Whip up some DIY solutions and say goodbye to those sugar-loving pests
Having tiny insects constantly fly around your fruit bowl or sink can make your home feel dirty—and it’s just plain annoying. Learn how to get rid of fruit flies in the house and bring peace back to your home. There are several DIY household methods to try that don’t require harsh chemicals. This guide offers a set of speedy solutions and prevention tips to keep fruit flies away for good.
Some of the best ways to kill fruit flies involve homemade traps and sprays. You can make the following quick and effective methods with common household supplies.
Sweet apple cider vinegar is the most effective lure for this trap. For the best results, make several of these traps and place them wherever you see fruit flies.
Fill a small bowl or glass with apple cider vinegar.
Cover the container with plastic wrap and seal the edges with a rubber band.
Use a toothpick to poke several tiny holes in the plastic wrap.
Flies can enter through the holes, but it’ll be nearly impossible for them to escape.
This trap uses apple cider vinegar and a piece of rotting fruit.
Place a piece of ripe fruit and a small amount of apple cider vinegar in a jar.
Roll a piece of paper into a cone and stick it in the jar, pointed end down like a funnel.
If needed, use tape to help the cone maintain its shape.
Like with the small holes in the plastic wrap trap, flies will have difficulty finding their way back out through the cone. Make multiple traps as needed.
This final vinegar-based trap drowns flies rather than lures them into a container.
Fill a small bowl with apple cider vinegar.
Add three drops of dish soap and mix well.
Leave the dish uncovered.
Adding dish soap lowers the vinegar's surface tension, causing flies to sink and drown immediately upon touching the solution. Alternatively, you can add a few drops of dish soap to a bottle of stale beer or wine, both of which have a similar effect to apple cider vinegar.
Fill an empty spray bottle with 2 ounces of hot water and 10 drops of lemongrass essential oil, or fill it entirely with rubbing alcohol. Spray flies directly when you see them on countertops or windowsills. Avoid spraying alcohol on your produce.
If all else fails, there are many products you can purchase to trap or kill fruit flies. You'll see chemical sprays specifically designed to target fruit flies and fly traps that either sit right on your counter or plug into the wall.
Even the best fruit fly traps or sprays won't work forever. Take the following preventative measures to keep fruit flies out of your home for good.
Deep clean your kitchen.
Keep all countertops and sinks clean.
Wash all fruits and vegetables as soon as you get home to remove eggs or larvae.
Throw out overripe produce or keep it sealed.
Take out the garbage regularly and keep indoor garbage lids tightly sealed.
Keep outdoor garbage cans sealed and stored away from windows and doors.
Clean up spills right away, especially juice and alcohol.
Keep silicone drain covers over sink drain openings.
In addition to countertops, sink drains can be breeding grounds for fruit flies and drain flies. Keep drains clear of food particles by boiling water or vinegar and pouring it down the drain and the higher overflow holes. You should also remove drain plugs and clean any gunk buildup on them.
Fruit flies only grow to about an eighth of an inch long. They are a dull tan or yellow color with dark or red eyes, feathery antennae, and wings. Because they're so small, it can be hard to spot these characteristics. Instead, it's helpful to observe their habits.
Fruit flies feed on decaying produce and other organic items. They often hover around fruit bowls near ripe bananas and peaches or around garbage cans with food waste inside. They are most active during the day and can live indoors year-round as long as there’s a consistent food source.
Be aware of lookalikes that may not respond to the removal methods for fruit flies. Rounder, fuzzy flies with lacey wings that concentrate around sink drains or garbage disposals may actually be drain flies, while darker pests with dangling, mosquito-like legs that lurk near your houseplants are more likely fungus gnats.
Fruit flies are attracted to food sources, including decaying fruits and vegetables, sugary liquids like beer and wine, gardens, compost piles, or improperly sealed garbage cans. Like many other common household pests, fruit flies enter through open doors and windows or gaps around these entryways. They can also hitch a ride on groceries as larvae or eggs.
While they don't bite, fruit flies can still pose a threat. They breed in unsanitary places and spread bacteria wherever they land. This can contaminate your food and spread illness to your family. Take action to eliminate fruit flies as soon as you see one in your home.
Since you can perform these DIY methods using household supplies, you likely won't need to spend a dime on fruit fly removal. However, if your DIY efforts are unsuccessful or your fruit fly infestation is particularly severe, you may decide to call in a professional pest control service near you.
A one-time pest control service normally costs between $100 and $260, but a quick visit for something as straightforward as fruit flies may only cost about $50.
Fruit flies are more common during warm-weather months and may go away on their own in late fall once temperatures drop. However, they can survive year-round indoors as long as there's food available, so you'll likely want to take a proactive approach to get rid of them and stop the spread of bacteria.
The difference between fruit flies and gnats is the foods they eat. Fruit flies eat overripe fruit and high-fructose organic substances. Fungus gnats live in the soil and feed on houseplants. Both are quite small, but if you can discern their appearance, you'll also notice that fruit flies are a lighter tan color, while fungus gnats are a darker gray or black.
You can use bleach to kill fruit flies, but it's not the best option because bleach can be toxic to people when used on surfaces. It also isn't as effective as killing flies in drains, as it passes through the drain too quickly to do a thorough job.
To kill fruit flies outdoors, you'll want to make a homemade insecticide or find a plant-safe, nontoxic product. Fill a garden sprayer with your chosen solution and apply it on your plants and around the base of your home's exterior. Take care to limit your exposure to insecticides, as they can irritate skin and eyes. Always rinse garden fruits and vegetables before eating them.
