How to get rid of fruit flies in your kitchen
From buzzing around fruit bowls to lingering in bins, it can often feel impossible to get rid of fruit flies, which are especially prevalent during the summer months when fresh produce is ripening.
As with many pests, prevention is the best cure, as it gives you the option of avoiding the problem altogether. These tiny red-eyed creatures often appear out of nowhere, and seldom travel alone (given the opportunity, females will lay about 500 eggs at once).
Tiny food scraps can create a big fruit fly problem, so simple habits like cleaning counters, wiping surfaces, and emptying bins regularly can make a big difference.
If you're still wondering how to get rid of fruit flies, keep reading for our top tips:
1. Keep your bins clean
'Smelly bins are a magnet for fruit flies – rotting or decayed food, particularly fruit, creates the perfect breeding ground. Even once you've taken the rubbish out, lingering food smells can attract them, so make sure you give your bin a thorough clean,' says Laura Marsden, cleaning expert at Marigold.
Once you've cleaned your bins, add a sprinkle of bicarbonate of soda to the bottom. This will help to eliminate odours.
2. Use natural scents
Fruit flies can't stand the smell of natural scents, including peppermint, lavender, eucalyptus, lemongrass, and clove. Not only will spraying these oils around the house create a beautiful aroma, but it will keep the pests away.
Laura suggests mixing lavender oil and water to make a spray. 'When wiping your worktops, add a spritz of the mixture and wipe over. It'll deter fruit flies while also leaving your kitchen smelling lovely – plus, lavender oil contains antibacterial properties, so it's great for disinfecting.'
3. Deep clean your kitchen
Fruit flies not only breed in rotten fruit, but they love to linger around unclean drains and even over dirty dishes. If you want to banish their presence for good, keep your kitchen clean.
'Performing a regular deep house clean of your home, especially the food areas, means fewer desirable places for fruit flies,' adds Andrea Phillips from Airtasker. 'Be thorough and clear off the counters, giving everything a good wipe down, and making sure you do not forget about the floor and baseboards.
'The fruit bowl is another place that requires a good audit. If you have items in there that are overripe, it is time for them to move on.'
4. Keep fresh fruit covered
A quick and easy win is to purchase insect-proof netting and pop it over your fruit bowl, such as this affordable one from Lakeland. Alternatively, you could use paper towels, cheesecloth, or sealed containers. Make sure it's breathable, or your fruit will ripen really fast.
5. Make a white vinegar solution
White vinegar is great for catching fruit flies. Simply pour a small amount of vinegar into a tall glass with a few drops of washing-up liquid. Mix well and cover the top with cling film. Pierce some holes in the top and secure with a rubber band.
'Fruit flies are attracted to the vinegar so they will crawl through the holes in the cling film but will have a tough time getting back out. This allows you plenty of time to release the little guys back into the wild,' says Andrea. 'The primary benefit of this method is you can avoid any harmful chemicals and you likely already have everything you need in the house! Just make sure you change the mixture regularly to prevent creating an unpleasant situation.'
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