6 Way to Get Rid of Fruit Flies: Easy Ways to Get Them Out of Your Drains, Your House, and Your Life

here are very few things in everyday life that are worse than hearing that quiet buzz, and finding insects in the back of drawers and in between cracks and behind furniture and realizing that your home is full of bugs. Fruit flies are one of the many pesky pests which can infest your home. And while they don’t live very long, they reproduce quickly and if you don’t act just as fast then soon your home may very well turn into a nest of creepy crawling insects that can very well haunt you for weeks, if not months, or even longer.

You can probably imagine, but it’s hell to live in a home infested with bugs. If you’re unlucky, you don’t have to imagine it and you’re here for help right now. And if you don’t know how to take care of it, it can seem like a never ending nightmare. But fear not! With a couple of tips ranging from professional methods to do-it-yourself projects, there are a myriad of ways to get rid of fruit flies, and we’ve compiled a list of the six most effective ways for your convenience:

• Vinegar Traps
• Salt Guns
• Fruit Fly Traps
• Bug Sprays/Repellents
• Proper Food Storage
• Call Pest Control

And now, without further ado, here are the details about these methods.

1. Vinegar Traps

Honey is often thought to be a great way to catch bugs, (see: honeypot) but vinegar is actually better. Even though honey can work because it is very sweet, vinegar will work better because it smells more strongly, and that is what insects are attracted to most. You can purchase vinegar traps at the store, but you can also make them yourself at home!

A homemade vinegar trap is quite simple. You just need a cup filled with apple cider vinegar and dish soap, topped with a perforated cover. The cover should have large enough holes to let fruit flies through, which shouldn’t be too difficult since fruit flies are only about an eighth of an inch long. The vinegar attracts the flies, and then the dish soap traps them and they will die in no time. While you can probably use any vinegar, apple cider vinegar is recommended because it smells much stronger than the alternatives. These traps are useful in eliminating part of an infestation’s population, but usually will not  stop them entirely. Your crusade against these bugs is, unfortunately, just beginning.

2. Salt Guns

Salt guns are intimidating and kind of hilarious because they mostly resemble intense looking nerf guns, but they do have real use. With normal table salt for ammo, this non chemically harmful yet wildly American method of getting rid of bugs has you actually shooting at them, for surprisingly lethal results if used well! Talk about the second amendment.

The thing is, you do actually have to hit the flies to get the intended use out of salt guns, and aiming is hard sometimes. Especially when the target is less than an inch wide and hates standing still. It can be difficult to use, but if you get the hang of it then you can get rid of a lot of flies when you take the trap to them. It can be fun, as long as you are safe and careful.

And, obviously, don’t shoot the gun at people or other animals or anything fragile, really. It’s an adrenaline junkie’s bug killing option if nothing else. They will get rid of plenty of fruit flies if you’re good, but you still probably won’t get all of them.

3. Fruit Fly Traps

The factory made version of vinegar traps made with professional precision and manufactured solutions perfectly designed to lure in fruit flies. If you have the time and money then these are worth much more than a vinegar trap which you might have to make in a pinch. 

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They work simply: the solution inside the trap lures flies in through tight spaces which they can get into but not out of, and bugs will crawl in and get trapped with no mess. The trap is also incredibly easy to use as you just put it down and walk away. But it is also easy to maximize its effectiveness. The best way to use them is to place the traps near fruit fly breeding sites; near fruit bowls, trash cans, kitchen sinks and anywhere else food waste might accumulate. These will, if used properly, significantly limit the amount of fruit flies in your home as most of them will fall into the trap. Flies are, unsurprisingly, not very smart.

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These probably won’t fully get rid of an infestation, but they might do a good enough job that you won’t have to worry about it too much. Just remember to clean them out, or replace them.

4. Bug Sprays/Repellents

The classic option, there is a wide variety of bug sprays available that can even kill certain bugs on contact if used properly. There are kinds specifically made for flying insects, to slow their flight and kill them quickly. And while many brands are safe for people and animals, the more intense brands do carry the risk of being potentially harmful to living things. This makes sense considering their purpose, but still be careful with these.

Bug sprays can be incredibly effective if you can track down where fruit flies are laying eggs and gathering together— usually near ripe or molding fruit and vegetables (hence the name). Just a couple seconds of spray at a large batch of flies will get rid of all of them quickly. So bug sprays can potentially be used to eliminate an infestation entirely if you’re brave enough to get in close with bugs. Many people might not be comfortable with that, which there is no shame in, and so you might like the last two options on this list better.

5. Proper Food Storage

The best method to solve any problem is to prevent it from happening at all! If you commit to properly storing your food and making sure that any fruit in your home is not an available target for flies, then you should rarely find yourself with bugs at all! This method doesn’t directly get rid of fruit flies, but it will go a massively long way in making sure they stick around less. If they have no food and nowhere to breed then they’ll die off or leave.

Store your fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator or sealed containers to prevent flies from accessing them. You can also use cheesecloth to cover fruit to the same end. Simple but effective.

If you do this, and still get flies, then it’s probably not on you. It just happens sometimes, mostly in the summer. But vigilance will serve you and increase your chances of being free of fruit flies. Keep your eyes out!

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6. Call Pest Control

This is by far the best option. Just with most parts of taking care of a home, calling a professional to do it for you is so easy and requires almost no work from you! While calling pest control might cost the most out of any other option, it is still the best. 

That’s it for this option. There’s not any fun tips for calling pest control. You give them the details and pay them, and then they’ll show up and remove your problem. I would probably recommend this one if the infestation problem persists or gets out of hand. 

That’s all for this article about how to remove fruit flies from your home and life forever! While none of these are absolutely foolproof, you are now armed with many different options for dealing with fruit flies, from prevention to extermination. Go forward now on your insectoid crusade. I wish you the best.

If you liked this article, then check out this one about low-maintenance pets for busy adults. Or, you might like this article about tips for moving into your first house.

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