With the summer heat hitting hard, among a host of problems regarding storing food is the invasion of fruit flies. Whether it is the fresh produce from the garden or the ripe fruits that you were ready to eat – you will find fruit flies munching on them before you can! Apparently, they are harmless, and maybe a shot of spray could help you deal with that temporarily; but if you are looking for how to get rid of fruit flies permanently – you would need a little more effort.
This article will give you some kitchen hacks that will help you get some relief from these pesky little flies. That’s not all! Once clean of these flies, here are some steps that will help you keep them at bay! Let’s get the details –
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How to get rid of fruit flies permanently?
This section will give you some hacks that will help you get rid of fruit flies – once and for all! Let’s check –
1. The apple cider vinegar technique is an all-time favorite
Apple cider vinegar is a must-have ingredient in your kitchen. When you have this in the kitchen, you will be able to create the ideal fly trap. Take a glass and put some dishwashing soap into it.
Keep adding apple cider vinegar to that until the glass is 1/3rd full. To do that, you will have to add hot water at full speed (let the tap run hot water into it so that bubbles are formed).
As the bubbles are formed, naturally, the fruit flies are attracted to them, and they fall down into them.
Apart from this technique, you can use another hack to trap the flies. Take a bowl and half-fill it with apple cider vinegar. Then, wrap it with a plastic cover and poke some holes into it. In this way, the fruit flies will fall into the bowl but not be able to get out of the same.
What if you do not have apple cider at your home? Then how to get rid of fruit flies? Take some pieces of the rotten fruit and, in place of vinegar, put it in the bowl. Then cover it with a plastic wrap and poke holes into it. This way, you will be able to trap the fruit flies and there will be no escape route.
2. Choose the milk-sugar black pepper combo!
You wouldn’t believe how effective the black pepper, milk, and sugar combo is! For this, you will require – around 150ml milk with granulated sugar (2 teaspoons). If opting for sugar cubes, 2 cubes would work well. Combine these ingredients and boil them over the stove or in the microwave – to the point that the sugar completely dissolves in the milk. You must have heard of sweetened milk. That is what you have to do in this case.
The next thing is – you will have to add a dash of liquid soap to this combo. When you do that, automatically, the surface becomes a tad sticky, and the flies would stick by. If you already are using a bowl, then it is fine; if not – transfer the contents into a bowl. Then sprinkle some black pepper over it, and keep it on the kitchen top. Assuredly, the fruit flies will reduce their visits to your home.
3. How about the paper funnel and fruit jar strategy?
Want to figure out some unique way how to get rid of fruit flies? The fruit jar-paper funnel combo is a fantastic way to deal with this. For this – you will have to get a glass jar, any overripe or even rotten fruit or vegetable (you could opt for tomato, banana, or even peaches), and a piece of paper.
Start by rolling the piece of paper into a cone so that – the opening of this paper is less than 1/4 inch. In this position itself, you will have to tape the paper so that it fits the glass jar.
You have to already put the fruit into the jar to ensure it acts like a ‘bait.’ Now take that prepared paper cone and set it just above the bait so that the fruit flies get immediately attracted. As soon as they get inside the cone, they are trapped. Ensure that you replace the cone after regular intervals – say, for example, 4-5 days.
4. Camphor can be a great friend
Camphor is a great friend for your home. You could light a piece of camphor, especially where you keep the garbage in your kitchen. The chemicals released will keep the flies at bay.
5. Distilled vinegar can also help
If you are at your wit’s end about how to get rid of fruit flies, then as a final hack (though you might not need to come to this), you can try to make a fly trap with vinegar and dish wash combo! It has been seen, at times, that the flies do not fall into the created traps.
Hence, while trying this technique –
Take a bowl of vinegar (250 ml) should be fine. Add three-four drops of dishwashing soap to it. Leave it uncovered, especially near that place where your garbage or your fruits and veggies are kept.
For the unversed – the soap somewhat cuts the surface tension of the vinegar, and thereby, when the flies fall into this combo, they sink.
6. Using an empty beer bottle
You may not believe this hack, but it really works!! If you are done with a beer or a wine bottle – then just let it sit on your countertop. You will see a number of fruit flies stuck to the mouth of the bottle or glass since it is fermented liquid. That will solve your problem.
#Say, for example, you have tried some of these techniques, and they did not suit you ideally (whatever the reason); as a last resort, you can try insecticide spreading. Either get pest treatment done or throw some insecticide around to considerably reduce the spread of such fruit flies.
How to prevent them from coming back?
Let’s get this straight – there is no permanent solution to ensure that these flies will not come back. Every time the season changes, they might just make their way back to your home. Having said that, fruit flies detest clean surfaces – and therefore, if you manage to keep your home clean, then chances are low that they would come and survive in that environment.
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Wipe the countertops dry – keep the drains squeaky clean
Since these are the breeding grounds for flies, hence you must keep all the countertops clean and dry. Additionally, if there is any drain by the side, you will have to keep that clean as well.
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Do not keep overripe or rotting food
As much as you may love overripe fruits, they are harbingers of fruit flies. To keep these pesky beings away from your home, do not keep overripe fruits or rotten vegetables stinking in your home.
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Do not keep garbage
If you are piling up garbage in your house, chances are high that you will have your home infested by fruit flies. Remove your waste daily and keep your surroundings clean. That will deter the reappearance of fruit flies at your place.
Wrapping up
Assuming you have read this article well and now have a better understanding of how to get rid of fruit flies with the help of apple cider vinegar and the jar tactics, it is imperative you follow the strategies and do the needful. If you require more help regarding this, you can always put forth your queries in the comments section. For more interesting info like this, keep following this page!
Monalisa Mukherjee is a content writer, copywriter and editor with 4 years of experience. She has written for websites like Biography Talk, The Rich Net Worth, Contour Cafe, He And She Fitness and Fiction Pad. She is currently associated with a noted Digital Marketing Agency and specialises in writing press release, guest posts, articles on travel, entertainment, food recipes, celebs, lifestyle, tech, health, and fashion.
