Download Article
Take care of infestations for good with these pest control tips
Download Article
When maggots get into your trash can or somewhere in your home, taking care of them quickly prevents them from growing into flies and spreading. No matter the size of the infestation, there are lots of household products you may have that kill maggots on the spot. We’ll go over the best all-natural or chemical options so you can say goodbye to a maggot infestation and stop them from coming back again.
Things You Should Know
- Pour boiling water or a vinegar solution on maggots for natural ways to kill them instantly.
- Sprinkle rock salt or diatomaceous earth over the maggots to dehydrate their bodies and kill them instantly.
- Apply a bleach solution or chemical insecticide to the maggots for quick chemical control.
Steps
Expert Q&A
Search
-
QuestionWhat should I do if I have a maggot infestation?Elmer Bensinger is a Pest Control Specialist with Eden Advanced Pest Technologies in Spokane, Washington. With over 20 years of experience, Elmer specializes in integrated pest management and products such as insecticides and rodenticides. He studied business at South Puget Sound Community College.The best thing you can do is call a pest control specialist. Ninety percent of getting rid of maggots is just locating the source. A pest control specialist will be able to help you find out where the maggots are coming from and get rid of them.
-
QuestionDo I need to use pesticides to get rid of a large maggot infestation?Elmer Bensinger is a Pest Control Specialist with Eden Advanced Pest Technologies in Spokane, Washington. With over 20 years of experience, Elmer specializes in integrated pest management and products such as insecticides and rodenticides. He studied business at South Puget Sound Community College.No, you just need to remove the maggot's food source. Once you do that, you won't need to apply any pesticides.
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement
Tips
- Most maggots found in your home are contaminated with bacteria and could cause infections or food poisoning if you accidentally consume them. [9] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to sourceThanks
- If you have a pet that has a wound with maggots in it, contact your vet for advice right away. They’ll recommend taking your pet in to make sure there isn’t an infection.Thanks
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
Advertisement
Warnings
- If you aren’t able to control a maggot infestation on your own, then contact a professional exterminator to care of the problem for youThanks
Advertisement
References
- ↑ https://www.tweed.nsw.gov.au/files/assets/public/documents/property-and-rates/waste-and-recycling/tips-for-summer.pdf
- ↑ https://shieldpestcontrol.co.uk/blog/how-to-get-rid-of-maggots/
- ↑ http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/degen.html
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4445082/
- ↑ https://www.cleanipedia.com/za/in-the-home/maggots-in-the-house-where-do-they-come-from-and-how-to-get-rid-of-them.html
- ↑ https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/011556-00171-20120824.pdf
- ↑ https://www.aspcapro.org/sites/default/files/d-veccs_april00_0.pdf
- ↑ https://www.northlincs.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/How-to-Prevent-Maggots-2020-a.pdf
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00000503.htm
About This Article
Article Summary
X
If you need to kill maggots, mix one part bleach and one part water and pour it over the maggots. You can also use hot water and flea or lice shampoo. If you prefer not to use chemicals, pour boiling water or a mixture of hot water and cinnamon over the maggots. To keep maggots from returning, wrap up any meat or fish in paper towels before putting it into the trash, and wash your trash can once a week with vinegar and water to keep it clean. Keep reading for more natural remedies to remove maggots, like beer or vinegar!
Did this summary help you?
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 2,655,560 times.
Reader Success Stories
- "I was at a loss for what to do about them critters in the trash container. It got picked up today and they were still there in the container. Leaving it open for the birds to come get them. Hope that works. If not, bleach or vinegar. Thanks for the advice." ..." more
Advertisement
"I was at a loss for what to do about them critters in the trash container. It got picked up today and they were still there in the container. Leaving it open for the birds to come get them. Hope that works. If not, bleach or vinegar. Thanks for the advice."
..."
more
"It was useful to know what was required for an infestation on my pet dog. Although he did not have an open wound, he had lots of young maggots on various sites around his rear end. I have already used surgical spirit, which has been quite effective."
..."
more
"I had a crap ton of maggots in my trash can. Before reading this, I used bleach a bug spray and vinegar & water inside the can. I could see them all trying to come out, but hopefully it'll solve it since I've seen all these tricks on this website."
..."
more
"I found a bunch of maggots in my mother's trash can and didn't know how to get rid of them. After reading this article, I used a combination of boiling water and vinegar, and that worked for me. This article was very helpful."
..."
more
"It helped because I had a problem with maggots on my trashcan, and they started seeping through the cracks and got into my house. These things help me get rid of them. If one didn't, I went on to the next."
..."
more
