How to trap fruit flies?

Irv Pomeranz
by Irv Pomeranz

Does anyone know how to get rid of fruit flies with a homemade trap?


  26 answers
  • Maureen Marthaler Maureen Marthaler on Jul 10, 2019

    Small bowl with apple cider vinegar. Cover with plastic wrap and put a small hole in the top . The flies will get caught under the plastic once they enter.

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Jul 10, 2019

    1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

    1 tbsp water

    a squirt of dish detergent

    Take a 20 oz soda bottle, cut it 1/3 way down and unscrew top. Pour mixture in the bottom. Invert the top and place in the bottle. They will fly in and get trapped.

  • Sylvia Head-Gallegos Sylvia Head-Gallegos on Nov 19, 2018

    I cut a water bottle, down from the top to about 1/3 down, then turn it upside down, on top of the bottom 2/3... This is the trap that the Fruit Flies travel into but have difficulty escaping... I fill the bottom with enough Apple Cider Vinegar and a few drops of dishwashing soap to leave a space under the inverted lip of the bottle. I tape mine together because once filled with enough victims, I throw the entire trap away!!!

    • See 2 previous
    • Sylvia Head-Gallegos Sylvia Head-Gallegos on Nov 28, 2018

      Please forgive my delayed response to your request... My phone and I are not very good at photography so l went online to find you a How-To Video instead... Hope it helps:

      https://youtu.be/-TzQEPIKwHE

  • Jeanette Jeanette on Jul 10, 2019

    I use a banana slice rather than cider vinegar - works great, too

  • Cindy Cindy on Jan 03, 2020

    Hi Cori. I'm Cindy. Cut your pop bottle in half and put the top upside down into the bottom half. You can put very ripe fruit or vegetable in the bottom half to act as bait. Leave it on your counter over night. In the morning you should have a lot less fruit flies.

  • Brenda Stewart Brenda Stewart on Aug 06, 2016
    I use a canning jar 1/2 pint and put red wine vinegar or cider vinegar in it(fill it less than half full). Put saran wrap over the lid. Secure it tight with a rubber band and then put holes in it with a fork prong or a toothpick. Put one on the cabinet and one on the table.
  • Hilda  May Hilda May on Aug 05, 2016
    Put about an inch or so of rotting fruit in bottom of fruit jar. Make a funnel using a sheet of paper; making sure bottom of funnel is fairly small. Fruit flies can fly in but can't get out..
  • Zoo6974374 Zoo6974374 on Aug 05, 2016
    Leave some wine or beer out in a small bowl. They will try to eat it and drown.
  • Margaret E Margaret E on Aug 07, 2016
    I've had great success putting about a half-inch of cider vinegar in a glass, then adding a couple drops of Dawn dish detergent in it. I don't bother with the saran wrap or paper funnel - the Dawn breaks the surface tension of the vinegar and the flies drown. By the dozens. They can't resist the lure of the vinegar.
  • Kathy Beatty Kathy Beatty on Oct 09, 2013

    I use a different trap type of trap. make a funnel with a very small hole out of paper, and drop it into a glass with banana peel in the bottom. Use some tape to hold it down firmly into the glass and leave it. It acts as a miniature "Lobster" trap. To reset the trap, just place it in the freezer on till the little critters die and put it out to work some more.

  • Eric Smith Eric Smith on Dec 22, 2016

    my wife puts out small bowls of vinegar and sugar in 50/50 portions it attracts flies and kills them.

  • Sherry Sherry on Dec 22, 2016

    My mom had fruit flies last year, due to her not wanting to waste fruit her grandkids took one bite out of; she had a basket on her kitchen counter with the fruit in it...she evidently got "fruit fly blind" because me and my sister were shocked at how many fruit flies were in her house.

    What worked: pour some real fruit juice (not the imitation juice) in a bowl, and add ONE drop of dish detergent to the bowl. (The dish detergent breaks the surface tension of the fruit juice. When the fruit flies land to drink the juice, they drown.)

    We put out about 6 bowls like this throughout her house. Check them daily. Once enough evaporates, the flies no longer drown, so you may want to empty, rinse, and re-fill the bowls daily. (Also, it looks kind of gross to see so many dead bugs in a bowl of juice.) Keep doing this until all the fruit flies are dead. And, remember to remove the source fruit, or you'll keep breeding the fruit flies. Have fun!

  • Paula Hodges Paula Hodges on Dec 30, 2016

    this is going to sound like the dumbest thing going, but I took the vacuum hose and sucked the little pests off of the walls, curtains, cupboard doors etc. They were not hard to sneak up on, and in a day or so they were gone. also, an oscillating fan will keep them from landing and if they cant land, they don't seem to reproduce

  • Jennifer Oaks Jennifer Oaks on Mar 08, 2017

    I have a recycled baby food jar, tiny & discreet, sitting near my kitchen window. It has a combo of NASTY vinegar tasting wine & a bit of vinegar. I dropped a small smidge of Citrus peel in the bottom.. covered it with plastic wrap, made a small slit in the top. An Wallah! icon Floaters for sure.. The key is to make an opening they can get into, but not out. Sometimes, giving them holes, they can find a way out. An my jar is 3/4 the way full of liquid. I've caught a mighty many. The prettier the container, the more discreet. (If that matters to you, Me personally, it doesn't. What matters to me is these cretins don't land in someone's meal or drink. I'd be mortified if a guest was blessed with a swimmer in his or her beverageicon .)


  • Wendy Miller Wendy Miller on Mar 08, 2017

    We have these seasonally, I put apple cider vinegar and a drop of dish soap in a salt shaker with reasonably sized holes out. They love it and the dish soap drowns them. For larger infestation, I use larger containers. The trick is to use a container they can get into, not out of and not put too much dish soap.

  • Deb K Deb K on Jan 09, 2022

    Hi Irv, hope this helps you out, has a few ideas for getting rid of those pesky flies

    https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a25042/how-to-kill-fruit-flies/

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Jan 08, 2023

    Yep, I have brought in many fruit flies from store produce and not stopping to wash the produce, please wash it immediately to get the eggs off, then refrig it, except bananas. Now you have the eggs in the drain, do the baking soda/vinegar cleaning, when the fizzing is done, rinse well with hot water, you may want to keep your drain cover in place for a few days.

    For the airborne ones, I use a sticky trap (for rodents), cut it in half before you remove the plastic peel-able cover, Remove the cover and in the center of it put a small piece of sweet decaying fruit-yes gross-they will land and never fly off and bother you again.

  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Jan 10, 2023

    KEEP YOUR FRUIT IN THE FRIDGE!

  • Janice Janice on May 31, 2023

    The apple cider vinegar and saran wrap method works for us. Or you could place other items such as part of a banana to attract the fruit flies into the trap.

  • Betsy Betsy on Aug 12, 2023

    Hello Irv: Well, the old tried and true vinegar and soap is the best way. They have about a 24 hour life span, but are prolific :( Check these sites for instructions on how to get rid of them:


    https://www.thespruce.com/get-rid-of-fruit-flies-1388144?hid=d87cd5a0ee3fcf67dc4000997ae2c4d5986b89ae&did=830167-20220829&utm_campaign=the-spruce-daily_newsletter&utm_source=thespruce&utm_medium=email&utm_content=082922&cid=830167&mid=95751356731


    https://www.bonappetit.com/story/how-to-get-rid-of-fruit-flies


    Remember, time flies like an arrow, but fruit flies like a banana :)


    Good luck


  • Mickenzie Mickenzie on Sep 22, 2023

    First: remove all food and trash from area. Wipe counters and area with surface cleaner.


    Place 1 tablespoon of baking soda with tsp of dish soap in sink disposal. Run warm water. Two ice cubes, turn on disposal for 15 to 20 seconds. Turn off. Then shut water off a few seconds later.


    Place little bowls ( not deep) can be size of a bathroom plastic cup- 2 parts apple cider, 1 part water, can add dash of soap at top. No more than few ounces max of total liquid needed. No need for lid but can place clear wrap with holes big enough for flies to get in and stuck or leave open.


    Place 2 or 3 around area. Finish wiping down and taking any food or garbage away from area. Then if you see on walls. Can spray down with any cleaner or just wait. Within few hours there will be tons of flies in apple cider plus H20 mix.



    Repeat with new liquid every other day. Keep drains clean and food /garbage out of area.


    Find where they are entering and try to put a stop. Main thing is they like fruit, rotting food, garbage and can come from drains. Kep dishes and sink clean



  • Buy sticky traps - available on Amazon.

  • Libbie B Libbie B on Jan 11, 2024

    The homemade remedy is an old standby, but I live on a lake and last summer bought the Zevo traps (with the light) and OH MY GOSH, they work wonders!

  • Mogie Mogie on Feb 06, 2024

    Start by deep cleaning your kitchen and throwing out any rotten food. To cut off fruit flies from their food source and prevent them from entering your home, take these preventive measures to avoid a future fruit fly infestation:

    • Throw out overripe produce
    • Store fruits and veggies in the fridge
    • Wash produce as soon as you get home to remove any potential eggs or larvae
    • Take out the garbage regularly
    • Clean up spills ASAP, especially fruit juice or alcohol


  • Johnavallance82 Johnavallance82 on Feb 23, 2024

    Apple cider Vinegar and a spot of Washing up liquid and top up with water.