Simplest, Pesticide-Free Way to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

The Most Effective, Affordable, and Pesticide-Free Way to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

The warmer weather of spring brings many amazing things, but it also brings with it pests that we don’t like to deal with. If you’ve accidentally left apples on the counter for too long, bananas on top of the refrigerator, or your little one brought food into their room without your knowledge (yes, it happens to all of us), then you’re familiar with the problem of fruit flies. They’re annoying and it sometimes feels impossible to rid your kitchen and your home of those pesky pests without expensive, unhealthy pesticides or over-complicated methods you find on the internet. It really isn’t that hard to get rid of these annoying insects, it’s not really that complicated, and it literally costs pennies to get the job done! All you need is a small bowl, a little apple cider vinegar, and some dish soap. It might take a full 24-48 hours and a little diligence to rid your home of these pests, but it only takes you moments to set the trap.

Follow these 6 simple steps to rid your house of fruit flies naturally:

1. Remove the source, whether that be the fruit in the bowl on the counter or some food left by your child in a corner of a room, or your kitchen garbage can. Clean the area thoroughly with your favorite cleaner.
2. In a small, wide-mouthed bowl, pour about 5 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and heat it in the microwave for 20 seconds.
3. Put 4 drops of any dish soap in the bowl and place it close to the source of the problem (generally the trash can).
4. Let the bugs come to the bowl. They’re attracted to the smell of the vinegar and they get trapped by the dish soap when they dive in to get to the vinegar.
5. Repeat process every 3-4 hours.
6. If your infestation does get bad before you get to this point, remember that a vacuum cleaner with a wand can be your best friend over this trap. You can run the vacuum over the trap or problem area once an hour until you get rid of your pests!

Important things to remember to avoid a fruit fly problem in the future:

1. Fruit flies don’t only love fruit so watch what you leave out. They love anything fermented. Wash out beer, wine, and liquor bottles prior to tossing them in your garbage can. Putting them in an outdoor recycling bin is best.
2. Fruit flies do not like the smell of peppermint. Place a cotton ball or makeup remover disk in the bottom of a small bowl and sprinkle it with Peppermint Essential Oil. Make a few of these and place them in fruit fly prone areas throughout the house (kitchen, bathroom, etc.). It will keep the pests away and leave your house smelling naturally fresh.
3. Keep kitchen sink drains clean. Stuff hides in there that they really love! Pour a tablespoon of cleaner down drains at least once weekly.
4. Don’t store your fruit on the countertop unless it’s covered.

We hope you found this information helpful and that it comes in handy the next time you need to rid your home of fruit flies. Follow these simple steps and you’ll not only rid yourself of a current problem, but you’ll also ward off future invasions so that you can enjoy your kitchen all to yourself without the pesky unwanted guests!

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