If you love going outdoors, but hate dealing with pesky flies and gnats, we’ve got a solution for you. This solution doesn’t involve chemical filled sprays or using a fly swatter. It is all natural and you probably have all the ingredients sitting around in your house.

Have you ever seen a bag filled with water and penny in someone’s house? It may look a little strange, but this unusual method works very  well at keeping the flies away. All you will need to make your own is a heavy-duty freezer bag, table salt, lime juice, a few coins, and water.

To make it, simply fill the bag with all the other items and seal it shut. Hang it above your door or in any area that you have a fly problem. It can be used inside or outside, just make sure you hang it where it can reflect light. The light can be from sunlight, outdoor lights, or indoor lights.

There are plenty of reasons to keep flies away from your house. Not only are they a nuisance, but they can carry a variety of diseases that are harmful to both humans and pets. They pick up bacteria, viruses, and fungi, and spread them around to our food and water supplies.

Flies also land on nasty things like pet feces, dead animals and trash. Whenever they land on something their feet pick it up, and whenever they land again, they transfer whatever is on their feet to the new surface. Consequently, lots of nasty stuff can be spread around your house thanks to these little pests.

If you can’t imagine the water in the bag method working, there’s actually scientific evidence to back it. Flies see things much differently than we do, so when the water and the coin reflect the light back into their eyes, it makes them have trouble seeing where they are flying. Because of this, the flies eventually learn to avoid the area so they don’t get disoriented.

If you want to try to more methods that are natural you can try putting out basil leaves in your flower pot, or grow the herb around your patio. Flies hate the scent of basil and will avoid the area. This works for lots of other pests too. Bay leaves work in a very similar way.

So next time you find yourself swatting away flies, don’t spend a lot of money on fly deterrents and chemical, simply make your own and you might be surprised just how good these natural methods work.

If you’ve tried the penny and water in the bag trick, share this story with your friends so they can give it a try too!