How to Get Rid of Gnats in a Bar or Restaurant Kitchen
Quick Answer: To get rid of gnats in a bar or restaurant kitchen, name the fly, find where it breeds, and clear that spot. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension says cultural, physical and mechanical measures are the best strategies and that pesticides have limited value. Traps catch adults only, so use them as a supplement. If anything is sprayed, the label must allow use in a food establishment.
Gnats in a kitchen or bar are small flies, and the same cleanup answers most of them. This page is the removal order. For the fly itself, see types of flies in a bar and where gnats come from. Sources are extension and FDA pages checked October 2026. The extension guidance is written for school kitchens.
How do you get rid of gnats in a bar kitchen?
Remove what they breed in. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (IPM Action Plan for Small Flies) says the best strategies are cultural, physical and mechanical: cleaning up spills, proper food storage and trash handling, removing standing water, fixing leaks, drying mops, emptying mop buckets and rejecting infested or overripe produce.
| Step | What to do | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Count | More than two flies per visit or per sticky trap means a closer inspection for breeding sites | Texas A&M |
| 2. Spills and produce | Clean up food and drink spills immediately; inspect incoming produce and reject overripe items | Texas A&M |
| 3. Recycling | Rinse beverage containers; do not store recycled containers more than seven days | Texas A&M |
| 4. Drains | Clean drains, traps and strainers at least twice per week; keep P-traps full of water | Texas A&M |
| 5. Under equipment | Clean food residue under prep counters and around equipment; seal cracks and tile edges | Texas A&M |
| 6. Mops and bins | Dry mops, empty mop buckets, line waste containers and empty and clean them daily | Texas A&M |
| 7. Recheck | Follow up about one week later | Texas A&M |
A plant on the back bar can also be the source. Texas A&M says fungus gnats come from the soil of over-watered potted plants, and Oregon State Extension (PNW 770) suggests avoiding potted plants in kitchen and food preparation areas.
Do traps help?
As a supplement. Texas A&M says traps baited with vinegar, juice or soft drinks capture adult fruit flies alongside sanitation, and that liquid-lure traps should be added where complaints about fruit flies recur more than once a month. Oregon State says food-based lure traps may be useful in some situations but discourages homemade funnel traps with fruit inside, which catch only some flies and can generate more. Texas A&M says electrocuting traps should not be used in kitchens because exploding insects can contaminate food-preparation surfaces, and Oregon State (PNW 769) prefers UV light traps with sticky capture boards. A trap is a trap, not a sanitizer. Our guides to the vinegar fruit fly trap and fruit fly traps for bars cover the types. The full fruit-fly routine is in how to get rid of fruit flies in a bar.
Should you use gnat spray or gnat killer?
Rarely, and only to the label. Texas A&M says pesticide options have limited value and are rarely required for drain, fruit and other small flies, that chemicals may knock down adults but will not give long-term control, and that the label is the law. The FDA Food Code 2026 (section 7-202.12) says a pesticide must be used per label instructions stating that use is allowed in a food establishment, and applied so that nothing drips, drains, fogs, splashes or sprays onto food, equipment, utensils or linens. It is a model code, and your health department's adopted version binds the bar. Never spray over open bottles, garnish, ice or clean glassware. This page recommends no spray.
What about gnats in the kitchen sink?
Check the drain. Gnats around a sink are often drain flies, which breed in the film inside drains, and the fix is cleaning the drain, not catching adults. Texas A&M says infestations could point to a dry drain trap or a damaged sewer pipe. Our guide to fruit flies and bar sink drains goes through the checks.
Will a screen pourer help with gnats?
It covers one entry. Esatto makes and sells the Esatto Liquor Pourer with Screen, 24 Pack. It is our own product, not an independent pick. Its collection page describes a free-flow pourer with a built-in screen that keeps bugs and debris out of your liquor, which suits a back bar with many open bottles. It does nothing about a drain or a garbage bin. See the screen pourers collection for other pack sizes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get rid of gnats in my kitchen?
Find and remove what they breed in: spills, overripe produce, drain film, damp mops. Then use traps for the adults that remain.
What is the best way to get rid of gnats?
Sanitation. Texas A&M says cultural, physical and mechanical measures are the best strategies, and pesticides have limited value.
How do I get rid of gnats quickly?
Clear the breeding site first, since traps only catch adults that already exist. Texas A&M says small fly populations can fluctuate greatly in a short time, and suggests a follow-up about a week after any treatment.
Is there a gnat killer that works in a food business?
Only a product whose label states use is allowed in a food establishment, applied per the label. The sources here recommend cleanup first.
What does gnat spray do?
Texas A&M says chemicals may knock down adults but will not give long-term control. It names no spray, and neither does this page.
Are small flies in the house the same problem?
Often the same flies, since the extension pages cover indoor kitchens. Oregon State advises finding and removing the source in which the larvae are developing.