Flies are attracted to the odour of decomposing organic matter, particularly food waste. A dirty bin and any uncovered food provide ideal spots for a fly to deposit its eggs, often several hundred at a time. Within 24 to 48 hours, these eggs hatch into maggots which feed on the waste, thriving especially in warm, moist conditions.

Without intervention, these maggots will develop and emerge as adult flies within a week, perpetuating the cycle and transforming your bin into a fully fledged infestation site. To prevent this, professional cleaner Claire has taken to her Instagram page @sisterpledgecleans to share her go-to hack to "keep flies away".

Claiming that "this hack will work in any bin", Claire revealed that salt is the secret weapon for eliminating these unwanted pests.

Much like snails, flies and maggots have a strong aversion to salt. To eradicate them using salt, simply coat the maggots and the entire affected area with a generous layer of table salt and leave it to sit in direct sunlight for approximately an hour.

The combination of heat and salt will dehydrate and destroy the flies and maggots. Afterwards, rinse the area thoroughly and dispose of the maggots in a sealed plastic bag.

Claire instructed: "Just sprinkle a generous amount of table salt at the bottom of the bin. Flies hate salt, and it soaks up any bin juice, preventing them from laying eggs or producing maggots. Say goodbye to pesky flies!"

The cleaner demonstrates using it in her food waste bin within the footage, though you could equally apply it in your larger wheelie bins.

After the flies and maggots have been eliminated, thoroughly cleanse the bin before placing additional rubbish inside and cover the base with salt.

Subsequently, wash and replace the salt layer regularly, more frequently throughout the summer months.

Since minimising odours helps prevent flies invading your bins, baking soda can also be utilised. It's an odour-absorbing powder that also eliminates moisture, similar to salt.