During the spring and summer months, there’s nothing more annoying than flies and other flying pests. We’re used to mosquitoes by the pool, and even ants inside, but flies inside the home are the worst. You may be seeing fruit flies surrounding your fruit bowl or kitchen sink. Luckily there are home remedies that can help you get rid of fruit flies in your home. Here are 5 ways to kill fruit flies.
Before you start, look around your space and make sure it’s clean. Fruit flies don’t like clean surfaces, so start clearing the clutter and wiping down countertops, appliances, and your sink. Also, you’ll want to make sure that it is fruit flies in your home and not another insect like drain flies.
What Causes Fruit Flies In The House?
Although it may seem as though fruit flies just appear out of nowhere, they are actually attracted to fermented fruits and vegetables. Female fruit flies lay their eggs on or inside overripe, rotting, or decaying fruit. Each female can lay up to 500 eggs at a time. That’s why it’s important to take action as soon as you see the first fly. After hatching, the larvae feast on their surroundings, such as a super ripe banana, for a few days, before evolving into fully formed adults.
How Do You Get Rid Of Fruit Flies?
Use these 5 fruit fly extermination methods to keep a clean and sanitary home:
1. Clean All Surfaces
The first step to eradicating flies is simply cleaning up. Wipe down the countertops and keep the drain free of bits of food and residue. If you don’t, these areas will become the perfect home for fruit flies to breed.
2. Get Rid Of Too-Ripe Or Rotten Fruits & Veg
Regularly check all fruits and vegetables for rot, decay, or overripeness. Throw away anything that doesn’t look right to avoid having females lay their eggs on them.
3. Use Apple Cider Vinegar
Fill a bowl or glass with apple cider vinegar, cover the top with glad wrap, seal it with a rubber band, and then poke tiny holes through the plastic on top. The vinegar will work to attract the flies, and once they’re inside the glass, they won’t be able to get back out.
4. Apple Cider Vinegar And Dish Soap
Fill a bowl with vinegar and add a few drops of dish soap, mix well. While the vinegar tempts the flies, the dish soap works to lessen the surface tension of the liquid, making the flies become immersed upon checking out the solution, and unable to escape.
5. Beer Or Wine
Leave a bottle of old beer or wine in the area where the flies show up. They’ll be lured in by the stale alcohol, and the thin bottle neck should trap them inside the bottle.
Conclusion
We hope these methods work to keep flies away during the warmer months, and all year round. If you want to try a chemical, then buy a top rated spray product to eliminate fruit flies once and for all. Always try to keep your house clean, and keep an eye on your plants. Control humidity inside and keep your gutters clean and downspouts free-flowing.
If you need the help of SweepSouth, we offer professional cleaning services to prevent infestation of spiders and other pests.
