Have you ever had a mosquito bite but don’t remember seeing a mosquito anywhere around? Chances are midges bite you.
The small yet prevalent flies are common human pests. They can enter your home from any direction.
However, if you have a balcony or two, that’s likely the location giving way for the midges to enter your household.
If you’re tired of the sudden and invasive midge infestation, let’s jump on the ways you can instantly get rid of midges on the balcony.
How to Get Rid of Midges?
Midges aren’t only irritating to the delicate human skin, but the way they leave marks on the skin also becomes frustrating. Here are nine ways you can get rid of midges from your balcony.
Get Rid of Any Stagnant Water Bodies Around Balcony
Stagnant water is the perfect place for midges to lay their eggs. In such cases, midges only grow in population, and the infestation becomes severe.
Hence, an effective, easy way is to remove water bodies or containers with stagnant water from the house, especially from the balconies.
If you have a mini garden setup around your balcony, ensure the watering can isn’t exposed to the midges as they can easily invade the place and make it their habitat.
Choose a Minimal Lighting Setup for Your Balcony
Midges are usually quite attracted to the lighting. The more lighting your balcony has, the more increase in the population of midges you will observe.
Since lighting is crucial for the patio, completely removing it isn’t the most sustainable solution.
Instead, you can opt for dim lights with less shine so that the midges can stay away. Hence, you might consider it if you plan to redesign your balcony and install fairy lights.
Suppose you can get your hands on the kind with a low voltage that can work in your favor.
Burn Citronella-Containing Products Around Balcony
Citronella products mainly include candles that double as a repellent for the irritating midges.
The citrusy smell emitting from the burning candle can be undesirable for the biting flies and keep them away from your balcony.
You might want to set up these candles on different levels around the balcony to cover the entire perimeter.
Be safe with the setup so it doesn’t cause fire safety hazards.
Burn Eucalyptus Around Balcony
Another smell that can have a similar effect on midges is eucalyptus. You can buy products such as candles, incense containing the eucalyptus smell, or essential oils.
However, a cheap way could be burning eucalyptus around the balcony in an open container.
The long-lasting smell of natural eucalyptus burning can keep the irritating bugs away for long hours.
Get Rid of Pet and Plant Litter ASAP
One of the things that midges, like any other bugs, are attracted to is filth and dirt.
You can see a swarm of midges, mainly around the places that have a garbage can or other dirt lying around.
Hence, ensure to get rid of pet litter around your balcony or house as soon as possible.
If you have a mini garden on your balcony, chances are you have more bugs around the area as midges are attracted to the sweet-smelling flower nectar.
However, the plant litter and dead leaves that surround the garden can become a natural habitat for the annoying population of flies.
Hence, clear away your balcony from shed leaves to keep the midges away and promote plant growth.
Spray Some Environmental-Friendly Insecticides
Though the usage of insecticides is controversial, many companies are now manufacturing environment and human-friendly insecticides that keep the environment and humans safe from the chemicals using less invasive formulas.
Spraying environmental-friendly insecticides every once in a while, can significantly erase the population of annoying bugs and keep the environment safe for your health.
These insecticides can especially come in handy if you have potted plants or climbers around your balcony.
Set Up Traps Using Tapes
You don’t need to go out and purchase expensive items to clear out the frustrating little pests. A sticky tape can easily do the trick.
Cut a piece of double-sided tape and stick it to the balcony railing or any other area where you find a swarm of midges.
To lure them in, you can cover the tape lightly with sugary syrup or honey. When the midges fly in to have a taste of their heavenly-smelling treat, the bugs will stick them to the tape.
Discard the tape once you have a vast population stuck in the trap. Easy peasy!
Set Up Natural Traps or Repellents Using Chemicals
If you want to take your homemade traps up a notch and make them more effective, here are two natural chemicals you can use.
The first one is apple cider vinegar. Simply pour apple cider vinegar into a wide bowl or dish and add dishwashing liquid to the mixture.
The vinegar’s sweetness will lure them in; once they get in to taste it, the mixture will effectively capture them.
You can discard the liquid and set up a new batch every other day.
If you want a natural repellent for the tiny biting pests, consider using neem oil all around the balcony.
The natural oil smells irritate the bugs, keeping them away from the area.
You can apply a layer on the balcony railing or set up a water and oil mixture.
When the mixture evaporates, you can make a new one if needed.
Cover Up the Trash Can
As we had discussed earlier, bugs primarily gather in areas where they can find a filthy environment to reproduce.
Hence, if you have a trash can near your balcony, we advise you to keep it covered.
Trash cans have different dumped materials, including the peels from fruits that can attract a massive bug population.
By keeping it covered, you’re blocking the entrance for the midges.
However, ensure that you dump all the contents of the trash can on a scheduled routine and clean the can every few days to keep the environment hygienic and free of pests.
How to Prevent Midges and Their Bites?
So far, we have discussed how to get rid of the midges around your balcony when you have a large population invading your space.
However, prevention is always better than infestation removal plans. Hence, here are some ways to turn your balcony into a pest-free space before invading the annoying pests.
You can also prevent midge bites by keeping your skin safe from exasperating marks and irritability.
Consider Setting Up a Screen Around Balcony Railing
The easiest step one could take is covering the balcony with a screen or mesh. The light layer will allow proper ventilation to keep your home and balcony space fresh.
However, the delicate screen also works as a barrier for the swarm of midges looking to enter your personal space.
If you can’t get your hands on a delicate screen readily available at any home accessories and furniture store, you can get a light fabric to do the job.
A net drape lying around or a breathable fabric from a thrift store can be a budget-friendly yet faithful investment.
Ensure the material is more transparent than translucent, as it can severely affect ventilation and sun exposure.
Ensure Having a Hygienic Routine
While most of the removal and preventive measures depend upon your surroundings, some rely on your hygiene too.
Since the summer heat can cause people to generally become more sweaty quickly, midges tend to get attracted to such people.
Hence, ensure that you make time for a proper hygienic routine, no matter how busy you are.
Stay in an environment that’s cool and keeps you sweat-free such as an air-conditioned room, or schedule quick showers in your summertime routine to stay on top of your hygiene game.
Wear Covering Clothes
Yes, wearing long-sleeved clothes during summer is as annoying as it can get.
However, if you have a midge infestation in your area, chances are this step is the only thing you can control.
Keep yourself covered with your clothing, as it can prevent the bugs from directly contacting your skin.
You may feel the bites if you’re wearing a light layer. Therefore, ensure a heavier fabric such as denim keeps the bugs away.
Use a Bug Repellent
Using a bug repellent is the easiest thing to ensure your body isn’t covered with midge bites throughout the summer.
You can find numerous skin-friendly and dermatologist-approved bug repellents online or visit your local pharmacy shop for a cheap yet effective solution to keep the tiny annoying pests away from you.
To Sum It Up!
Midge infestation can be annoying but also painful. The infestation can also ruin the aesthetic appeal of your home and make it an unsafe area for guests.
The itchy bites also harm your skin as the rashes and marks can worsen.
You can use one of the many cost-effective and functional ways to eliminate midges from your balcony.
However, grouping these measures and pairing them with preventive steps can make the treatment more effective.
We hope this article was helpful for you. Enjoy your personal safe space.