Natural ways to get rid of pesky fruit flies

Stocking your home with fresh produce has a ton of benefits, but the pesky fruit flies that it attracts are not among them. Since fruit flies are drawn to ripened fruits and vegetables, you might find them flying around your kitchen when you’ve left out your items for a little too long. The bad news is that simply shooing them away won’t get rid of them, and you can drive yourself mad chasing them around, trying to squash them mid-air. The good news, however, is that we’ve got the scoop on how to get rid of fruit flies for good.

Believe it or not, fruit flies are usually brought in by you. Yes, you! If one isn’t lingering on the produce you brought home, then you could have picked up a piece of fruit on which a female has already laid her eggs. Either way, they most likely hitched a ride home in your grocery bag.

Once they’ve snuck into your home, their breeding process begins (if it hasn’t started already). They breed almost as soon as they land, laying eggs underneath the surface of your precious produce. No matter where they breed, you’ll want to act fast. Female fruit flies can lay up to 500 eggs at a time, which can hatch within just 24 hours. Gross!

Pro tip: Think throwing away infested produce is enough to get rid of these pests? Think again. Fruit flies can (and will) continue breeding within garbage bags, drains and garbage disposals. Be sure to throw away rotten produce before your little friends move in for good.

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Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to get rid of fruit flies. From DIY methods to store-bought options, eliminating these pests can actually be quick and easy. Once you’ve gotten rid of them, keep them away by regularly cleaning your countertops and sink drains, as well as quickly and thoroughly attending to spills. Also, wash your produce as soon as you get home to remove any eggs that may have already been laid. And lastly, either use or throw away any produce that is overly ripe or rotting. Now that you know the best practices moving forward, here’s how to naturally get rid of fruit flies in your home ASAP.

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This method is the easiest since it only requires one ingredient. Pour some apple cider vinegar into a small glass or jar. Then cover the top with plastic wrap and secure it with a rubber band. Using a toothpick, poke a few tiny holes in the plastic wrap, and set it out on the counter. The fruit-based vinegar will attract the fruit flies, and once they’re inside, they won’t be able to get back out.

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Squirt a little dishwashing liquid into a glass. Add apple cider vinegar until the glass is one-third full. Let your tap run until the water is steaming hot, then blast it into the glass so a thick layer of bubbles forms on top. Once again, the flies are attracted to the apple cider vinegar. Meanwhile, the dishwashing liquid works to cut the surface tension of the vinegar, causing the fruit flies to fall in and drown.

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Don’t have any apple cider vinegar handy? Try using the rotten fruit that’s attracting them in the first place. Just put some chopped fruit that’s past its prime in a bowl. Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and secure with a rubber band. Using a toothpick, poke a few holes in the plastic. The holes should be large enough for fruit flies to crawl in but small enough to keep them from getting out.

Looking for other ways to get rid of rotten fruit? You might want to learn how to compost.

Put a piece of overly ripe or rotten banana in a jar. Pour in enough beer to partially cover the banana. Grab a cone-shaped coffee filter and poke a small hole in the bottom. Set it on top of the jar, folding the paper over the edges of the jar to hold it in place and trap the fruit flies.

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Combine 1/2 cup milk with 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar. Heat it on the stove or in the microwave, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Stir in a squirt of dishwashing liquid (this makes the surface of the liquid somewhat sticky so the fruit flies can’t escape) and pour the mixture into a bowl. Sprinkle black pepper over the top. It could be hard to tell the difference between specks of black pepper and potential casualties, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the lack of fruit flies in your home after you try this trick.

Don’t want that last swig of beer or that last glass of wine? Don’t dump it! Instead, leave the opened bottle on the kitchen counter. The fruit flies will be drawn to the fermented liquid but won’t be able to get out, thanks to the bottle neck.

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Source: RD.com