‘Keep flies away forever’ with £1 fruit and flower trick

Brits desperate to stop flies invading their homes this summer are being urged to try a surprisingly simple windowsill hack using two common kitchen ingredients. The low-cost trick has exploded online after a popular YouTube channel claimed it could keep away the insects “forever”.

According to Smart Fox, the hack requires nothing more than a lemon and several cloves. The channel, which has more than 560,000 subscribers, shared the advice in a video that has now racked up more than 124,000 views and over 1,000 likes. In the clip, Smart Fox described the method as a “really ingenious trick” that everyone should try during warmer weather. “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 process itself is remarkably straightforward and costs very little to recreate. All you need to do is cut a lemon in half before placing around 10 to 15 cloves directly into the fruit pulp.

These lemon halves should then be placed inside a bowl or dish before being positioned on a windowsill. Smart Fox claims the scent produced by the combination can help deter flies from entering homes 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 says warmer temperatures during spring and summer can trigger increased insect activity inside British homes. The pest control firm states that flies, along with mosquitoes, become far more active as the mercury rises, particularly near open windows and standing water.

Research cited by Mosquito Reviews suggests cloves may have some insect-repelling properties due to eugenol, a naturally occuring compound found in clove oil. It claims clove oil solutions were able to block some mosquitoes for between 120 and 225 minutes in laboratory conditions.

Calendar UK adds that cloves release a strong aroma that many insects dislike intensely. Combining this with citrus fruits like lemon may strengthen the effect.

Lemons themselves may also provide additional household benefits beyond pest control. According to the British Nutrition Foundation, lemons are naturally rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, while their strong citrus scent is commonly used in cleaning products and air fresheners.

However, some experts have urged caution over claims that natural remedies alone can fully prevent insect problems. According to AFP Fact Check, specialists warned there is limited scientific evidence proving that placing cloves into lemons can completely stop 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 provide the same level of protection as approved repellents. AFP quoted mosquito control adviser Daniel Markowski, who said concentrated clove oil “can have repellent properties” but added that simply placing cloves around the home would “almost certainly not repel mosquitoes” entirely.

Despite this, many social media users continue to swear by the inexpensive hack during summer months. Smart Fox said the lemon and clove mixture is now something they place on windowsills “every year” once mosquito and fly season begins.