Question
Hello Darlene, it's Tamika again.  Quick comment; I've noticed a lot of questions regarding gnats.  One of your remedies is to use a spray of rubbing alcohol mixed with water.  I just want to note to the users who grow Oxalis Triangularis (purple shamrocks) in the house, be careful not to get the alcohol on the leaves and stems.  I believe it will damage the plant.  After using this on mine, the leaves and stems turned brown and shriveled.  I will try to salvage mine by planting the bulbs in a new pot with fresh dirt.  Good luck to all, I know the gnats are so annoying!

Answer
Tamika,

When you repot the bulbs mix extra perlite in with the new soil for better drainage. Use a ratio of 2 parts of potting soil to 1 part of perlite. Do this even if the new soil has perlite in it. More perlite will improve the aeration, drainage and the quality of the soil. Then be very careful not to leave water in the drain tray more than an hour after watering the plant. Sitting in a tray of water will rot the roots, attract fungus gnats and turn the leaves brown.

I am sorry you feel you had a bad reaction to the water alcohol mix. Did you empty the drain tray after using it as I advise? I have never had alcohol damage any plant but too much water will cause reactions as you describe. Overwatering kills more plants than any other problem. If the bulbs are still firm they should come back just fine. If they are soft and mushy it is the water that caused it and not the alcohol. The alcohol evaporates quickly but the water does not, it needs to be dumped out. Good luck.

Darlene