Vinegar To Rid Your Plants Of White Flies

If your plants are attacked by these insects and you don’t know what to do, don’t miss these tips on using vinegar to get rid of them permanently.

We are going to show you three easy methods to get rid of white flies that are found on houseplants. These bring life and complement any interior design style. Because indeed, there is no more pleasant decoration than a little vegetation at home, which is why it is necessary to know how to take care of it.

So there are many advantages to owning plants, both inside and outside your home. In addition to being a beautiful decorative element, we are attached to it and also suffer when an external element affects them or hinders their proper development.

It is for this reason that it is quite worrying to see white flies attacking our plants. These then lose their color and wither, which is sad to see. If you’ve already encountered this problem, we’ll show you how to get rid of it for good, without having to use chemicals that could cause you allergies or other problems, especially if you have children or pets around.

Fight against white flies

White flies are small insects 3 millimeters wide, which attack the leaves of plants, damage their stems and absorb their sap. The first visible signs are the yellowing of the leaves, which will then dry out and finally fall off.

They are therefore very harmful and reproduce at an exponential rate. Indeed, they can generate a minimum of four generations per year. We call “generation” the time that the life cycle of an insect lasts, from birth to death.

It is a summer parasite because flies grow and develop faster in hot, humid environments. This is why they are more dangerous inside the house or in a greenhouse where the climate is ideal for their proliferation, which can lead them to develop up to eleven generations per year.

3 ways to use vinegar against white flies

Vinegar is a dilute acetic acid that is obtained from the fermentation of a product that contains sugar or starch. It has indeed antiseptic and disinfectant properties, which are found in its use at the medical and pharmaceutical level.

The benefits of using vinegar:

• It is economical
• You can prepare the products that we are going to show you in just a few minutes.
• It allows you to get rid of flies permanently
• Vinegar does not stain
• It is safe for children and pets
• Being antibacterial, it helps eliminate bad bacteria sometimes present on plants

1. Make a fly trap

White flies are crazy about fermented foods, which makes vinegar the perfect ingredient. In addition, acetic acid will slow down their movements, which will make it easier to catch them. Thanks to this, we know that the flies will enter the bottle of vinegar and remain trapped there.

You will need : 

• From a bottle with a wide mouth
• Of a knife
• From a cup of vinegar

How to do : 

• First, pour the vinegar into the bottle.
• Then take the cap of the bottle and puncture it (make fairly large holes) several times using the knife.
• Replace the cap.

2. Place vinegar on food to trap flies.

On the other hand, you can also mix sticky foods, such as peanut butter, with vinegar and place this mixture in a closed box with a hole in it to attract flies.

You will need :

• From a small cardboard box with holes on the lid
• From a plate
• Peanut butter (2 tablespoons)
• Vinegar (2 tablespoons)

How to do :

• First, place the peanut butter (2 tablespoons) and vinegar (2 tablespoons) on the plate.
• Mix well.
• Then place the plate in the box and close it.

3. Use vinegar and soap

Finally, this last trap is ideal because the flies will choose to follow the origin of the mixture and abandon the plants. This way the soap will trap the flies and prevent them from running away. It is relatively practical and you can perform the operation in various rooms of the house or in the bedrooms.

You will need : 

• Apple cider vinegar (1 cup)
• Soap (half a cup)
• From a cup or other container

How to do : 

• To start, take a cup and add the vinegar and soap to it.
• Mix well.
• Place the mixture near the affected plant.

Use these simple vinegar tips to control whiteflies so your plants can grow freely without bugs. So give them a try and enjoy your houseplants!