Do baby diapers attract maggots?

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Do you know what attracts maggots? Baby diapers! They are so full of bacteria and other organic material that they serve as an ideal place for flies to lay eggs.  The eggs hatch in the warm, moist environment, and baby maggots spread throughout the diaper.  Gross right?!  It is important to wash the diaper pails often to avoid these pesky creatures.

 

Do Baby Diapers Attract Maggots?

Yes, they do. Maggots are attracted to fermenting flesh. If you kill the bacteria that causes the bad smell, maggots will go away. You can do this by cleaning your baby’s diaper regularly along with regular washing of other dirty clothes. So if you change them every day and be sure to wash them well in hot water, there won’t be any fermenting contents for maggots to feed on.

 

If you, however, don’t empty the diaper pail for a day or two and it begins to smell awful, then it’s very likely that it can attract flies. the basic house fly cycle starts with laying an egg which becomes a larva within a day of hatching and these are commonly known as maggots.

If your baby’s diapers have already attracted maggots, it’s time to clean the diaper pail. For this remove the baby diapers from it. Keep the pail open so that the smell can go out of it. Then clean its base with some soap or disinfectant solution. Let it dry completely before you put your baby’s diaper in there again.

Putting bleach in the drains and washing the diaper pail with bleach can get rid of maggots also, disinfecting it once a day can also help you keep away from maggots.

Now that you know the basics of cleaning the diaper pail, here are some tips on how to take care of your baby’s diapers:

 

How To Keep Maggots Away From Your Diaper Pail?

One way to keep maggots away from your high-maintenance diaper pail is to purchase a lid that has a locking mechanism, which requires the presser foot to be depressed in order for the lid to open.

There are also automatic lids that can open without having to touch them, simply by pushing down on the handle of your pail. Another way is to place diapers in an airtight bag before putting them in the pail. This will provide protection against odors and will make it less likely for flies or other insects to locate your bags of dirty diapers if they are sealed properly.

 

How To Kill Maggots In Your Trash Can?

One way to keep maggots away from your trash can is to avoid piling too many diapers in one small bag or box. You can also push old bags of dirty diapers to the side if you know that you won’t be able to empty them out within the next few days. The less odor there is, the less likely it will attract things like maggots.

1) Insect repellent

Insect repellent can also kill maggots and help to keep them away from your diaper pail. It’s important to take this step, however, and not just place the diapers in a plastic bag and expect it to do all of the work for you–maggots can eat through plastic bags. There are also diatomaceous earth powders that function as natural insecticides and can be used to keep away pests.

Baby diapers attract maggots because of the smell that they emit, which is caused by the feces and urine that have been absorbed into them. It’s important to remember that this smell won’t be present if you are changing your baby’s diaper frequently or using cloth diapers.

2) Bleach

Spray bleach with equal parts of water for a large trash can to kill maggots and help to keep them away. White vinegar and lime also work as natural disinfectants and can be used in place of bleach for killing maggots and other odors.

3) Vinegar

White vinegar with equal parts of water is another option that works well for killing maggots and helping to keep them away from your diaper pail or trash cans.

4) Clean And Wash Diaper Pail Often

Every time you empty your diaper pail, be sure to thoroughly clean it out with hot water before putting in any new diapers.

5) All-Purpose Cleaner

Use an all-purpose cleaner to keep maggots away from the areas that you put your rubbish in. Mix it with four parts of boiling water and spray it on surfaces where your diaper pail is located. It’s important to keep these areas clean in order to prevent flies from laying eggs that will hatch into maggots.

6) Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth can also be used as a natural insecticide for killing maggots and other odors that

7) Use Cloth Diapers If Possible

If possible, use cloth diapers instead of diapers that need to be changed frequently because they won’t emit the same odors and attract maggots.

 

Final Thoughts:

Finding maggots in the diaper pail or trash can is gross. Nobody wants them, try one of the solutions mentioned above in the article if you have maggots in your diaper pail.

When you have a baby, diapers will often end up in your trashcan or diaper pail – both of which may attract maggots if not properly sealed. It’s best to keep everything clean and airtight so the bugs don’t show up! You’ll also want to make sure any pet waste is disposed of immediately before it creates an opportunity for maggot breeding grounds.

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Sandy

Sandy

This post is written and edited by Sandy who is a clinical pharmacist with over 20 years of experience specializing in pre-natal and post-natal care.