How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies: The Best Solutions

Are you tired of flies buzzing around your fruits and vegetables? Is your trash infested, too? These hovering flies are called fruit flies. You can’t mix them with drain flies, house flies, and gnats. Fruit flies are tiny brown insects that can be spotted in the kitchen and the garbage. Their red eyes are always looking for vegetables and fruits. 

Do you want to know how to get rid of fruit flies? If yes, use this guide to discover the best ways to get rid of fruit fly infestations in your home.

How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies

When you spot a single fruit fly, all you think about is how to get rid of flies. The first step is to identify the infestation correctly. If you have fruit flies in the house, choose a fruit fly trap from our list below to get rid of them.

Figure Out Where They Are Coming From 

The first thing to do is to figure out the source of the flies. In most cases, it is a food item. You must remove the food and clean the area to disinfect it. Sometimes, you need to find their home and remove it. 

Disinfect Common Areas 

If you have small flies in your house, you must clean the common areas where they like to live. This includes your kitchen sink’s drain. Any other warm and damp spaces should also be disinfected. 

Check your trash cans, too. Fruit flies love to lay their eggs here, which can worsen the infestation in your house. To clean your trash can, clear all trash and then clean it with a heavy-duty cleaner like bleach. Always dry your trash can before using it again. 

how to get rid of fruit flies

The Rotten Fruit Trap 

To trap the fruit flies, use rotten or open food. Put it in any disposable container. Take a plastic wrap to cover the container. Now, make a few holes in the plastic wrap. All the fruit flies will be attracted to the food. They will go inside the trap, making it easier to dispose of them.

Insect Light Traps

How to kill fruit flies using STEM? Well, they have a great light trap for flying insects. The trap has no chemical insecticides, making it safe for people and pets. Just plug the trap in any outlet and let it do its job. 

Sticky Fly Traps

Another great store-bought fly trap is the sticky one. All common flies and fruit flies stick to it and get trapped. Place the trap in the problematic area and let it do its job. Once the sticky area is complete, dispose of the trap.

A Great Mix  

This mixture has proven results. It is made with sodium lauryl sulfate and malic acid. The ingredients are in a stand-up jar. Place the jar where you find the most flies and open the top. 

Apple cider vinegar Trap 

If you are looking for a DIY trap, try apple cider vinegar.

Fruit flies love its scent. To make the trap, take a glass and pour the vinegar into it. Cover the glass with plastic wrap with holes. The fruit flies will enter and get stuck.

Vinegar Trap

Add a few drops of dish soap if your vinegar and plastic wrap trap fail. The dish soap makes the flies sink and drown in the vinegar. 

Some people also confuse baking soda with bicarbonate of soda in cleaning hacks.

The Wine Trap 

Fruit flies are a fan of wine. Hence, you can use old wine and beer to make a trap for them. Take an open bottle with wine and let the flies get trapped in it. You can also add some dish soap for better results.

Alcohol spray 

Take a spray bottle and fill it with alcohol. You can spray the rubbing alcohol in areas where you see insects. 

Book an Exterminator

If you don’t know how to deal with fruit flies, hire an exterminator. This is an effective but costly way to deal with fruit fly infestation. Exterminators also help you get rid of other infestations like silverfish. Discover how to get rid of Silverfish infestation.

how to get rid of fruit flies

Conclusion

In conclusion, fruit flies can be a significant hassle to deal with. However, it’s essential to get rid of them. They will lay eggs on fruits and vegetables if you leave them hovering. You wouldn’t like to consume bacteria and get sick. 

Keep in mind that fruit fly infestations can get worse depending on the time of year. The different seasons in Ireland actually play a big role in how active they are. Our list contains the best possible ways to overcome fruit fly infestation. You can choose any technique based on your preferences. If a method fails to show good results, try another one. 

FAQs

Fruit fly infestations are essential to treat. They have many health risks. The fly can pick up bacteria. When it lands on food, it deposits it there. This means bacteria from manure and other feces can land on your food, causing many diseases. 

Store food efficiently to prevent fruit flies from infesting your house again. Keep food in clean and dry areas. You should also clear your garbage regularly and properly clean the trash cans.

Bleach is often used to get rid of fruit flies infesting kitchen drains. However, it is not as effective. This is because it doesn’t kill enough eggs or larvae. 

Fruit flies can infest gardens with homegrown fruits and vegetables. You can get different insecticide sprays. Add the formula to a garden sprayer. You can also put it in various places around your house.