The war against tiny insects in your home can create a lot of rage. No matter how hard you try, gnats, ants, or fruit flies seem to survive your attacks. Fruit flies, in particular, seem to taunt you with their presence, buzzing around your face as you prepare dinner. Pause for a second, breathe, and don’t reach for the chemical insect spray. There are many natural ways to help evict fruit flies from your home.
Why Do Fruit Flies Arrive?
Fruit flies are small insects that can rapidly reproduce in moist areas. They are extremely attracted to sugar, specifically the fructose in ripe fruits and vegetables. You may notice that fruit flies linger around overripe or rotting produce. It’s also possible to find fruit flies around sinks, trash bins, or open juices, sodas, or alcoholic beverages.Â
Female fruit flies tend to seek out very ripe or decaying fruit and lay their eggs there. Once the eggs hatch, you’ll see a swarm of new fruit flies, which can then reproduce in a matter of days. That’s why you have to act fast with determination when you see the first fruit flies. Continue reading to learn how to naturally get rid of fruit flies.
Deep Clean Your Home
Before we get to homemade traps, the first step is to deep clean the home. Fruit flies do not like clean and dry surfaces, so make the home, especially the kitchen, free of sugary residue, open food, and crumbs. Additionally, make sure fruit bowls or baskets do not have rotten or overripe fruit. Clean those areas and avoid the accumulation of dirty dishes in the sink. Trash bins that don’t have lids are major attractions for these little pests. Keep a tight lid on your bin and you’ll help keep fruit flies away.
Make A Liquid Soap Trap
Pour water into a small bowl or cup and mix in a few drops of liquid dish soap and one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. The vinegar works to attract the flies and the dish soap helps to break the surface tension on the liquid. When a fruit fly lands on the water, it will fall in and drown. Make sure to place this where you see fruit flies, for example, near a fruit basket.
A Paper Cone, Vinegar, & Old Fruit
As you may be aware, fruit flies love old fruit. In a pint-size mason jar, place a small amount of apple cider vinegar and a chunk or two of very ripe fruit. Roll a piece of paper into a cone and insert it into the jar. The narrow opening of the cone, which should resemble a funnel, should be just above the fruit at the bottom. The fruit and vinegar entice the fruit flies, but the paper cone makes it very difficult for them to escape.
Use Basil
According to research, raw basil can decrease the severity of a fruit fly attack. The repellent compound in basil gives off an intense aroma, which fruit flies do not like. If you do not want to purchase a basil plant, consider purchasing strong essential oils. Soak a sponge in water with drops of lavender or basil essential oil and keep it on the counter where you keep fruit.Â
Rinse Your Fruit
There’s nothing wrong with displaying fruit that you get from the grocery store in a fruit basket on your counter. Just make sure to wash the produce off immediately after you bring it home. You can use water, a homemade fruit spray, or a little vinegar and water to clean off the fruit. The fact of the matter is that fruit, even bananas, can have sticky substances on the skin, which attract fruit flies.
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
