# Most effective Chemical on Maggots? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 12, 2004, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-effective-chemical-on-maggots/244751 "2004-05-12T06:52:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kivvik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/cdc98d/32.png) [@kivvik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kivvik)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-effective-chemical-on-maggots/244751/1 "2004-05-12T06:52:10Z")
Having seen the occasional trashcan get infested with maggots, and seeing them survive several different household cleaners, I got to wondering. Is there a common/easy to get chemical or somesuch that will kill these things on contact or at least really fast? ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy154](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ad7895/32.png) [@quiltguy154](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy154)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 10:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-effective-chemical-on-maggots/244751/2 "2004-05-12T10:24:33Z")
Grandma used to dispatch them quite readily with boiling water. If these are a problem at your own home, consider a fine-mesh screen on top of the container, before you put the lid on. No entry=no eggs=no maggots. Alternatively, don’t put out anything attractive to flies, so they won’t come and lay eggs. Rinse out all cans, jars, bottles etc. before you dispose of them, it only takes a little food waste to sound the dinner bell. A garbage disposal is great for obviating this summertime nuisance. ---
**Author:** ![SkeptiJess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@SkeptiJess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkeptiJess)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2004, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-effective-chemical-on-maggots/244751/3 "2004-05-12T11:12:38Z")
Plain household ammonia. Dump a splash into the garbage can – it doesn’t take a gallon of the stuff either, just a 1/4 cup or so – and pop the lid on. The fumes will take out the maggots the ammonia doesn’t actually touch. Works great.