To get rid of fruit flies effectively, create traps using common household items:
- Vinegar and dish soap trap: Fill a small bowl with about 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar, add a few drops of dish soap, and a squirt of water. The vinegar attracts the flies, and the soap breaks the surface tension, so flies get trapped and drown. Place these traps where fruit flies are present and change the solution every few days.
- Jar and plastic wrap trap: Fill a jar with apple cider vinegar, add dish soap, cover the jar with plastic wrap secured with a rubber band, and poke small holes in the wrap. Flies enter through the holes and can't escape.
- Overripe fruit trap: Put a piece of overripe fruit (banana or peach) in a container covered with plastic wrap with holes poked in it. Flies attracted to the fruit get trapped inside.
- Wine or beer trap: Leave a small amount of leftover wine or beer in a bottle, adding a few drops of dish soap to trap flies. The narrow neck keeps the flies inside.
Additional helpful tips include keeping the kitchen clean by wiping surfaces, promptly washing dishes, sealing trash bags, storing fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator or airtight containers, and inspecting produce to avoid overripe fruit that attracts flies. Check kitchen drains too, as fruit flies often breed there—pour boiling water down the drain to kill them.
If DIY methods fail, sticky traps or repellents from stores can be used. As a last resort, an exterminator might be needed, but it’s usually avoidable with good hygiene and traps.
This comprehensive approach should help eliminate fruit flies efficiently.
