Natural Treatment for Maggots that Works (2024)

Are maggots dangerous?

While flies are better known for spreading disease and being generally annoying, maggots themselves aren’t dangerous and can actually help save lives.

Maggot therapy is a common medical practice where certain species of maggots are farmed for use in hospitals. They feast on dead tissue and rotting flesh to remove bacteria in infected wounds.

Maggots are also eaten as a delicacy in some parts of the world. But that doesn’t mean it’s dinner time when you see maggots lurking in your trash bin or on a piece of rotten food.

However, your run-of-the-mill trash maggots are most likely contaminated with bacteria and could cause bacterial poisoning if you were to ingest them. So skip the maggot appetizer and move on to the main dish.

Grove Tip

Pass the cheese, please

Speaking of appetizers, Cazu marzu, literally “rotting cheese,” is an Italian Pecorino cheese that’s made by introducing maggots to the cheese in order to speed up fermentation.

As the maggots eat their way through the Pecorino, their excretions help soften it up to create a creamy texture. Yum!

But don’t worry — your neighbors will most likely not be bringing Cazu marzu to the block party. This cheese is highly regulated and extremely expensive.

Because flies are all about survival, they lay their eggs on any hardy food source—your trash, your dog’s poop, that open can of Fancy Feast you forgot about. Twenty-four hours later, when the eggs hatch, the lil’ babies begin to glutton themselves on that rotten food in preparation to pupate.

Maggot pupation is the nightmare version of the caterpillar turning into the butterfly, except the maggot forms a hard shell and turns into a dirty housefly. Flies lay hundreds of eggs at a time, which is why you see clusters of maggots squirming about together.

Grove Tip

How long can maggot infestations last?

So—do maggots eventually go away, or should you start charging them rent?

Maggots only feed for about five days before they turn into flies, start breeding, and the cycle repeats itself. The trick is to get rid of the maggots before they have a chance to pupate.

The majority of maggot-killing methods use harsh insecticides or bleach. Nix those potentially harmful chemicals and banish maggots with the power of nature instead!

Read on for the 5 best ways to get rid of maggots in your house naturally.

1. Try a salt kill

Maggots need water to thrive and survive, and salt is a natural dehydrator.

Dowse the creepy crawlies with a large amount of table salt to dry them out. Once they are dead, sweep the maggots into a plastic bag and dispose of them.

Make sure to wash the area they infested thoroughly!

2. Pour boiling water on them

Bring a pot of water to a boil, then, to get rid of maggots from your trash can, pour it into your can (or down your garbage disposal if that’s where they are).

You might have to repeat this method a few times to kill all the maggots completely.

3. Sprinkle ‘em with diatomaceous earth

Diatomaceous earth is a natural powder that has a variety of uses in the home. This is a great method to get rid of maggots from carpet or other fibrous places.

Sprinkle enough of it over the maggots so that they’re fully covered. The powder sticks to their bodies and dehydrates their exoskeleton, killing them dead.

Dispose of the maggot corpses in a plastic bag, then give the area a good deep cleaning.

4. White vinegar to the rescue

Maggots can’t live in the acidity of vinegar.

Mix 3 parts water to 1 part vinegar and pour the solution directly over the maggots.

Let the mixture sit for about an hour before you discard the maggots and clean the area.

Do conventional bug sprays work on maggots? Probably, but they can also do a number on your health.

A natural pest remover is the easiest method to kill maggots. Natural pest removers banish nasty critters like maggots without toxic ingredients like sulfates, parabens, or insecticides—and that’s what we call a win-win situation.

Got more pests than you can handle? Check out our guides to banish icky insects from your home. We’ve got in-depth how-to’s for moth removal, getting rid of flour bugs, and killing off drain gnats without using harsh chemicals.

Once you know how to get rid of maggots and find your preferred method for doing so, use these tips for preventing maggots from coming back.

• Don’t leave food sitting out — store it in sealed containers.
• Tie garbage bags tightly, and take the garbage out frequently.
• Keep your garbage can clean.
• Keep your yard and house free from dog poop.
• Seal any holes in your window screens or cracks in the frame to prevent flies from getting in.
• Clean out your garbage disposal regularly.