Flies can be a real nuisance in the summer, but this natural fly repellent kitchen hack using just two items may help keep them at bay and costs less than £1 to concoct07:23, 29 May 2026Getting rid of flies in your home could cost you as little as £1. Flies can be a real pest at this time of year, drawn irresistibly to your kitchen the moment you crack open a window to let in some fresh air. Not only are flies a nuisance, but they can also pose a genuine health risk inside your home.‌Common house flies are capable of carrying over 200 pathogens, including harmful bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella. Should flies land on food left out on your kitchen worktops, they can transfer that bacteria directly onto it - potentially leaving you with a nasty bout of food poisoning.‌That makes tackling a fly problem a matter of urgency, though it's not always straightforward. Commercial fly sprays can be effective at killing the insects, but they're not always the most practical solution - particularly when you're left with a pile of dead flies to clear up afterwards.‌However, according to one home hacks expert on social media, there's a remarkably simple method to stop flies from treating your kitchen like their own personal buffet - using just two items that'll set you back less than £1.Dilek Rebke posted a video on Instagram revealing her trick for keeping flies out of her home during the summer months, which she insisted "really works" and keeps her home fly-free throughout the warmer months.Content cannot be displayed without consent‌The hack requires just two everyday items - a lemon and some dried cloves.Loose lemons cost around 35p at most supermarkets, while a jar of dried cloves will typically set you back around £1.50. As you won't need the whole jar for the trick, the hack comes in at under £1 per use, making it a brilliant budget-friendly way to keep flies out of your home.Dilek explained: "It works. I didn't believe it would, but it does. This is what I do every summer, because as soon as you open those doors, [the flies] come in. Uninvited.‌"All you do is you get a lemon, make sure you roll it so it's juicy. Then you get some cloves, and you put about 10 to 20 cloves in the lemon. Just keep pushing them in."You put these around your windowsills [or] anywhere where the flies come in. Anywhere. Outside in the garden when you're eating. The smell deters them."She revealed that after a few days, the lemon will dry out and the smell will no longer be as pungent. However, by gently heating the fruit with a match or lighter, you can revive the aroma and keep those flies at bay once more.Article continues belowHow to deter flies from your homeAs well as cloves, there are multiple other natural remedies you can use to keep flies at bay. There are several natural scents that flies and other insects don't like, so putting them around your home can help deter the pests.Basil and mint: Flies hate the smell of herbs like basil and mint. The best way to use basil in your own home is to buy a basil or mint plant and keep it by your windowsill. Not only will this deter flies, but you'll have your own supply of fresh herbs to use in cooking.Lavender and marigold: If flies are a problem in your garden, plants like lavender and marigold can help deter them. You can also place these plants near windows and doors to keep them from entering your home.Cinnamon: Another scent flies hate is cinnamon, so placing cinnamon sticks by your windows can help keep flies - as well as many other insects - away from your home.Keeping your home clean and tidy can also be a big help in deterring flies. Make sure you never leave any food uncovered on your kitchen counters, and use food waste bins with a tight seal to get rid of food scraps safely. If you don't have a food waste bin, you can use biodegradable food waste bags for your scraps and then put the sealed bag in your household waste.