How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies (Permanently)

Fresh fruits around your home are healthy for your diet. However, if you let them sit too long, your kitchen can be overrun with pesky little fruit flies swarming into your life. Learn a few simple ways for how to get rid of fruit flies and make sure they stay that way.

Simple Ways to Get Rid of Fruit Flies With Vinegar

When you are looking to get rid of fruit flies, one of your main concoctions for killing is apple cider vinegar. It has that rotteny sweetness that fruit flies love. For this method, grab:

• Mason jar/bowl/cup
• Apple cider vinegar
• Plastic wrap
• Coffee filter
• Rubber band
• Dish soap
• Toothpick
• Old fruit

How to Make the Vinegar Fruit Fly Trap

Now that you've got your materials at the ready. It's time to get rid of those fruit flies.

1. Pour a cup or two of apple cider vinegar into the jar.
2. Add a few pieces of fruit.
3. Put the coffee filter over the top of it.
4. Secure it with the rubber band.
5. Use the toothpick to poke holes in the top.
6. Leave it on the counter and wait.

If you don't have any coffee filters, you can use plastic wrap. But the coffee filters let the aroma of that rotten apple cider goodness out better.

How to Make a Vinegar and Dish Soap Fruit Fly Trap

Don't have any coffee filters or plastic wrap? Don't worry. You can create a homemade fly trap with good ole' dish soap.

1. Add a generous amount of dish soap to the mason jar.
2. Add a cup or two of apple cider vinegar to the mason jar.
3. Microwave the mixture, so the vinegar really smells.
4. Whisk the dish soap and vinegar together.
5. Set on the counter.

You can add some plastic wrap over the top and punch holes in it if you find the flies are getting out of the trap.

How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies Without Vinegar

If you are not a fan of apple cider vinegar and the smell, you are not alone. Thankfully, you can create a few fruit fly traps without that particular ingredient. To create these ingenious traps, reach for:

• Beer or wine bottle with a bit left in it
• Rotten fruit
• Plastic wrap
• Mason jar/cup/bowl
• Bowl
• Toothpick
• Milk
• Sugar

Beer Bottle Fruit Fly Trap Creation

If you are a wine or beer connoisseur, then this vinegar-less trap might be right up your alley.

1. Grab a few beer bottles with a bit of beer still left in the bottom.
2. Cut up a bit of overly ripe fruit.
3. Pop the chunks in the beer bottles.
4. Swish it around.
5. Leave it out where you have fruit flies.
6. Replace as needed.

Rotten Fruit Trap Instructions

If you compost, you are sure to have a bit of overly ripe fruit lying around. Use it to your advantage by creating a vinegar-free fruit fly trap.

1. Grab a bowl.
2. Chop up the rotten fruit and add it to the bowl.
3. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap.
4. Secure it tightly around the bowl.
5. Poke holes in the top with the toothpick.
6. Sit it where you have the fruit fly infestation.
7. Replace as needed.

Milk Trap for Fruit Flies How-To

Milk and sugar can also work as a good trap for giving fruit flies the boot. For this method, grab the milk and sugar.

1. In a bowl, add a cup of milk and ¼ cup of sugar.
2. Microwave the bowl for a minute or two until the sugar dissolves into the milk.
3. Add 3-4 squirts of dish soap and whisk.
4. Plastic wrap over the top.
5. Poke holes with the toothpick.
6. Wait for success.

Create a Fruit Fly Spray

Waiting isn't a game that some people want to play when it comes to a fruit fly infestation. If you know the general area the flies are congregating in, you can create a killer spray with a few easy-to-find ingredients.

• Isopropyl alcohol
• Spray bottle

Instructions for Fruit Fly Spray

Isopropyl alcohol is deadly to the fruit flies instantly. However, you want to make sure you aren't spraying this mixture around your children or pets.

1. Add straight alcohol to the spray bottle.
2. Spray directly on the flies.
3. Do a happy dance.

Get Rid of Fruit Flies in Kitchen Sink

Drains are a famous congregating area for fruit flies. With those little pests hiding, you can have a bugger of a time trying to get rid of them. Thankfully, there are ways to keep them out of your drain with a few simple ingredients.

• White vinegar
• Salt
• Baking soda
• Drain brush

How to Kill Drain Flies With Vinegar

Getting rid of those pests is simple if you've got a little white vinegar.

1. Pour a cup or two of white vinegar down the drain.
2. Allow it to sit for an hour or so.
3. Follow with a pan of boiling water.

If you don't have white vinegar, you can also just use boiling water down the drain to instantly get rid of the flies.

DIY Drain Fly Killer Mixture

If you'd like to clean your drain while getting rid of your fruit fly problem, you need to reach for the salt, baking soda, and white vinegar.

1. Mix ¼ cup of salt and ¼ cup of baking soda.
2. Pour them down the drain.
3. Follow with a cup or two of straight white vinegar.
4. Allow the mixture to fizz.
5. Follow with a pan of boiling water after an hour.

Commercial Products for Getting Rid of Fruit Flies

If you aren't successful with home remedies, it might be time to fork out the cash for a few commercial options.

• Aunt Fannie's FlyPunch Fruit Fly Trap - You just open the lid and allow the mixture to attract the flies.
• Green Gobbler Fruit Fly Killer - Designed for drain flies, you just pour it down and let it go to work.
• Flyminator - Fruit Fly Trap - Attracts them in without any fuss or mess.
• Zevo Instant Action Spray - A pet-safe instant killing spray to get rid of them now.

How to Avoid Fruit Fly Reinfestation

Now that those flies are out of here. You definitely don't want them to come back. To keep fruit flies gone for good, keep a few simple measures in mind.

• Clean all the surfaces in your home to make sure they are free of food particles.
• Don't leave food particles in the sink or drain.
• Wash fruit thoroughly when bringing it home.
• Dispose of fruit that's gotten too ripe or rotten.
• Keep a well-fitting lid on garbage, ideally keeping it outside.
• Flush drains at least once a week.
• Keep your fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator rather than the counter.

Getting Rid of Fruit Flies

Fruit flies can be the bane of your existence. But they don't have to make your life a living nightmare. Try out a few foolproof methods for getting rid of fruit flies once and for all.