After writing, how to get rid of bed bugs?, how to get rid of cockroaches?, how to get rid of wasps?, and how to get rid of fleas?, we are now writing the best home remedies to get rid of fruit flies naturally. Fruit flies become very active during the summer, especially at harvest time. However, indoor fruit flies are active round the year. Fruit flies are generally found around the ripened fruits, vegetables and fermented products.It is important that you use home remedies to get rid of fruit flies. Larvae of fruit fly usually develop in moist areas, where standing water and organic material are present. Adult flies and the pupae are the two visible signs of fruit fly activity. Adult flies are often seen flying near the decaying fruit or vegetables.
Fruit flies can also enter from your doors and windows. Fruit flies are the problem in almost every home, restaurant, supermarket and every place where they get their food. It mostly depends upon ripen food and fruit items. They do not bite human beings because they do not have biting mouthpart. On an average a fruit fly can lay over 500 eggs. It lay their eggs in garbage, drain, decayed sweets and organics. The rapid growth is because the entire cycle from egg to adult is 8 to 10 days. Take care that you do not leave any ripen fruits or vegetable like tomato, onion or any peels open until this problem get solved. Always tie the garbage bag to avoid their population growth. Read more to know some effective home remedies to get rid of fruit flies.
Causes of Fruit Flies:
Fruit flies are very tiny but can smell ripen food item from far away, and that’s how fruit flies follow it’s food. They enter homes through different sources like your doors, window. They are so tiny that they can enter even if the window screen is locked. Once they enter they reproduces at a very fast rate. Prevent the situation from getting worse by taking care of your kitchen, keep all the garbage in a bag and don’t forget to tie it. This article will help you to know some effective home remedies to get rid of fruit flies.
Home Remedies to Get Rid of Fruit Flies Naturally:
Contents
1.) Use Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is made up of fermented apples and fruit flies cannot tolerate the smell of fermentation. So, apple cider vinegar is best home remedies to get rid of fruit flies.
- Heat a half cup of apple cider vinegar and put it into a jar.
- Now add a drop of dish soap to it. This dish soap will help to fly them away.
- To make a makeshift funnel, roll a piece of paper and insert it into the mouth of the jar.
- To get the vinegar, flies will enter into the jar and will not be able to get out and drown easily.
2.) Try With Rotten or Overripe Fruit
Using rotten or overripe fruit is one of the good ways to make a fruit fly trap to catch fruit flies. Place several pieces of rotten fruit or ripe fruit in the bottom of a glass jar. With the help of a plastic wrap cover the mouth of the jar and make holes with a fork or toothpick.
Put the jar, where the fruit flies frequently come. After a few hours, you will notice the jar is filled with fruit flies. Submerge it in a bucket of warm soapy water for at least ten minutes so that the flies can’t fly again. Repeat it as needed.
3.) Make Lemongrass Spray
Lemongrass essential oil helps to repel fruit flies and freshens the air due to its citrus aroma. The strong smell of lemon grass essential oil helps to keep the fruit flies and gnats at bay.
- Take a spray bottle and pour 10 to 12 drops of lemon grass essential oil into it.
- Now add ¼ cup of hot water in it and cover the bottle with the lid.
- Shake it properly and spray it on the fruit flies where you see them.
4.) Dish Wash liquid and Apple Cider Vinegar Solution
This is somewhat similar to other remedies that is mentioned above. But the combination of this solution is very much effective. For this you will need apple cider vinegar, a jar, dish wash liquid, an over-ripe fruit. Firstly, try to heat the apple cider vinegar to spread the aroma in the kitchen. And then place the over-ripe fruit in the jar.
After this pour the heated apple cider vinegar till it fills the bottom of the jar and pour a drop of dish wash liquid. The dish wash liquid will work as an added advantage to the solution. It will not let the fruit flies to fly back as they will get stuck in the liquid. This will kill the fruit flies.
5.) Use The Basil Leaves
Basil contains strong fragrance that repels fruit flies and this make them bast home remedies to get rid of fruit flies. Plant basil in pots near the doorway to keep fruit flies away. You can also plant mint, lavender, marigold, rue, bay leaf, tansy and wormwood to repel fruit flies.
- Put the dried basil leaves in a muslin bag or in cheesecloth.
- Hang the bag where the fruit flies usually come.
- Replace the basil leaves when they lose their scent.
6.) Make Use of Honey
Honey is one of the best home remedies for killing fruit flies. It acts as a sticky trap and attracts fruit flies. You can use jelly or jam instead of using honey.
- Cut a plastic bottle in half to make the bottom half slightly taller. Fill this half bottle with water to its halfway point. Now add a few drops of dish soap in it and mix it well.
- Spread 2 tsp of honey on the top half of the can or bottle. Place the bottle in that area where the fruit flies come. Fruit flies will attract to the honey and drown into the bottle.
7.) Cloves Will Help
Cloves are not liked by fruit flies and this make them a good home remedy for fruit flies. They cannot resist the scent of this spice. Cloves are very effective to get rid of house flies. In this method, cloves are used with lemon to eliminate fruit flies.
- Take 2 lemons and cut them into halves. Now poke the pointed part of the clove so that the bud remains upwards. Arrange them onto a plate.
- Now put this plate in the kitchen to repel fruit flies. You can also wrap some cloves in a muslin cloth or cheesecloth to hang them in fruit flies infected areas.
8.) Milk-Sugar-Pepper for Fruit Flies
Here is an old age recipe for fruit flies that is a sugary milky trap. Sugary substance attracts fruit flies that’s why this remedy is useful for fruit flies.
- Take half liter milk and pour it in a saucepan. Now add pepper and sugar to the milk.
- Simmer the solution for 10-15 minutes. Now take soup plates and pour some of this milk mixture in each of them.
- Fruit flies get attracted to this milk solution. When they sit on it then it will suffocate them.
9.) Take Help From Camphor
Camphor is like a dry waxy white substance which is derived from the camphor laurel tree. Due to its strong smell, it deters fruit flies and other insects. It is available in the market in the form of small tablets.
- Place the 2 camphor tablets on a warm surface. Use a heat diffuser or mosquito repellent device and put the tablets on it.
- The fruit flies won’t come near the tablets due to its smell. If you can’t resist the smell of camphor, then put the camphor tablets close to places where they frequently come.
10.) Use The Vegetable Oil
Vegetable oil is also used to trap and kill the fruit flies and gnats. Take 1/4 cup of vegetable oil and pour it into drain. Rub some vegetable oil in and around the edge of the drain. Close the holes of the drain with the help of tape. Leave the trap overnight and remove the tape in the morning. You will see the fruit flies stuck on it.
11.) Use The Bleach
If you are dealing with fruit flies and gnats around your bathroom sink or kitchen then bleach is a good option for fruit flies. Remove each and everything from the sink. Place a cup of bleach in the sink. Now wear mouth and eye protection and run very hot water. let the bleach drain.
12.) Red Wine to Kill Fruit Flies Fast
You can use red wine to trap the fruit flies because they love the smell of red wine.
- Add half cup of red wine to half cup of water. Then take a container and pour this solution into it. Take a plastic cover to cover the top of the container. Now, make holes in it.
- Put the container, where you find the fruit flies. The fruit flies and gnats like the smell of this solution. When they come in contact with this solution they will drown in this solution.
- When the container is full with dead fruit flies then clean the container with soapy water.
13.) Keep Your Home Clean and Clear
Try to keep your home neat and clean to avoid fruit flies. Keep a check there is no ripen foods left in your kitchen. Keep your dustbin out of the kitchen at night or put the garbage in a bag and tie it properly. These are some the best home remedies to get rid of fruit flies. Home remedies are the best way to get rid of fruit flies because they are easily available and affordable. It gives results very fast.
14.) Close Windows and Doors
Try to close those holes from, where fruit flies enter the home. Close the windows and doors properly so that they do not enter your house. This is the most important and common way that the fruit flies enter your home. So try to fix this problem to get rid of fruit flies.
15.) Wash Fruits and Vegetables
Always wash all the fruits and vegetables with water when you bring it home from the grocery shop. it is the best in all home remedies to get rid of fruit flies. it may possible that the vegetable bought from the grocery shop already contains their eggs and when it comes to home, you find a huge number of flies roaming in your home
16.) Use The Refrigerator
It is very much noticed that fruit flies attack on the unrefrigerated items so try to keep all the fruits and vegetables and processed food inside the refrigerated. Specially onion, tomato and banana. This is very obvious that unrefrigerated food item get decay more fast than the one which is refrigerated so try to keep all the processed food, fruits and vegetable items in your fridge. Try to practice these home remedies to get rid of fruit flies, even if you are using pesticides or insecticides.
17.) Use Incense Sticks
Smoky incense stick is also very effective amongst all the home remedies to get rid of fruit flies. Smoke removes fruit flies instantly. You will find a magical result after using incense stick smoke to get rid of fruit flies. You can even use a camphor tablet for the same result, camphor tablets when is burnt to produce a lot of smoke and smell. Take a 5 to 6 camphor tablets in a metal bowl or spoon and put a fire with a help of lighter. Place it at right area and wait for a minute you will find a magical result.