There are so many lovely smells that live in our kitchens — unfortunately, we are not the only people who think this. In this article, we will be talking about another guest that frequently takes up residency in most of our kitchens: fruit flies.
While there are many remedies on the market — and even more anecdotal fixes — we will try to demystify which ones are worth your time and which ones aren’t. Remember, though: for severe cases, you are always best off contacting a professional pest control company in your area. There are some jobs that cannot be best performed alone. However, before it comes to that, here are some of our favourite ways to get rid of fruit flies in the kitchen:
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5 Tips to Get Rid of Fruit Flies in the Kitchen
1. Apple Cider Vinegar Trap
One of the most well-known ways to get rid of fruit flies is by using an apple cider vinegar trap. This works by attracting fruit flies to the scent of vinegar and trapping them within. To make the trap, you can fill a bowl or a glass with non-diluted apple cider vinegar before covering it with plastic wrap. Then, you will want to poke small holes in the plastic wrap and tighten it to the reciprocal with a rubber band. This will trap the fruit flies inside.
2. Clean Up All Sticky Residue
With our busy lives, it’s easy to clean up a spill with a haphazard effort or to not even notice that a spill has occurred in the first place. However, any spill that leaves a sticky residue — such as milk, juice, or soda — should be cleaned up without hesitation. Otherwise, its sugars will be sure to attract fruit flies. If you have noticed a fruit fly problem start out of nowhere, it might be time to wash your floors.
3. Throw Out Overripe Fruit
If you’re like the majority of us, you have a tendency to store your certain fruit on the countertop. After all, it just doesn’t feel right to place bananas, apples, and some other popular fruits into the cold fridge. Although it is not necessarily bad to store this fruit in the open air, if you let it become overripe, it is an open invitation for fruit flies.
If you find that you are particularly susceptible to fruit flies, it may be worthwhile to avoid the storage of fruit on the counter altogether. It is probably a safer bet to keep it in the fridge.
4. Apple Cider Vinegar and Dish Soap Trap
Some people swear by a trap that is made not only from apple cider vinegar but also with dish soap. To create this trap, follow the same steps as above, but add a touch of dish soap to the mixture. This will help increase the likelihood of the fruit flies getting stuck in the trap.
5. Store Bought Fruit Fly Trap
If you are not the DIY type, you can certainly try to buy a commercial fruit fly trap. There is no shortage of such traps on the market, with some of them being environmentally-friendly and easy to use. Some of them are so easy to use, in fact, that all you will have to do is open the top and let the trap sit and do its job.
Pest Extermination in Vancouver
If you would like to get rid of the fruit flies in your home for once and for all, Atlas Pest is here for you. As a pest control company with more than four decades of industry experience, we have the expertise to take care of any job. Get in touch today!