Content

• Home remedies
• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Killing maggots with chemicals
• Part 2 of 3: Killing maggots with natural means
• Part 3 of 3: Preventing it from becoming a pest again
• Tips

Maggots are the larvae of flies, and they can be difficult to eradicate. Whether your trash can has been forgiven with them, or if they somehow got into your body, it's good to know how to kill maggots to get rid of them.

Home remedies

You probably have a number of things at home.

• With dog shampoo you can make a solution to kill maggots.
• Bleach is a cheap and efficient maggot killer.
• You can use chemicals such as carburetor cleaner.
• You dry them out with diatomaceous earth.
• You can clean with vinegar so that maggots do not return.
• With esoteric oils you can protect your waste bin.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Killing maggots with chemicals

1. Use a product that contains permethrin. Permethrin is a chemical used in insect sprays and shampoos, for example to treat ticks in dogs. For the simplest solution, boil some water, put in dog shampoo with permethrin, and throw it over the maggots.
   • Be careful not to get it in your eyes, ears, nose or mouth. If you do get it in your eyes, rinse it out with water right away.
   • If you don't have dog shampoo, you can also use a permethrin-based head lice remedy (eg Loxazole).
   • Permethrin can be deadly to fish and cats. A product that is suitable for the dog can be very dangerous for your cat or fish.
2. Use bleach. Bleach is a great maggot killer. Dilute one part bleach with one part water and pour it over those poor maggots to make them a cup smaller. If you've thrown bleach into your trash can, put the lid on and let the fumes suffocate the maggots.
3. Try Neporex maggot kill. This maggot killer contains the active ingredient Cyromazine 2%. This is a type of insecticide (insect growth regulator) that is effective against the larval stages of various insect species and also acts on the molting mechanism of the fly larvae. This prevents the larvae from developing into an adult fly.
4. Use other household chemicals. These will be slightly less effective than Permethrin or Neporex, but if you have no other option, you can definitely give it a try. You can try to control maggots with the following household chemicals:
   • Hairspray
   • Pledge
   • A strong all-purpose cleaner such as Dettol
5. If none of that works, try chemicals for your car, such as engine oil, brake cleaner, or carburettor cleaner. This is especially useful if you have maggots in your garbage can, for example. Mix some carburetor cleaner with a few liters of hot water. Throw it in your trash can (after taking out the trash bag, of course), put the lid on and let the toxic fumes do their work. Then dispose of the dead maggots.
   • Please note that carburetor cleaner is extremely toxic. Avoid getting it on your skin or inhaling the fumes. Wear protective clothing and gloves. Then dispose of the liquid in the chemical waste.
   • Never mix carburettor cleaner with other agents. Mixing carburetor cleaner with other chemicals can produce deadly fumes. So be very, very careful.

Part 2 of 3: Killing maggots with natural means

1. Boil them. This method is especially useful if you have maggots in your garbage can, for example. Boil a large pot of water. Remove the garbage bag from the bucket and throw in the boiling water. Put the lid on the trash can to keep the heat in.
2. Sprinkle silica over the maggots. Silica is a rock that can clean all kinds of things and kill insects (it also works well against fleas!). Sprinkle some silica over the maggots and wait for them to die. The silica sticks to their outside causing them to dry out. Problem solved!
3. Sprinkle lime or salt over the maggots. It works much the same as silica, because lime and salt dry out the maggots.
   • However, do not overdo the use of salt and lime, as it does not promote the composting process.
4. Toss a mixture of water and vinegar over the maggots. Maggots hate vinegar, so if you clean the area well with water and vinegar, they won't come back in the future.
5. Use an old beer trick. Put a little beer in an open can close to the maggots. The maggots are attracted to this. They crawl into the can and drown. This is an option if you only have a few stray maggots, but not a long-term solution if you have an infestation.
6. Freeze them. This is also not a solution if you have a lot of maggots, but it works if you want to get rid of a few. Put them in a freezer bag and put them in the freezer until they are dead. This may sound gross, but if you want to dispose of them in your trash can you have to make sure they are dead or you will get a real plague.

Part 3 of 3: Preventing it from becoming a pest again

1. Address the cause, not the symptom. Flies lay their eggs and they become maggots. Flies mainly breed in rotting meat and fish. That means you shouldn't throw too much meat and fish scraps in your trash can. Here are some solutions to get rid of the root of the problem.
   • Wrap up meat and fish scraps before throwing it away. Wrap bones, bones, fat and pieces of meat tightly in kitchen paper before throwing them in the trash. If flies can get to it, they cannot lay eggs in it. # * Use all your meat and bones. Have you ever tried to make broth from the bones? It's really easy and fun too. You just throw all the bones in a pan with water, add some bay leaves and herbs and then let it simmer for at least an hour.
   • Keep leftovers in the fridge or freezer until you dispose of the garbage bag. Meat does not rot as quickly in the refrigerator.
2. Put mothballs in your trash can. Mothballs are chemical balls containing insecticides. If you hang a few in your trash can, no bugs will get in.
3. Use essential oil. Peppermint, eucalyptus and bay leaf are good for repelling flies and maggots. Here's how to use essential oil:
   • Lubricate your trash can with essential oil. Dilute some essential oil with water in a spray bottle. Spray it on the inside of your trash can. You like it smelling, but the insects stay at a distance!
   • Clean it with essential oil. Add a few drops of oil to your detergent that you use to clean the trash can.
4. Clean your trash can regularly. If the trash can does not close properly and you leave food residues in it for too long, it attracts flies. Clean your trash can regularly and make sure it closes properly.
5. Keep the trash can as dry as possible. Maggots like moisture, so keep it dry. Make sure there is nothing moist in the bag, that you don't throw anything next to it, and that you clean it immediately if something has leaked.
   • Here's a trick to keep the bottom of your trash can dry. You know those silica bags that are often in a new bag or with new shoes? Put a few at the bottom of your trash can. Silica absorbs moisture, so it keeps the environment drier. It is even in silica.

Tips

• It is highly recommended that you throw out any meat that is past its expiration date, close your trash can tightly, clean the trash can with bleach every now and then, put fly screens on the windows, pick up any fallen fruit from the garden and none keep animal food outside.
• You can also use bleach to get rid of them.