Hi Jo! Oh I know, they are such a nuisance aren't they. Well check this out and hopefully you will get some great help with the fruit flies. I completely understand.
They probably came in on your fresh produce, so when you bring that home wash it and reftigrate it, with the exception of bananas, just wash well. This will end the population of eggs existing on the produce.
Next, add baking soda to your drain (s), add white vinegar and when the fizzing stops, rinse with a good amount of hot water.
You can also take a sticky cardboad trap, put a small piece of fruit on it, they will land in the sticky part and stay put.
Of course, try to find out the source of the infestation. Put some apple cider vinegar in a cup and add a few drops of dish soap to it. This will attract them.
We constantly keep a small container (I use one of the cup/lids from liquid laundry detergent) full of vinegar and dish detergent. I have to change it frequently it draw so many flies
I had a really bad infestation this year, too, so I feel your pain! I bought a pack of fruit fly traps (for $8!) only to find out the apple cider vinegar and dish soap trick afterwards. You only need a couple of drops of dish soap (any kind will do) but be sure to gently stir it in. It's the surfactant that's needed, and you don't want bubbles. The vinegar attracts the flies and the dish soap (surfactant) breaks the surface tension of the liquid to drown the little pests. Don't use a bowl with a lip or they'll just stand on the lip and not take the plunge- another lesson learned the hard way. After that failure, we used a small glass ramekin. A juice glass would do, too.
And, of course, I now always soak my fruit in the kitchen sink and then put it in a colander (for air flow) in the fridge (except bananas- they turn brown in the fridge).
Fill a microwave-safe bowl with apple cider vinegar and a few drops of dish soap. Microwave the bowl so the mixture becomes even more aromatic. Leave the bowl out uncovered as fruit fly bait. The soap will reduce the surface tension, causing any fruit fly that lands on the surface to drown. Now, if what you have might be drain flies...if that is what you have try this: Boil some water on the stove and pour down your drain several times a day for about a week or Mix 1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar and then pour the mixture down the drain, leaving it overnight. In the morning, pour boiling hot water down the drain.
If a drain fly infestation lasts longer than 20 days despite different approaches to get rid of them, then it’s time to call a professional exterminator.
Fill a microwave-safe bowl with apple cider vinegar and a few drops of dish soap. Microwave the bowl so the mixture becomes even more aromatic. Leave the bowl out uncovered as fruit fly bait. The soap will reduce the surface tension, causing any fruit fly that lands on the surface to drown. Now, if what you have might be drain flies...if that is what you have try this: Boil some water on the stove and pour down your drain several times a day for about a week or Mix 1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar and then pour the mixture down the drain, leaving it overnight. In the morning, pour boiling hot water down the drain.
If a drain fly infestation lasts longer than 20 days despite different approaches to get rid of them, then it’s time to call a professional exterminator.
Hi Jo! Oh I know, they are such a nuisance aren't they. Well check this out and hopefully you will get some great help with the fruit flies. I completely understand.
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=how+do+you+get+rid+of+fruit+flies+in+house&qpvt=how+do+you+get+rid+of+fruit+flies+in+house&FORM=VDRE
https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Fruit-Flies
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a25042/how-to-kill-fruit-flies/
Hi jo,
They probably came in on your fresh produce, so when you bring that home wash it and reftigrate it, with the exception of bananas, just wash well. This will end the population of eggs existing on the produce.
Next, add baking soda to your drain (s), add white vinegar and when the fizzing stops, rinse with a good amount of hot water.
You can also take a sticky cardboad trap, put a small piece of fruit on it, they will land in the sticky part and stay put.
The other hometalker suggestions
are effective too.
Good luck to you.
Of course, try to find out the source of the infestation. Put some apple cider vinegar in a cup and add a few drops of dish soap to it. This will attract them.
We constantly keep a small container (I use one of the cup/lids from liquid laundry detergent) full of vinegar and dish detergent. I have to change it frequently it draw so many flies
I had a really bad infestation this year, too, so I feel your pain! I bought a pack of fruit fly traps (for $8!) only to find out the apple cider vinegar and dish soap trick afterwards. You only need a couple of drops of dish soap (any kind will do) but be sure to gently stir it in. It's the surfactant that's needed, and you don't want bubbles. The vinegar attracts the flies and the dish soap (surfactant) breaks the surface tension of the liquid to drown the little pests. Don't use a bowl with a lip or they'll just stand on the lip and not take the plunge- another lesson learned the hard way. After that failure, we used a small glass ramekin. A juice glass would do, too.
And, of course, I now always soak my fruit in the kitchen sink and then put it in a colander (for air flow) in the fridge (except bananas- they turn brown in the fridge).
Hope this helps! Good luck!
Thank you for all the help. I seem to be temporarily rid of the little bothersome bugs. The vinegar seems to work well.
Here's a tutorial I wrote that might help you - https://chascrazycreations.com/diy-bug-repellents-traps/
Fill a microwave-safe bowl with apple cider vinegar and a few drops of dish soap. Microwave the bowl so the mixture becomes even more aromatic. Leave the bowl out uncovered as fruit fly bait. The soap will reduce the surface tension, causing any fruit fly that lands on the surface to drown. Now, if what you have might be drain flies...if that is what you have try this: Boil some water on the stove and pour down your drain several times a day for about a week or Mix 1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar and then pour the mixture down the drain, leaving it overnight. In the morning, pour boiling hot water down the drain.
If a drain fly infestation lasts longer than 20 days despite different approaches to get rid of them, then it’s time to call a professional exterminator.
Fill a microwave-safe bowl with apple cider vinegar and a few drops of dish soap. Microwave the bowl so the mixture becomes even more aromatic. Leave the bowl out uncovered as fruit fly bait. The soap will reduce the surface tension, causing any fruit fly that lands on the surface to drown. Now, if what you have might be drain flies...if that is what you have try this: Boil some water on the stove and pour down your drain several times a day for about a week or Mix 1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup baking soda and 1 cup of vinegar and then pour the mixture down the drain, leaving it overnight. In the morning, pour boiling hot water down the drain.
If a drain fly infestation lasts longer than 20 days despite different approaches to get rid of them, then it’s time to call a professional exterminator.