Korean Job Discussion Forums

[the_curious]

They're about the same size as fruit flies... but they aren't fruit flies.

What are they eating and how do I get rid of them?

[wishfullthinkng]

[the_curious]

[CentralCali]

Before you pour bleach into the drains, you have to clean the drains out. Bathroom drains in Korea (at least every one I've had the occasion to clean out) are a bit different than what I'm used to back in the US. Here's the procedure for cleaning the drains here:

For the bathroom drain:

1. Invest in some cheap wooden chopsticks and either a wire brush or wire scrubbing pad such as Brillo or SOS.
2. Remove the metal drain cover.
3. Underneath that cover is an upside down cup covering the drain. Remove that also.
4. Remove the accumulated gunk (hair and other matter) that's blocking the holes in the cup. Flush the gunk down the toilet or dispose of it with your other household garbage.
5. Take the wooden chopstick and carefully remove the gunk in the moat around the drainpipe. Flush that gunk down the toilet or dispose of it with your other household garbage.
6. Scrub both the drain cover and the cup with the brush or Brillo pad. Ensure you clean both sides of the drain cover and both the inside and outside of the cup.
7. Using the wire brush or Brillo pad and the chopstick together, scrub the inside of the moat around the drainpipe. You should be running the shower attachment in your bathroom while doing steps 6 and 7.
8. When finished, replace the cup and the drain cover.
9. Pour bleach or other drain cleaner into both the floor drain and the sink drain. Close the sink drain cover and fill the sink with water.
10. After a half-hour, open the sink drain and using the shower attachment, flush both the sink drain and the floor drain with water for a few minutes each.
11. Repeat this procedure in one week.

For the kitchen drain:

1. Boil a large pot of water--the larger, the better. Do this on the cooking range instead of using one of those electric water pots.
2. Remove the drain cup and pour whatever is in it into a food garbage bag.
3. Use a dish washing scrubbing pad (the rough side) to clean both the inside and outside of the drain cup.
4. Put the drain cover over the drain in the sink. Do not replace the drain cup yet.
5. Put the drain cup into the sink and fill the sink with the boiling water.
6. Remove the drain cover after a few minutes to empty the sink, then repeat steps 4 and 5.
7. Replace the drain cup, then pour bleach or other kitchen drain cleaner into the drain. Put the drain cover over the drain and fill the sink with water.
8. After a half-hour, remove the drain cover to empty the sink. Remove the drain cup and attach a sink drain cleaning tablet (available at every Home Plus, E-Mart, Lotte Mart, etc. in the country) to the inside of the drain cup.
9. Replace the drain cup.
10. Repeat this procedure in one week.
11. After every single time you use the kitchen sink, you should remove the drain cup and pour whatever is in it into a food garbage bag, then replace the drain cup. Tie the bag closed tightly and dispose of it following your area's garbage collection schedule.

Another thing to remember is to wash the plastic trash before you dispose of it. Simply run hot water over it and then place it in the recycling bag. In my area, food garbage is collected twice a week and plastic garbage is collected twice a week. They are not collected on the same days. If you don't wash the plastic/vinyl/whatever you want to call the packaging, you'll be attracting other critters.

Hope this helps and doesn't gross anyone out.

[DaHu]

I would just move. Not like you own the place, do you?

[Hokie21]

http://www.orkin.com/flies/drain-fly/drain-fly-facts

Those?

[yeti08]

Holy smokes that was a lot of info up there.....

I just pour boiling water followed by bleach down my drains every so often. Very, very rarely see them.

[CentralCali]

The problem with your method is that the gunk still blocks the drain. It really doesn't take long for my method.

[Draz]

I have those. I thought they were eating the mold. Apparently I was right.

[yeti08]

[nobbyken]

Any way you can tape round any pipe drainage-pipe joints they may be coming in.

If you can try taping some foil or a plastic bag round any suspect joints to prevent them from coming in.
A chemical near the joint should also prevent any persistent ones from trying to squeeze past your defences to enter the apartment.
They will probably move on up the pipe to a neighbourㅋㅋㅋ.

[betrock]

First find the source. The best way is to put some packing tape with small holes (use a needle) over the drains over night. You need the holes so the flies actually try to escape through the opening. In the morning you will likely have a bunch of tiny babies on one of them.

Once you know the source, get rid of their food. Use drain cleaner to get rid of organic matter. There are different types of of drain cleaner, and some are not bad for the pipes or environment, some are bad for everything. I just used a cheap one from Home Plus because I could not find a safe one (if anyone knows a good one, post a link). Do not leave it in the drain too long because it is nasty stuff and will damage the drain.

First time will get rid of the flies and most of the source. A second shot will clean the rest of it out.