DIY Solutions for Fruit Flies

 

There's nothing worse than pouring your morning coffee and feel or hear tiny fruit flies around your ears. These pests seem to come out of nowhere and multiply super-fast. Here's a few easy and effective ways to solve this annoying problem. 

1. Apple Cider Vinegar Trap

Fruit flies are attracted to the smell fermented fruit, which is why apple cider vinegar works great. This is easy to put together and it's pretty cheap. 

How to make it:

• Pour a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into a small bowl or jar
• Add a drop of dish soap. This breaks the surface tension, so the flies sink
• Cover the container with plastic wrap, poke a few small holes in the top, and set it near your fruit bowl or trash can

You'll start to see the results in just a few hours!

2. Red Wine Trap 

If you do not have any apple cider vinegar, red wine works as well. Personally, I would rather finish the bottle and swat at the flies with it, but it can be a solid replacement in a pinch. 

3. Overripe Fruit Trap

No apple cider vinegar, and tired of swatting at the flies with the empty wine bottle? This is a great option.

How to do it:

• Place a piece of overripe banana or peach in a jar.
• Cover the top with plastic wrap and poke holes. 
• Let the fruit rot a little, the riper it gets, the better the trap will work (remember fruit flies are attracted to fermented fruit)

Empty it every day or two and replace with fresh bait. 

4. Boiling Water for Drains 

Sometimes fruit flies will breed in sink drains or garbage disposals. 

• Pour boiling water down the drains daily for a few days 
• Follow with 1/2 cup baking soda, then 1 cup white vinegar. Wait 10 minutes, then flush with hot water. 

This clears out the gunk that lines the pipes that fruit flies will sometimes lay their eggs. If these steps do not work, try using a foaming drain cleaner and follow the instructions on the bottle for best results. 

5. Clean and Eliminate Breeding Grounds

Focus on these hot spots: 

• Toss overripe fruit 
• Empty trash and compost bins often.
• Wipe down counters and sink drains
• Rinse out recyclables
• Keep produce in the fridge when possible. 

Prevention is the name of the game. The last step is probable the most important, eliminating sources like overripe fruit and juices from them right away is a large part of prevention. I hope that you have found this information useful and I welcome you feedback. If you have any other proven tips or tricks please let us know!