important to remember that this method isn’t guaranteed to work every time. For instance, a study investigating the effectiveness of lemon oil and other aromatic substances in deterring spiders concluded they had no impact.

While its experts, therefore, debunked its spider-repelling properties, they did state that its use had been referenced in more than one million Google hits. And for flies, at least, Nancy’s followers seem to swear by its effectiveness.

In a flurry of responses, an enthusiastic fan exclaimed: “My goodness it works. It’s a beautiful day so my doors are open. They’re flying in and within seconds flying out. Thank you.” Meanwhile, another added: “My fruit flies gone! Just like that! Thank you.”

Flies aren’t just a nuisance; they can be a health risk too, particularly around food. Fruit flies, for instance, are drawn not only to meals but also to less savoury items such as faeces and decomposing matter.

Consequently, these insects could transport harmful bacteria, including Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria, which have the potential to cause serious illness. Pest UK has warned: “They like to live, feed, and breed in warm, damp spaces such as drains, cleaning cloths, mops and buckets, waste disposals, bins, or anywhere there is ripe, rotting, decayed fruit or empty beer and wine bottles and food tins.

“An adult female fruit fly can lay up to 2,000 eggs on the surface of anything that’s moist and rotting. Within 30 hours, tiny maggots hatch and start to eat the decayed food. Within two days, they’re all grown up and ready to mate, too.”