Midges in the kitchen

Question

Hello,
We have many midges that we fail to kill. They are in the sink of the kitchen (although we do not let anything hang in the sink). We were advised to use insecticide suitable for this kind of situation, but is it reasonable in relation to the potential toxicity of the product and with a person with cystic fibrosis living in the appartment? Do the midges have an effect on the surrounding hygiene (they fly everywhere)?

Answer

Hello,
The presence of midges in your kitchen is probably more annoying than dangerous. I have not found information about a potential health risk associated with these midges. However, they reproduce very quickly and they are looking for soil to lay their eggs. You say you do not let anything hang in the sink and it is especially important for fruits and vegetables, but it is also possible that midges come from the compost of plants of your home. They particularly appreciate the moisture that’s why they are present around the sink. I advise you therefore to disassemble and clean your siphons. Some people advise to put white vinegar several days to kill midges. This may be worth a try before using insecticide in a spray. If you use an insecticide, make sure that the person with CF is not present at home for the day, but also the other people and the animals. You have to protect the food, clean up after the insecticide (at after 6 hours) and ventilate widely rooms of the house before the person with CF goes back home.
Sincerely
Marythé Kerbrat

14.01.2013