How to Get Rid of Indoor Plant Insects Using Vinegar

If your plants have been attacked by these white insects and you don’t know what to do, try these tricks using vinegar to get rid of them permanently.
How to Get Rid of Indoor Plant Insects Using Vinegar

Last update: 26 May, 2022

Today, we’ll share some simple methods to get rid of indoor plant insects using a cheap and easy-to-find natural ingredient: vinegar.

Plants give any environment new life and can complement any style. After all, there’s nothing more refreshing than some vegetation inside the home. That’s why it’s important to keep it looking perfect.

Unfortunately, sometimes plants are attacked by little white insects that cause them to lose their color and wither.

If indoor plant insects are a problem for you, don’t worry: today, we’ll tell you how to completely eliminate them without having to use chemical products that can cause allergies or other health issues, especially if you have children or pets in the house.

Fight Indoor Plant Insects

indoor plant insects

White flies are small indoor plant insects that are only about three millimeters. They attack plant leaves and consume the sap inside. The first signs of these insects are yellow leaves that become dry and finally die and fall off.

These insects can be extremely harmful because they produce at an exponential rate. They produce at least four generations a year. A generation includes the entire life cycle of an insect, from when the egg is laid to when it dies.

This is a summer pest because it flourishes better in warm and humid environments. For this reason, it’s more of a danger inside homes and in greenhouses where the climate is ideal for proliferation and up to 11 generations per year can be produced.

Three Ways to Use Vinegar for Indoor Plant Insects

Vinegar is simply a diluted form of acetic acid that’s obtained through the fermentation of any product that contains sugar or starch. It has antiseptic and disinfectant properties, which is why it’s often used in medicine and pharmaceutics.

The Benefits of Using Vinegar

  • It’s cheap.
  • The products we’ll show you today are very easy to make and can be ready in seconds.
  • Vinegar eliminates white flies completely.
  • It won’t stain.
  • It’s not harmful to children or pets.
  • Because of the antibacterial properties, vinegar eliminates germs that might harm the plants or the surrounding environment.

You may also be interested: Using Vinegar to Clean Your Clothes

1-A fly trap

White flies love fermented foods, so vinegar is an ideal way to trap them. Acetic acid also slows them down so you can catch them more easily. If you put vinegar in a bottle, the flies will be attracted to it and won’t be able to escape.
What you’ll need:

  • 1 wide-mouthed jar
  • A knife
  • Vinegar (1 cup)

What to do:

  • Place the vinegar inside the jar.
  • In the lid of the jar, make some large holes using the knife.
  • Place the lid on the jar.
  • Then, place it out in a place where you’ve noticed the flies and watch it work its magic!

2-Vinegar sticky trap

When you mix vinegar with a sticky food supply, such as peanut butter, and place it in a closed trap with holes, the flies will enter and be unable to leave once they are stuck to the food.

What you’ll need:

  • A small box with holes in the top
  • A small dish
  • Peanut butter (2 tablespoons)
  • Vinegar (2 tablespoons)

What to do:

  • Place the peanut butter and vinegar on the plate.
  • Mix well.
  • Put the plate inside the box and close it.

Read also: 6 Natural Repellents for Flies

3-Vinegar and soap

This trap is a good one, because the flies will be attracted to the mixture and leave your plants alone. The soap will trap them so they can’t escape, as well.

This is a very practical trap because you can make a few of them to place in different rooms.
What you’ll need:

  • Apple cider vinegar (1 cup)
  • Soap (1/2 cup)
  • A container

What to do:

  • Add the vinegar and soap to a cup.
  • Mix well.
  • Place in a container next to the affected plants.

Use these simple tricks with vinegar to fight those annoying insects and keep your plants health. Try them and enjoy more plants inside the home!


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


  • Ali, Zeshan & Wang, Zhenbin & AMIR, RAI & Younas, Shoaib & Wali, Asif & Adowa, Nana & Ayim, Ishmael. (2018). Potential Uses of Vinegar as a Medicine and Related in vivo Mechanisms. International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research. 86. 1-12. 10.1024/0300-9831/a000440.
  • White, J. Whiteflies in the greenhouse. Entomology. University of Kentucky College of Agriculture. [Online] Avaiable at: https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef456

This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.