How can I get rid of fruit flies and gnats?

Mary McNulty
by Mary McNulty
  10 answers
  • Linda Sikut Linda Sikut on Sep 02, 2019

    HI Mary,

    Pour some wine or apple cider vinegar into a small glass or jar. Cover the opening with plastic wrap and poke a few holes in the top. You can secure the plastic wrap with a rubber band if needed. The gnats will be attracted to the wine or apple cider vinegar and will go into the glass, but they won't be able to get out. My local produce market uses this method all the time in the summer with fresh fruit that tends to attract gnats. Wishing you the best.

  • Vimarhonor Vimarhonor on Sep 02, 2019

    The vinegar trap in the covered glass jar a cup has always worked for me.

    Per link below

    “Get Rid of Fruitflies with a Homemade Fruit Fly Trap. Pour just enough cider vinegar to cover the bottom of the jar. Add a drop of dish soap (it will break the surface tension of the vinegar so the fruit flies can't just sit atop the liquid). Now, cover the jar with plastic wrap and poke a few holes in the top.”

    https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/homemade-fruit-fly-trap-123615

  • Marie Marie on Sep 04, 2019

    When the fruit starts going bad that is when I see the fruit flies and gnats. Get rid of the bad fruit. - marie

  • Chloe Crabtree Chloe Crabtree on Nov 07, 2023

    I had a terrible gnat problem and the vinegar traps worked perfectly! Simply place a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, a few drops of dish soap, and a tablespoon of sugar in a bowl and stir. Set your bowl in an area where gnats are prevalent, such as your kitchen or bathroom. This took care of my problem in just a couple of days!

  • Buy sticky traps - available on Amazon.

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Dec 14, 2023

    I use apple cider vinegar with a squirt of dish detergent. Cut a soda bottle in half. Pour solution in the bottom. Remove cap and invert the top of the bottle into the bottom. You can cover with contact paper to make more attractive. The vinegar attracts them. The detergent makes them stuck. They can’t fly back out the tiny bottle neck.

  • Buy sticky traps. They are available on Amazon.

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Dec 15, 2023

    You will have to interrupt their life cycle to do this. It is not that hard!

    When you bring produce home from the market, the eggs are already on the outside of the produce and are getting ready to hatch when the conditions are right, so, you will need to wash off all produce and put it in the refrigerator. The exception is bananas, just wash and store at room temperature.

    Next, you now have fruit fly eggs in the drain, to kill them put 1/2 c baking soda in the drain, if you have a double sink, put it in both sides then add 1 cup white vinegar to each side. When the fizzing stops, rinse well with hot water, you may want to consider keeping your drains covered.

    For the airborne ones, place a sticky cardboard face up on an area they seem drawn to (you can get these at Walmart in a multi-pack for a reasonable price). These are the ones intended for catching mice. Place a small piece of sweet decaying fruit in the center of the sticky cardboard. The flies will be drawn to the fruit and land on the pad.

    Best to you.

  • Annie Annie on Dec 24, 2023

    Here's a handy video for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRTu-h_WjH4