Getting rid or fruit flies

Fruit flies are considered pests and something you don't want in your home. They often come with fruit from abroad where they have laid eggs. Once these flies have entered your home, the sink becomes a favorite spot for the females to lay their eggs. But don't despair; there are smart methods to get rid of fruit flies. So how do you eliminate fruit flies once and for all?

CAPTURING FRUIT FLIES IN A TRAP

With simple ingredients, you can capture and eliminate fruit flies. Just like with other pests, you can set up a trap for fruit flies using vinegar. You can use products you may already have at home or purchase them at your local store. Just follow our step-by-step guide below.

1. Take a plate, glass, or a glass jar and pour in vinegar (both apple cider and red wine vinegar work).
2. To break the surface tension and make the flies sink, add a few drops of dish soap.
3. Then, add something sweet like syrup or honey to attract the fruit flies, about a teaspoon.
4. Stir the mixture.
5. Place the mixture on the countertop and let it sit for a few days. Empty the mixture and prepare a new one if not all the flies are gone.

THOROUGH CLEANING TO AVOID MORE FRUIT FLIES

Fruit flies thrive when there's a lot of compost in the trash for several days. The same goes for leaving out fruit that isn't entirely fresh. Store fruit in the fridge if it's not ready to be composted. After you've removed items that can attract fruit flies, clean thoroughly. There are specific products for fruit flies, but if you prefer eco-friendly alternatives, be sure to check the ingredients.

Here are some tips to make your home less appealing to fruit flies:

• Always discard or rinse out empty bottles without caps containing sweet liquids like soda or juice.
• Regularly flush the drain in the sink with boiling water as fruit flies often lay their eggs there, which will kill any potential eggs.
• Continue to set up a vinegar trap for fruit flies to capture newly hatched flies for a few days.

If you're unsure if you can clean your home thoroughly or if you don't have the time, it's better to let professional cleaners handle it. Here at Freska, you can book everything from regular house cleaning to move-out cleaning, which can make your daily life much easier.

However, it's often not enough to just clean the kitchen. Fruit flies can thrive in other parts of your home. Sometimes, we place a fruit bowl in the living room, or there may be a trash bin near the computer table where apple cores end up. In these areas, too, you can use a vinegar trap to get rid of fruit flies.

Both vinegar and citric acid produce a somewhat strong odor that many find unpleasant. In that case, we recommend another home remedy to make these little flies disappear — lemon.

HOW TO GET RID OF FRUIT FLIES WITH LEMONS?

We often find the smell of lemons refreshing, but fruit flies detest it. Therefore, you can use lemons to create an unpleasant environment for the flies. For homes with an open floor plan, you can do the following:

1. Cut the lemon into two halves and leave the slices in the oven overnight.
2. Preheat the oven the next day to 200 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes.
3. Open the oven door to let the scent spread.
4. If lemon juice has dripped in the oven, clean it afterward.

If you have fruit flies in other rooms, you can place lemon halves there as well. If you want to capture them at the same time, set up a bottle with something sweet or a wine bottle with a little left in it. The flies will be attracted to it and won't leave due to the lemon scent.

Additionally, daily ventilation reduces the temperature, which fruit flies dislike. They thrive best in environments with temperatures of 30 degrees celsius or higher.

OTHER TIPS AND ADVICE

In specialty stores, you can often find specific traps for fruit flies. However, be sure to check if they contain environmentally harmful substances.

But it's not just traps that can prevent fruit flies from taking over your home. So, take preventive measures and think ahead before it becomes an issue.

• For those who love plants, a carnivorous plant can be an option. Like most insects, fruit flies tend to gather around plants. So, the plant can serve both a practical and decorative purpose.
• Regularly inspect your kitchen and make it a habit to store fruit in the fridge and rinse out bottles that have contained sweet liquids.
• Empty the compost bin daily, especially in the summer.
• Clean regularly. If you often find that you don't have the time, schedule a deep cleaning periodically to keep your home clean and fresh, preventing fruit flies from becoming a problem!