---
title: "I’m having a really hard time getting rid of gnats in the soil and I…"
description: "I’m having a really hard time getting rid of gnats in the soil and I heard cinnamon works if you put a layer on top of the soil. Can anyone confirm? Thanks!"
url: "https://getplanta.com/community/lZ7uAE3pQ86jnFGxrCwLrg/6535c5345f0be52fb95675e2"
community: "Anything about plants"
author: "Paige"
published: "2023-10-23T00:58:28.512Z"
language: "en"
image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v2/cloudinary/global_data/communities/everythingHousePlants.jpg"
---

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# I’m having a really hard time getting rid of gnats in the soil and I…

_Posted by Paige on 2023-10-23_

I’m having a really hard time getting rid of gnats in the soil and I heard cinnamon works if you put a layer on top of the soil. Can anyone confirm? Thanks!

## 5 comments

### Sunny commented on 2023-10-23

I’ve seen others recommend cinnamon. I’ve also seen others post it didn’t work for them. Won’t hurt to try.

You can also try working Mosquito Bits into the soil. It kills the larvae. It’s effective on fungus gnats and whiteflies, as well.

Fungus gnats larvae like the wet top soil. They eat the roots. Let the soil dry out more between watering.

#### Sunny replied on 2023-10-23

I recently started using Mosquito Bits on mosquito larvae. It works.

### I prefer my plants. commented on 2023-10-23

It took three or four months to get rid of the gnat issue. And I spent $$$. But I got rid of them. This applied to all of my plants over the entire summer:  
Isolated all them plants into one room  
Only bottom watered  
Changed 1-2 inches of top soil weekly, with an appropriate soil combo and 1/2 diatomaceous earth  
Misted new soil daily with a retail neem oil cinnamon oil combo (Perfect Plantista)  
Plopped in sticky glue paper traps and changed those out with the new topsoil  
Plugged in six UV gnat traps (Safer Brand from HD) and changed them out weekly  
And any new plants that were added were repotted with new soil. Like to the roots.  
Oh and all the new soil is kept in airtight HD buckets. I didn’t use the soil until it was airtight for a week.

It was quite a chore and costly but the gnats were so annoying. And now they are gone.  
Hope this helps.

### Rhona commented on 2023-10-23

I personally used the yellow sticky gnat/fruit fly traps that you put in your pots. It’s takes just a bit of time but I haven’t seen them in a while. You can get them on Amazon. Cute shapes n replace when needed. Way easier.

### Anna commented on 2023-10-23

I used a hydrogen peroxide every time I watered my plants with gnats. Combined that with the sticky traps and it took care of them. I used one part hydrogen peroxide with four parts water. And honestly, I full repot with rinsing the roots would take care of most of the larvae in the soil.

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