Killing Maggots With Bleach in 5 Easy Steps

Summer months are the perfect time for maggots to thrive in your garbage. If you spot white wriggly worms in your trash, you’re probably dealing with a maggot infestation. In that case, there is a need to get rid of them. Killing maggots with bleach is one common way to deal with these disgusting pests. But how do you do it, and is it effective?

To kill maggots with bleach, mix together 1 cup of bleach with 1 cup of water. Pour the mixture directly on the maggots and area you want to clean. If you’re dealing with maggots in your trash can, allow the bleach solution to sit inside for 30 minutes before cleaning it out.

Bleach can be a very effective chemical to use that gets rid of maggots. There are a couple of ways you can use bleach to help control a maggot infestation. In this article, we’re going to cover exactly how to do this and share with you handy tips you can use to kill maggots with bleach.

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Can You Kill Maggots With Bleach?

Maggots are the larval stage of flies that need to feed for three to five days before they evolve into adults that will continue on the cycle. During this stage, maggots are notable for their size, white color, and the black dot at one end of the body, which is their mouth.

They might be small, but it can be hard to control them without the right tools. Fortunately, chemical solutions do work to prevent maggots’ growth and development. And hopefully, using these chemicals properly can eliminate them altogether. 

Bleach is a common multi-purpose household disinfectant with sodium hypochlorite as the active ingredient. When you dilute bleach you have at home, it can disinfect within 10-60 minutes of applying on surfaces.

Because of its powerful action, bleach is a highly recommended, low-cost disinfectant ideal for surfaces. More than that, it has been seen to be effective against maggots when used the right way. When you apply bleach in your trash can, you will be killing the maggots and disinfect and clean the inside.

While bleach is not the only solution to maggots, it can be one way to deal with the problem. In our previous article, we discussed how vinegar is another way of killing maggots in your home.

Does Bleach Kill Maggots Instantly?

If you want a solution that instantly kills maggots, do keep in mind that bleach may not provide you with such results. If you expect maggots to shrivel up and die when they come in contact with bleach alone, you might be disappointed.

How Long Does It Take for Bleach to Kill Maggots?

Usually, it takes about 30 minutes for maggots to start dying. If you place bleach inside your trash bin, you still need to wait for 30 minutes. This is to allow the fumes to circulate and suffocate the wriggly maggots.

In another method, which provides almost instantaneous results, active maggots can be killed by pouring on them boiling water mixed with bleach. The solution makes for a powerful pesticide that will target maggots and fly eggs that you may not see in your bin.

What Type of Bleach Should I Use to Kill Maggots?

The great thing about using bleach to kill maggots is that it’s readily available. The product can be bought during one of your trips to the grocery store. You may already have a gallon sitting in the corner of your laundry room.

Any household bleach will do, but a popular one used by most homeowners is Clorox Regular Bleach. Clorox is a widely-used household product with germicidal, antibacterial, and fungicidal properties, making it useful as a cleaning agent that can also kill maggots.

Since bleach is already a disinfectant, you will notice the clean smell once the trash bin is already cleared of maggots. This is one of the advantages of using bleach – you get dual action from this product.

Does Bleach Spray Kill Maggots?

Using bleach to kill maggots usually involve pouring the liquid into the trash bin or any infested area. But what about bleach spray? Will it be equally effective?

Bleach spray still contains the active ingredient and could still work if sprayed onto a small affected area. However, it may not be practical to use this on areas with a heavy infestation, particularly in a trash bin where maggots are likely to populate.

Killing Maggots With Bleach Step by Step

Now that we’ve explained about bleach being an effective maggot killer, it’s time to discuss how to use it the right way to yield successful results. Whether you have a small maggot infestation somewhere inside your home or want to learn how to get rid of maggots in the bin, follow the steps below:

Step 1

Using a metal or plastic bowl, mix a cup of bleach with a cup of water. Ideally, you’d want a deep bowl or small basin if you plan to dump the solution inside the bin or affected area.

Step 2

If you’re killing maggots inside the bin, pour in the solution, making sure you didn’t leave any maggots on the sides. That means you also need to hit the sides of the bin so all maggots will contact the bleach.

Step 3 

Put the lid back on your trash bin, and let the solution sit for about 30 minutes.

Step 4

Open the trash bin and pour out the solution. Don’t forget to clean out the inside of your bin.

Step 5

Pour another round of bleach for second cleaning to prevent maggots from coming back.

Alternative Method

For a more instantaneous result, bleach is best mixed into boiling hot water. Bleach not killing maggots? Refer to the steps below for the alternative method:

Step 1

Heat a gallon of water over a stove. Make sure to set it to “high.”

Step 2

Let the water boil. Once the water starts bubbling, it’s time to add a cup of household bleach.

Step 3

Pour the boiling solution directly into your bin. Be careful not to burn yourself in the process. 

Whether you’re using the primary method or alternative method, always remember to put on protective gear, such as reusable cleaning gloves. Bleach, after all, is still corrosive, which means it can burn or irritate your skin.

Killing Maggots Fast

One fly can lay dozens of eggs at one time, and these eggs can hatch within a day. This means a fly’s life cycle is so fast; it wouldn’t take long for maggots to take over your trash if you don’t do anything to control them.

Flies lay eggs in areas that are conducive to the growth of their young. This means they will likely find a food source that can feed the maggots once they hatch from eggs. 

Besides your trash can, flies will likely deposit their eggs on rotting meat, rotting fruits and vegetables, and even exposed pet food. For these reasons, it is important to address maggot problems as soon as possible to prevent maggots from reaching the adult stage. 

In the end, the best way to deal with maggots is to prevent their growth in the first place. Maggots can’t grow if there is no food source, and if flies will not find a place to lay their eggs. So, the most important step in getting rid of them is making sure your place is clean, and you don’t have food left out in the open.

Below are other important tips to help prevent maggot infestations:

• Wrap food waste properly before placing it inside your trash bin
• Don’t leave kitchen waste exposed.
• Freeze food waste and wait until the garbage collector comes to collect them.
• Make sure your trash bin is sealed tightly, or lids are always kept closed
• If you have a trash bin with damaged lid, replace or have it repaired immediately.
• Double wrap diapers or other bathroom waste, especially when it’s the warm season
• The food bin should be placed away from direct sunlight as much as possible. This could warm up the bin and will cause the garbage to smell, thereby attracting flies.

Conclusion

There is no one perfect solution to get rid of maggots in your home. The good thing is, it’s not that hard to deal with a maggot infestation. It can be disgusting, though, but it is a necessary step to take, and it’s best done immediately before the infestation gets out of control.

When maggots invade your trash bin, one of the best solutions is to kill them using a simple household product – bleach. Killing maggots with bleach can be done in two ways: mixing bleach with water or adding bleach to boiling water and using this hot solution on maggots.

Both methods differ in how fast the results can be seen. Nevertheless, using bleach is a popular method many homeowners swear by. It can also act as a disinfecting agent that can help your trash bin smell clean. If you use this chemical, make sure you protect yourself as well as bleach can irritate the skin.