There's not much worse than walking into your kitchen only to be bombarded by those pesky little fruit flies that hitch a ride in on your produce. Learn how to catch fruit flies with these 2 easy and natural ways and say goodbye forever!
Does anyone else ever feel like their kitchen is completely overrun by fruit flies? It happens so quickly. You may start out with just one or two, but before you know it, BAM—they are everywhere!
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Well, we are going to show you how to take your kitchen back and say goodbye to those little flying irritations forever. With just a few simple and cheap ingredients, you'll be a fruit fly-catching ninja with a reclaimed kitchen!
FRUIT FLY DEATH COMBO
This cocktail is BEYOND simple. All you need are 2 ingredients and you'll be dropping those suckers like flies. (*Insert evil cackle here.*)
Fill a small cup 1/2 full with vinegar, add a few drops of dish soap and BAM! Flies be gone. Stage a cup or two around the kitchen, especially by the source of the problem and let it work its magic. The fruit flies are immediately drawn to it, and by the end of the day you can sleep peacefully knowing your pesky flies are GONEZO. This deadly little cocktail works every. single. time.
Don't have any apple cider vinegar on hand? That's okay. You can substitute ACV with your own solution of white vinegar and apple juice. Fill about 1/3 to 1/2 of the cup with apple juice, put about 1-2 tablespoons of distilled vinegar, and a squirt of dish soap in the cup with a quick little stir. Voila!
HOW TO CATCH FRUIT FLIES WITH A CONE TRAP
Another tried and true method to catch fruit flies is to make a banana cone trap. You just need a jar, a chunk of ripe banana and a piece of paper.
Toss a few pieces of ripe banana into the jar (or any overripe fruit you have), then roll the paper into a cone with an opening about the size of a dime. Use tape to secure the cone and stick the small end into the jar. The flies will be attracted to the fruit and fly into the jar but won't be able to find their way back out. Muahahahah!
HOW TO PREVENT FRUIT FLIES
You may find yourself wondering how in the world those little fruit flies even found their way into your home. One of the most common ways they do is by hitching a ride in on your produce. Little do we know, we actually open the front door and carry them in ourselves! YUCK.
Here are a few of our favorite ways to prevent fruit flies from sticking around and infesting our space.
- Wash All Produce – There may actually be fruit fly eggs on that stuff. The horror!! Give everything a nice soak in vinegar and rinse it before setting it on the countertop for storage… Yes, even your bananas!
- Don't Leave Damp Towels Out – If your kitchen towels get damp, switch them out for a dry one so the spot doesn't become a breeding ground.
- Clear Out Your Sink – Again, another common breeding ground for the little devils! Make sure your drain is clean, too.
- Use Up Overripe Fruit – This one is a biggie because it's where they thrive! Throw them in your smoothie packs in the freezer so they don't go to waste.
And there you have it! With these simple tips, not only will you know how to catch fruit flies, you'll know how to prevent them from showing up in the first place. Now, grab your fruit fly death cocktail and take back your kitchen!
How have you dealt with fruit flies in the past? Tell us in the comments below!
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- Instead of tossing those overripe bananas, use them in this delicious banana bread recipe!
Thanks I am going to give this a try today. I love your bowls, can you tell me where you purchased them?
Ripe bananas work even better. I’ve tried everything! I must have caught 50 in the first hour I had it out. Try it out and see if it works better for you too.
I’m all over this! They are driving me crazy! Thx!
We do this too. In fact, the girls love doing this because they think it’s a science experiment!
I recently read that the fruit we buy already has fruit fly eggs on it, especially bananas, so it’s wise to wash the fruit once we get home.
YUCK – so good to know, thanks Cynthia!
yes, the eggs are on the fruit when you buy it so you carry them into your home, that’s where they come from (and that’s why there are fruit-flies at times and none at other times).
anyhow, what I wanted to say: don’t worry if you don’t have apple cider vinegar, all you need is something fruity (like the bananas that have already been mentioned), so just plain apple juice is fine, too. I once even used a spoon of jam, stirred into water.
And what I also always do: put saran-wrap (how do you spell that? sorry, English is not my first language…) over the cup/bowl and then punch a couple of holes into it: the flies crawl through the holes but can’t get out again, so you also catch those that managed to drink from the yummy juice but didn’t fall in.
Thank you for this! I usually pour bleach down my drains (I read that’s where they breed?), but it doesn’t do anything for the annoying ones flying around.