Are you seeing an influx of fruit flies in your kitchen lately, and finding it impossible to get rid of them? These yellow-to-light brown insects can appear all year round, but you might notice an uptick in them in late summer and autumn.
That’s because many fruit and vegetable varieties tend to ripen in the heat, and fruit flies love it. They can also lay up to 500 eggs in the surface of a fruit – so it can feel like a nightmare once they have taken hold.
They aren’t just annoying, but can also contaminate food by carrying bacteria, so it’s important to try to get rid of them once you spot them. Sometimes it can be as easy as removing their food source and making sure your surfaces are sparkly clean.
But sometimes you might need to bring out the big guns, and in that case this homemade trap might be just what you need. And luckily, it’s really easy to make, using just two key ingredients you probably already have in your cupboards.
London-based online content creator Genevieve Levy recently took to TikTok to share her « kitchen hack » which she described as a « miracle » which is « cheap » because it uses « things you will have in the cupboard ».
In a clip uploaded to her @genevieve.levy.creates account, she demonstrated the hack « really works », as she had managed to catch lots of fruit flies in a bowl, which she emptied into her sink. In order to recreate the homemade trap, Genevieve mixed together « some Fairy Liquid [dish soap/washing up liquid], some sugar or honey, some vinegar and then you top it with water ».
She then placed some clingfilm over the bowl with the mixture, and « speared » in some holes which need to be « big enough for them to get in but small enough so they don’t get out ».
Many people couldn’t wait to try out the hack themselves. One person wrote: « [Oh my God you’re] a lifesaver. I have been struggling for days. I can’t use the sprays [because] I’m allergic to whatever’s in them, even after days of airing them out. I came home from hospital after an emergency visit last week and must have left food in the bins and they have been giving me hell since. »
Another added: « This works great! Make sure to keep the rest of the kitchen or house clean and no food visible. The flies will only go to this. And there won’t be more flies coming. »
A third recommended: « I make a kitchen spray with vinegar, dish soap and lemon, which I spray the counters with when cleaning, as well as down the drain. Keeps them away! »
How to get rid of fruit flies
What works for one person might not work for another. If this doesn’t work for you, there are other methods you could try.
Firstly, it’s recommended to store your fruit and vegetables in the fridge or sealed containers in order to avoid attracting them. You should also throw away any rotting or overripe fruit, make sure your drains and bins are clean, and always wipe surfaces to remove any juice or crumbs.
If white vinegar doesn’t work for you when it comes to making a trap, you could also try apple cider vinegar. Alternatively, you could make a wine trap by pouring a small amount of red wine into a class, covering it with plastic wrap and poking holes inside to trap them.
Or you could roll a piece of paper into a funnel and place it in a jar containing a bit of vinegar or fruit juice. The flies will be attracted and go in, but can’t escape.
