How to remove fruit flies from your kitchen — Meghan’s student essay

How To Remove Fruit Flies From Your Kitchen?

Swat! Swat! Swat! “Why are there so many!?” you whine as the continuous amount of fruit flies infest your kitchen. Thinking of a solution, you mindlessly ask, “How do I get rid of them? What household remedies could I use?” Think no longer! There are a variety of household remedies, and strategies to use in order to rid your house of fruit flies. Many of these solutions include basic food hygiene, daily kitchen staples, and handy pest control tools.

To start the prevention of fruit flies all you have to do is follow some basic food hygiene tips. First off, rinsing your fruit and vegetables off as soon as you get them home from the store. Many times, fruit flies will transfer from the store to your house, simply due to the fact they were already on the fruit. 

Rinsing the fruit, as soon as you arrive home, will immediately rid the fruit from any flies, that could have already been present. It’s also smart to keep your produce in the refrigerator. Doing so will allow for the food to stay fresh longer. 

Fruit flies are attracted to ripened, rotting food. Keeping the produce in the fridge, will slow the decaying process. This will ensure your food stays fresh and will keep those annoying flies away. It’s important to throw out any old or rotten fruit. The flies will be most attracted to over ripe, rotting fruit, so to keep them away, simply toss that fruit in the trash.

Flies are eating rotten fruit on the ground.

For even better results take the trash outside to keep those pesky flies in their natural habitat. One other household tip is to clean up any crumbs, that couple potentially attract fruit flies. Crumbs may be small, but so are fruit flies, which is why it’s important to keep your house free from crumbs. All you have to do is wipe down the counters, sweep the floors, and possibly vacuum. These simple but effective tips will help in the prevention process of flies.

Now after all the cleaning has occurred, you may still be seeing fruit flies. There are common every day household remedies everyone will have that will assist in the clearing out of fruit flies. One of the most common methods is apple cider vinegar. All you have to do is pour a little in a cup, with plastic wrap covering the top and a few, small holes poked through the plastic. Doing so will allow the fruit flies to fly inside the cup, but they won’t be able to get back out.

Another super easy way to rid your house of fruit flies is using dish soap. You will follow the same process, just as you did with the apple cider vinegar. The fascinating thing about this method is the science behind it. The dish soap breaks the surface area, which causes the fly to become trapped and drown. Since flies are attracted to the fermenting fruit, wine is a great way to fool the insects. Plainly get a bottle of wine, that is almost gone. The flies will enter the long nozzle, but won’t be able to get back out due to the long, skinny end of the glass. 

The last way to kill a fruit fly involves milk, sugar and pepper. Simmering the three ingredients for ten minutes will allow the sugar to dissolve. The flies will be attracted to the sugar, which will lure them into the milk causing them to drown. There are so many different ways in your own home to rid your house from fruit flies you just have to know what they are.

One way to extinguish these annoying bugs is by using tools specially for fruit flies. Calling pest control will be the most expensive, but beneficial way to rid yourself from these flies. They are professionally trained in killing these bugs, and giving your home that fly free atmosphere. It also takes the least amount of effort on your part, considering someone else is doing the work for you. There are also many men made contraptions that can assist you in the extermination of the fruit flies. 

One kind of trap is called the sticky fly trap. It hangs on a hook in your house. It’s made out of a luminescent metal that attracts the flies. The flies stick to the trap making them unable to escape, and causing them to die. There are also simple plastic traps. They allow for the flies to enter but not escape. Since they are trapped, they will no longer be invading your fruit or other produce.

 If none of these strategies work you can always use insect killer. They are small which will make this method effective. It’s as easy as spraying them and waiting a few seconds for the chemicals to kick in. Be careful to keep it out of reach of children, and to clean up the spray after using it. In the long run finding professional help could be the most beneficial and long lasting way to get rid of fruit flies

As you can see, there are many different solutions for getting rid of fruit flies. Some may require more money and more effort, but with all of the options you will be sure to find something that works for you. Between food hygiene, household remedies, and professional help you are bound to have a fly free home. The only way to find out what works best is trying it for yourself.

Author: Meghan Redford

Brigham Young University

Student Scholarships

Every year Thrive Pest Control hosts an essay contest and the reward is a 1-year scholarship at a 4-year university in the United States. This blog post is one of those scholarships.