How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Of course, you don’t want any bugs in your home. When it comes to fruit flies, though, it can seem impossible to keep them out! One day your kitchen is fine, and the next day, those insidious little pests are everywhere. What can you do? We’ve got some tips for getting rid of fruit flies.

• First, know what causes them, so you can take preventive measures. Fruit flies like ripe, rotting, decayed produce, especially fruit, as you might guess from their name. They’re also attracted to fermented goods like beer and wine, and can also live in trash cans and garbage disposals. Because female fruit flies lay 500 eggs at a time, those eggs hatch in about 24 hours, and the flies live two to four weeks, they’re nearly impossible to control. To prevent them from infesting your kitchen:
  • Throw out produce that’s too ripe.
  • Keep your fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator.
  • Wash produce promptly to remove potential fruit fly larvae or eggs.
  • Take out the garbage frequently.
  • Clean all spills quickly, particularly fruit juice or alcohol.
• If they’ve already established themselves in your kitchen, you need to know what to do about fruit flies. Some people might think that pouring bleach down the drain will kill them, but in fact, it won’t be sufficient. Bleach might kill some larvae, but it passes through the drain too quickly to make a significant impact.
• A simple vinegar fruit fly trap can be extremely effective. Here’s the basic principle: make a trap with apple cider as the lure. The flies will enter the trap to get the apple cider vinegar but won’t be able to escape. The type of trap can vary in a few ways.
  • Pour some apple cider vinegar into a bottle or glass. Cover with plastic wrap and poke some holes in the plastic to allow them to enter.
  • Put some vinegar and a chunk of overripe fruit into a jar. Roll a piece of paper into a funnel and place it into the mouth of the jar.
  • Set out a bowl of vinegar and add a few drops of dish soap. The flies will be attracted to the vinegar, and the soap decreases the water’s surface tension, so they won’t be able to escape.
• Beer and wine work well as bait, too. Leave a stale bottle of beer open on the counter, for instance, and the fruit flies won’t be able to resist it. Add a few drops of soap to the beer and you’ve got yourself a trap.
• When all else fails, consider commercial products. Fruit flies are so universal that there are tons of products on the market to help you get them under control. If you’re not having success with homemade traps, consider purchasing an insect trap or some eco-friendly fruit fly control spray.

Any time you’re storing things, make sure they’re clean and free of any insects before you bring them to the storage facility. Pouch Self Storage has been operating mini-storage facilities since 1979 and is committed to keeping our clients’ belongings safe. Founded by John Yelland, who hails from Australia, Pouch Self Storage is named in honor of the kangaroo’s pouch- nature’s safe and secure storage spot. We’re an industry leader in design, building, and maintenance of self-storage facilities, and we strive to give our occupants the most advanced security systems available. At our nine Southern California facilities, you’ll find state-of-the-art computer monitoring systems that allow our self-storage managers to monitor the opening and closing of every storage unit door, 24 hours a day. Currently, we’re abiding by CDC recommendations and implementing social distancing, but you can still reach us by calling (800) 378-4598 or contacting us through our website.