Best Indoor Fly Traps: Fly Paper, Light Traps and Swatters

The best indoor fly trap for most homes is Black Flag Fly Paper, a cheap, chemical-free sticky ribbon that catches house flies wherever they gather, sold in a 24-count pack. Zevo's plug-in trap uses blue and UV light with a hidden sticky card for kitchens and bedrooms, Safer Home's plug-in is the budget light trap, RESCUE!'s TrapStik is the odorless, better-looking sticky option, and Kensizer's swatters handle the single fly on the window. Traps catch flies already inside; finding and removing what they breed in is what ends an indoor fly problem.

Do Indoor Fly Traps Work?

Yes, for a limited job. University of California IPM's pest note on flies says sticky traps are effective at eliminating a few flies in relatively confined areas, and that ultraviolet light traps may be effective indoors where they are not competing with daytime sunlight. Neither type stops flies from breeding; they catch the adults that are already in the house.

That makes traps a good finishing tool and a poor first step. If flies keep appearing, something nearby is producing them: an overflowing trash can, pet waste, a forgotten bag of potatoes, a drain or a dead mouse in a wall. Find and remove that, and traps mop up the rest. Our article on whether fly traps work looks at each trap type in more detail.

Our flying insect guides also cover outdoor fly traps, wasp sprays and moth traps, and the indoor fly trap section collects the articles on trap safety, smell and stickiness.

Why You Suddenly Have Flies in the House

A handful of flies can become a swarm quickly, as the UC IPM pest note explains. In summer, house flies can go from egg to adult in as little as 7 days. Each female lays several batches of about 100 to 150 eggs. They breed in animal waste and decaying organic matter, including food waste and dead animals.

• House flies: trash cans, pet waste in the yard, compost and food scraps.
• Blow flies: large, metallic flies that often mean a dead mouse or bird in a wall, attic or chimney.
• Fruit flies: tiny tan flies with red eyes around ripe produce, recycling and drains.
• Fungus gnats: small dark flies around overwatered houseplants.
• Drain flies: fuzzy, moth-like flies near sinks and showers.

Seasons matter as well. Cluster flies, a type of blow fly, slip into attics and wall voids in fall to spend the winter, then wander into rooms on warm days in late winter and spring. They do not breed indoors, so traps and a vacuum handle them, and sealing gaps around windows and siding in late summer keeps them out next year.

Identifying the fly tells you where to look. A sudden burst of large flies at windows in a closed room almost always points to something dead nearby, while tiny flies near the fruit bowl point to produce or the recycling bin.

Indoor Fly Trap Types Compared

Electric bug zappers deserve a word too. They kill many insects that are not flies, and they can scatter insect fragments when they zap, so they are a poor choice in kitchens and dining areas; enclosed glue-card light traps like the ones below avoid that problem.

We compared indoor fly traps on how they attract flies, where they suit, how visible the catch is and what buyers report about catches, durability and value. Our sources were the makers' listings, Amazon's review digests and UC IPM guidance; we did not test the products. We left out sticky strips whose buyers mostly report that they tear while unrolling or barely stick, and fruit fly bait traps that dry out quickly; outdoor bait traps belong outside because of their smell.

Best Indoor Fly Traps

Black Flag Fly Paper: Best Overall Indoor Fly Trap

Black Flag's classic fly paper comes as 24 traps, sold as six packs of four, with a sticky ribbon that unrolls from a small tube, per the maker.

• The maker says it traps house flies, mosquitoes and other flying insects indoors and outdoors.
• Buyers find it effective, with one reporting hundreds of insects caught, and like that it keeps gnats away from screen doors.
• Some buyers find the ribbons hard to unroll, and like any ribbon it can tear.

Choose it for the garage, laundry room, porch or a back door where flies collect. Hang ribbons where flies rest, near windows and light fixtures, but out of the way of heads and pets, and replace them once covered.

OUR CHOICE

Black Flag Fly Paper, 24 Traps

Fly paper24 traps

Best for: Garages, porches and utility rooms

• ✓Effective, per buyers
• ✓No chemicals or odor
• ✓24 traps per pack
• −Hard to unroll, per buyers
• −Unsightly in living spaces

Editor's Note

It catches house flies where they gather. Hang it out of the way of heads and pets.

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Specifications (3)

Unit Count

24 Count

Target Species

Fly, Mosquito, Moth

Number of Pieces

4

Zevo Flying Insect Trap: Best Plug-In Light Trap

Zevo's plug-in trap uses blue and UV light to draw house flies, fruit flies and gnats onto an adhesive cartridge that faces the wall, so the catch stays hidden; this pack has 1 base and 3 cartridges.

• A blinking light reminds you to check the cartridge about every six weeks, per the maker.
• Buyers find it easy to use and like that it doubles as a night light; results are mixed, with some catching plenty of flies and others few.
• Value opinions are mixed, since cartridges need replacing.

Choose it for the kitchen near the trash or fruit bowl, a bathroom or a bedroom where you do not want visible fly paper. It works best at night or in rooms without bright windows.

Zevo Flying Insect Trap, 1 Base and 3 Refills

Light trapPlug-in

Best for: Kitchens and bedrooms, hidden catch

• ✓Hidden, wall-facing catch, per the maker
• ✓Easy to use, per buyers
• ✓Works as a night light, per buyers
• −Mixed results, per buyers
• −Cartridges need replacing

Editor's Note

It suits rooms where fly paper would look out of place. Best at night.

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Specifications (3)

Unit Count

4 Count

Target Species

Fly, Fruit Fly, Gnat

Style

1 Device & 3 Cartridges

Safer Home Plug-In Flying Insect Trap: Best Budget Light Trap

Safer Home's compact plug-in uses UV LED light and comes with 2 glue cards; a rotating plug fits most outlets, per the maker.

• The maker lists fruit flies, gnats, moths and other flying insects and keeps the catch hidden inside.
• Buyers find it effective on fruit flies and gnats and easy to set up; overall results and value are mixed.
• It is best on small flies; large house flies are caught less often.

Choose it for a second room or a spot near houseplants where gnats gather. Put it near the problem, at outlet height, away from bright windows.

BUDGET PICK

Safer Home Plug-In Flying Insect Trap

Light trapPlug-in

Best for: A budget light trap near gnats

• ✓Effective on fruit flies and gnats, per buyers
• ✓Easy to set up, per buyers
• ✓Rotating plug, per the maker
• −Mixed overall results, per buyers
• −Weaker on large house flies

Editor's Note

It suits a second room or houseplant corner. Keep it away from bright windows.

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Specifications (2)

Style

1 Trap + 2 Glue Cards

Recommended Uses For Product

Indoor

RESCUE! TrapStik for Flies: Best Decorative Sticky Trap

RESCUE!'s 4 TrapStiks hang like small decorative tubes whose colors and patterns lure flies onto a sticky surface, with no odor or chemicals, per the maker.

• The maker says they catch house flies, fruit flies and fungus gnats and are made in the USA for indoor use.
• Buyers like that they are odorless and look better than fly strips; effectiveness is mixed.
• Value draws mostly negative reviews.

Choose it for a kitchen window or a corner where hanging fly paper would look out of place. Hang it in a sunny window where flies collect, and expect it to catch fewer flies than a full ribbon.

RESCUE! TrapStik for Flies, 4 Pack

Sticky trap4 traps

Best for: Windows where looks matter

• ✓Odorless, per buyers
• ✓Better-looking than fly strips, per buyers
• ✓Made in the USA, per the maker
• −Mixed results, per buyers
• −Value mostly negative, per buyers

Editor's Note

It suits kitchen windows. Expect fewer catches than a ribbon.

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Specifications (2)

Number of Pieces

4

Style

Hanging Style

Kensizer Fly Swatters: Best for the Odd Fly

Kensizer's 6-pack of heavy-duty plastic swatters comes with wall hooks, so one can hang in each room, per the maker.

• The maker offers one replacement if they all break within 90 days.
• Buyers find them effective, sturdy and good value, and say they work better than metal-handled swatters.
• Durability is mixed for some buyers.

Choose them for the single fly that slips in through a door. A swatter is chemical-free, works instantly and costs less than a single trap refill.

Kensizer Heavy-Duty Fly Swatters, 6 Pack

Swatters6 pieces

Best for: The single fly

• ✓Effective, per buyers
• ✓Sturdy, per buyers
• ✓Good value, per buyers
• −Mixed durability for some buyers
• −Needs a steady hand

Editor's Note

Hang one in each room. It works instantly with no chemicals.

Check Price

Specifications (2)

Number of Pieces

6

Material

Plastic

Where to Place Fly Traps Indoors

• Near the source: by the trash can, recycling, compost pail or pet area, where flies gather.
• Away from bright windows: for light traps, which compete poorly with daylight.
• Low on the wall: plug-in traps work at outlet height, where flies fly and rest.
• Where flies rest: hang ribbons near windows, light fixtures and doorways, not over food or counters.
• One per problem room: a single trap rarely reaches through walls and doorways.
• Out of reach of pets and children: sticky surfaces catch fur and fingers.

Replace traps on a schedule rather than waiting until they are full. A ribbon covered in dust or a glue card that has dried out catches little, and light trap bulbs or LEDs lose their pull over time. A trap that fills up within a day or two is a signal, not a success: something nearby is breeding flies, and the trap will never catch up until that source is gone.

How to Get Rid of Flies in the House Fast

1. Find the breeding source: check trash, recycling, compost, drains, houseplant soil, produce bins and, for large metallic flies, attics and walls for a dead animal.
2. Remove it: bag and take out garbage and pet waste; UC IPM advises setting garbage out at least once a week and removing organic waste, including dog feces, at least weekly.
3. Clean bins: wash cans and keep lids tight.
4. Check screens and doors: UC IPM notes that well-fitted screens limit flies' access to buildings.
5. Catch the rest: hang fly paper or plug in a light trap, and swat stragglers.
6. Use insecticides only as a last resort: a labeled indoor flying insect spray knocks down adults, but UC IPM advises this only for immediate control.

Flies usually drop off within days once their breeding source is gone. If they keep coming back, check again; a hidden source, like a dead rodent or a forgotten bag of produce, is almost always the reason. For a closer look at whether traps are worth the money, see our article on whether fly traps are worth using.

Common Questions About Indoor Fly Traps

Which One Should You Buy?

Black Flag Fly Paper is the indoor fly trap to buy for most homes. It is cheap, chemical-free and catches house flies wherever they gather, and a 24-count supply covers a whole season.

Choose Zevo for a hidden light trap in the kitchen or bedroom, Safer Home for a budget light trap near gnats, RESCUE! TrapStik where looks matter, and Kensizer swatters for the odd fly. With any of them, find and remove the breeding source first.

Before you buy, identify the flies you see, since house flies, fruit flies and gnats each point to a different source.