How do I stop flies coming in the house?

Flyscreens

Flyscreens are good because you can have the windows wide open and nothing comes in but fresh air!

A matter of course in Australia (to keep out snakes too) but they don't seem to be found so much in the UK; however they must be available.

I remember the summer of 1976 when we had grasshoppers coming into the kitchen (lots of them).

I agree about the fly screens. They are on all houses in Florida and it makes it possible to open the window anyway.

Here I use a weighted piece of net curtain. It doesn't stop them totally but certainly helps and Sam can get in and out easily too .

www.amazon.co.uk/Window-Screens-UK-Insect-Mesh/dp/B001VCJTZS?tag=gransnetforum-21

they sell the mesh by the yard if you have a handyman/DH/SiL / are good with a hammer !!

Last summer I bought a magnetic-closing fly screen for my French door. It said pets can enter and exit by pushing through the closure. Seemed like a good idea. Well, before I had even finished hanging it one of my cats had clawed her way through one panel, ripping it to shreds! I now just put up with the flies. I find they sometimes fly out if I open a window wide, I think they sense the fresh air. Can't leave the windows open upstairs though due to aforementioned kamikaze cat.

Last summer I bought a magnetic-closing fly screen for my French door. It said pets can enter and exit by pushing through the closure. Seemed like a good idea. Well, before I had even finished hanging it one of my cats had clawed her way through one panel, ripping it to shreds! I now just put up with the flies. I find they sometimes fly out if I open a window wide, I think they sense the fresh air. Can't leave the windows open upstairs though due to aforementioned kamikaze cat.

Oops! Pressed 'back' then thought I had only previewed!

These people make 'twist out, pop up' fly screens for doors. Don't know anything about them, just saw an advert for them a couple of days ago. I'll read anything whilst sitting in a hospital waiting room!
www.easylifegroup.com

Lemon thyme in a pot by the door and scented geraniums on windowsills by open windows seem to work for me but I'm in the frozen north so fly season is short.

A proper fly screen for a patio door will be quite strong, it usually consists of metal (aluminium?) patterned in a figure of eight or something similar, with wire mesh and is lockable too.

An energetic dog can barge his way through the type with just the mesh in no time as I have witnessed.

I can't see any on UK sites unfortunately, but I am sure the more expensive ones would be fine - cheaper than moving house anyway.

www.bunnings.com.au/our-range/building-hardware/building-construction/doors/screen-doors
Bunnings have taken over Homebase - is it too much to hope that they will introduce these to the UK?

You can get quite cheap mesh flyscreens which we bought on ebay. It is a simple DIY job and not obtrusive.

Do what they do in Greece. Have a beaded curtain, allows easy access and egress for humans and animals but not flies

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm loath to get screen doors on every window/door as the grandkids like to run in and out in the summer. Will try the geraniums and thyme trick though.

We have coloured strands of plastic on our patio door blows about a bit bought them on line.

We have an ancient silky string curtain on our back door, and it's good at keeping flies out. The only trouble is trying to replace it. Lots of white ones, but I want black again. We used to have a plastic one with coloured strips, but I prefer the string type.

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jessye12.....what are you talking about.......this lady needs FLY-SCREENS !!!!!!

I`ve had the ones that magnetically close, after people and pets have gone through, it hardly ever did come back together again. Then I tried the ones consisting of lengths of string, it just got all tangled when a breeze blew, so went into the bin. Last year I bought one of the door like screens from EasyLife, but hubby couldn`t seem to get it to stay close to the door frame all round, and as I`m petrified of wasps, it`s still upstairs, waiting for a second chance, and my doors and windows remain closed, which makes for a very stuffy house. Sorry, moan over.

We have the magnetic closing ones on our French doors and they work fine with a little care as you pass through, the flies don't seem to come in any of the windows so we are fly free I can't bear them in the house or bear not having the doors and windows open.

I think the post by jessye12 was probably advertising, but this isn't!

I have heard people say the the Skin So Soft bath oil by Avon, in the original fragrance is a good deterrent, dabbed around window and door frames.

You could also try oil of citronella, or take a trip to your nearest "horsey" type shop and see what's on offer there, as horse owners are pretty hot on keeping flies away from their beasts!

I have found this nice infographic that enlists several ways to stop and get rid of flies at home.

Courtesy: www.getridoffliesguide.com

Hope it helps