Homemade Fruit Fly Trap

Shawna Bailey
by Shawna Bailey
3 Materials
$1
1 Minute
Easy

Here’s a really useful eco-friendly trick to learn how to get rid of fruit flies. I hate fruit flies. Actually, I hate any bug that comes into my home, but fruit flies are the worst. Obviously, the first step to getting rid of them is to find the rotting fruit or vegetable and dispose of it, but sometimes those fruit flies just keep sticking around (and they multiply!). So when they wouldn't go away, I used apple cider vinegar and dish soap. I also used this great trick to get rid of the fruit flies from my veggie patch, so this trap works outdoors too.

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies

The problem. Yuck.

All you need is dish soap, apple cider vinegar, and a cup.

Step 2: Add Vinegar

Pour apple cider vinegar into your cup. This attracts the flies away from whatever they are eating/laying eggs in. (I shuddered as I wrote that.)

Step 3: Add Soap

All you need is a few drops of soap (I used more because it looked pretty in the video). This breaks the surface tension of the vinegar. That’s what allows the flies to walk on liquids.

Step 4: Let it Sit

It works pretty quickly, but if you need it for a long term problem you can just keep refilling the soap and vinegar every week or so. Eventually, the flies will get trapped under the soap.

Shoo fly, don’t bother me!

Suggested materials:
  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Dish soap
  • Cup
Frequently asked questions
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3 of 39 questions
  • Sarah Sarah on Jun 24, 2019

    How much vinegar? You don't say 1 cup 1/4 cup 1/2cup. You say only a couple of drop of dish soap so I understand how much that is

  • Tara Robinett Tara Robinett on Apr 21, 2020

    Does this work on the little flies that come from the litter box? Don’t judge me.

  • Salvatore R. DeRosa Salvatore R. DeRosa on Aug 04, 2022

    Yes they are “multipliers” and a nuisance! But there must be purpose for them!?! They even will hide in garbage disposal if it’s not used regularly. Apple cider vinegar and liquid soap…that’s not the formula for weight loss is it??

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