I’ve always found flies oddly persistent — as if they wait for the perfect moment to ruin your lunch or sneak into the kitchen just when you’re starting to relax. I’ve tried nearly everything: sprays, traps, essential oils, citronella candles — you name it.
Then, one afternoon at my nana’s house, she handed me a plastic bag filled with water and a few shiny coins. I blinked.
And you know what? It worked.
The Weird Trick (That’s Been Around Forever)
You take a clear plastic bag, fill it halfway with water, drop in a few shiny coins, tie it closed, and hang it where the flies tend to gather — near doors, windows, patios, wherever.
Sounds ridiculous, I know. But there’s something about the way light hits the water and reflects off the coins that confuses flies. They’ve got those big compound eyes — thousands of lenses — and the glare messes with their sense of direction. They think it’s a predator or a place they don’t want to be.
Whatever the science, I only care about one thing: it keeps them away.
How to Do It (Takes Literally 2 Minutes)
You’ll need:
- A clear plastic sandwich bag
- Water (fill it halfway)
- 3–5 shiny coins (pennies or nickels work great)
- A twist tie or string
Just drop the coins in, seal the bag tight (no leaks!), and hang it near any fly-prone area. That’s it. No smells, no chemicals, no zapping. Just a weird little bag of water doing its thing.
People Swear by It (I’m One of Them)
After I started using it, I told a couple of friends — skeptics, of course. But after trying it out at a weekend BBQ, one of them texted me, “I don’t know what kind of witchcraft this is, but I’m never using fly spray again.”
My cousin tried it in her garage. My neighbor hung one near her kitchen door. All reported the same thing: fewer flies, no effort.
Final Thoughts
It’s funny, isn’t it? With all our tech and gadgets and sprays, sometimes the best solution is the simplest one — like something your grandma pulls out of a drawer without explanation.
If flies are driving you nuts, try this. One plastic bag, a few coins, and a bit of string. That’s all it takes.
Thanks, Nana.