Eliminate Fruit Flies for Good with One Simple Ingredient
We all love fruit. It’s healthy, delicious, and looks great in a bowl on the kitchen table – we can’t really blame fruit flies for loving it as well for all the same reasons. However, as these little guys breed quickly, it’s important to learn how to get rid of them as soon as you notice them starting to appear. Well now, Andrea Philips from Airtasker has offered her advice on how to get rid once and for all. It all starts with prevention.
Prevention is Key
If you are doing your bit by having an outdoor compost bin, make sure you avoid also having an indoor spot for collecting food scraps. It takes a touch more effort to take everything outside straight away, but indoor compost is like Disneyland for fruit flies. If you enjoy the convenience of indoor compost too much to get rid of it, ensure you empty it every day. Another thing to keep in mind is how clean and dry your compost bin is. Fruit flies love moisture and food gets mushier if there is moisture present in the bin.
Keeping Your Kitchen Clean
This is essential in the home where you might serve food, but keeping the areas clean is important. Tiny scraps of food can create a fruit fly problem. Performing a regular deep house clean of your home, especially the food areas, means fewer desirable places for fruit flies. 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.
How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies with White Vinegar
Preventative methods aside, if you are well past that and deep into an actual fruit fly problem, an effective way to get rid of fruit flies is with white vinegar. The goal is to make a trap for the flies. Just pour a very small amount of white vinegar into a tall glass jar with a couple of drops of washing-up liquid in the mix as well. Cover the top with cling film that has holes poked in it and secure it 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. 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.
Additional Tips for Keeping Your Home Clean and Insect-Free
Fruit flies can be an issue, as can a range of other little pests depending on your location, and cleaning is always a necessity and your best chance of avoiding an issue. If your pest situation is a little more complicated, there are plenty of taskers on Airtasker who can provide pest control services, or you can also find a range of people to give your home a good deep clean to ensure things are safe and healthy.
More Ways to Eliminate Fruit Flies
If the white vinegar trap isn’t doing the trick, there are a few other methods you can try to get rid of fruit flies for good. One popular method is to create a DIY fruit fly trap using apple cider vinegar and a drop of dish soap. Simply pour some apple cider vinegar into a small dish, add a drop of dish soap, and cover the dish with plastic wrap. Poke a few holes in the plastic wrap to allow the fruit flies to enter, but make it difficult for them to escape. This trap is effective because the fruit flies are attracted to the smell of the vinegar, but the dish soap breaks the surface tension of the liquid, causing the flies to drown.
Another effective method for eliminating fruit flies is to create a trap using a banana peel. Fruit flies are naturally attracted to the smell of ripe fruit, so placing a banana peel in a jar and covering it with plastic wrap can lure them in. Again, poke a few holes in the plastic wrap to allow the fruit flies to enter, but make it difficult for them to escape. This method can be particularly effective if you have a large number of fruit flies in your home.
Preventing Future Infestations
Once you’ve successfully eliminated the fruit flies from your home, it’s important to take steps to prevent future infestations. One of the best ways to do this is to make sure that you store your fruit properly. Keep ripe fruit in the refrigerator, and make sure to dispose of any overripe fruit in a timely manner. Additionally, make sure to clean up any spills or crumbs in your kitchen, as these can attract fruit flies. Finally, consider using a fruit fly trap on a regular basis to catch any stray flies before they have a chance to breed.
In conclusion, fruit flies can be a nuisance, but with the right techniques, you can eliminate them for good. By following the tips and methods outlined in this article, you can keep your home free of fruit flies and enjoy your fruit without any unwanted visitors. Remember, prevention is key, so be proactive in keeping your kitchen clean and taking steps to deter fruit flies from entering your home. With a little effort and persistence, you can say goodbye to fruit flies once and for all.