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How do you get rid of fruit flies in your kitchen?
Fruit flies can be a real pain especially when you have them in large amount in your kitchen, this pesky bugs can be a real problem all year long, they are mostly seen during summer and into fall, fruit flies are mainly attracted to ripe, rotting or decayed fruit and produce, when you bring in tomatoes, squash or any goodies from the garden then there is the possibility of an infestation from these pesky flies.
Fruit flies are quickly enamoured with those overripe bananas, potatoes, onions or any product that has been left unrefrigerated or left on your kitchen counter or in your pantry.
Fruit flies are not the worst pest to have in your home and neither are they poisonous and they scare off with the flutter of your hands but this flies can make the kitchen look unclean and in terms of health however there is no specific illness or disease associated with eating foods touched by fruit flies but they are known to carry bacteria pathogens that can be transferred to human which is why getting rid of them is essential.
Fruit flies can multiply really quick and this can make one’s home look unclean and unhealthy, although overripe fruits and vegetables are their breeding ground of choice they are also drawn to anything alcohol or vinegar, however, this article contains simple wats you can combat fruit flies once they have decided to invade your home.
What causes fruit flies in the kitchen?
Fruit flies are attracted to sugary organic materials and as their name suggests they can be found infesting fruits and they always seem to come out of nowhere, these pesky flies are capable of breeding in decaying meats, trash bins and large spoils of alcohol or soda and according to research adult fruit flies are only about one-eighth inches long, but a female fly can lay up to 500 eggs in her very short life cycle which is why they can multiply so fast, one minute your kitchen is fine and the next minute it is not.
Fruit flies are the bane of many kitchen existences and they are hard to kill.
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Will fruit flies eventually go away?
Fruit flies are prolific breeders and tend to multiply constantly which makes it a bit hard to shoo them away, the life cycle from egg to adult takes just 8-10 days and once these fruit flies take hold of your kitchen they won’t go the way that easily on their own however there are simple tips on how to get rid of fruit flies and how you can keep them away from your kitchen.
They are not annoying but can be bad for health.
5 Simple Ways To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies In The Kitchen
Fruit flies will breed in anything moist that has some fermenting material on them, fruit flies are known to fly around and pick up bacteria’s that they can deposit on fruits and foods which in turn can be transferred to humans when consume which is why it’s essential to keep these fruit flies away from your home, there are several ways that you can combat fruit flies once they have invaded your home, some of these methods are listed below.
1. Make Vinegar Traps
Vinegar is one ingredient every kitchen should have, fruit flies are also attracted to strong smell which means they can be trapped with vinegar, do not use white vinegar but use one with a cider variety like red wine, balsamic and apple cider vinegar as they are more effective in drawing fruit flies out.
In a bowl or cup, place a small amount of vinegar at the bottom and cover this with a tight plastic wrap, it will also help to have a rubber band around it to make sure the plastic wrap stays in place then poke small holes in the plastic wrap and this way the fruit flies can crawl in but can’t crawl back up.
Put this trap anywhere you have seen fruit flies and you can dispose of them or release them outside.
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No products found.2. Clean Out The Drain
Cleaning out the drain with vinegar can help a lot in getting rid of fruit flies, this method is fairly easy and saves you time and effort too, fruit flies are fond of breeding in the drain where there are bits of rotten fruits and vegetables that lingers.
Pour 1/2 cup of salt, 1/2 of vinegar plus 1/2 cup of baking soda and allow ion work it’s magic overnight, pour hot boiling water down the drain the next morning to loosen the rotten matters.
3. Freeze Your Compost
Freezing fruits and vegetables before they become compost kills the flies and the eggs which is why this method can come in quite handy and if you do compost them you might want to change this as some fruit flies are great for the compost pile but the fruit flies are going to wreak havoc as they zip from your pile to your garden, laying eggs on your growing produce.
It is best to store food scraps for compost in the freezer, the cold temperature will kill any fruit fly eggs.
Keep your compost away from your garden and churn compost often and remove any large scrapes that are tough to break down outside to keep fruit flies at bay.
4. Vinegar And Dish Soap
Toss out any overripe fruit, then pour a cup of apple cider vinegar into a har or small bowl, add a couple of dish soap to the jar or you can mix together water with a couple of dish wash soap and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, place this trap in the area where you have seen fruit flies, the vinegar will attract the fruit flies while the dish soap will break the tension on the liquid and they can fall ion and drown in the water. You can use a funnel or a jar so as to keep everything contained.
5. Try Essential Oils
Essential oils can always be found in your kitchen and have been proven to work like magic in getting rid of fruit flies.
Basil, peppermint and eucalyptus are few of the herbs that can be used to deter fruit flies from your home, fruit flies don’t like a strong smell produce.
You might try soaking a sponge in lavender oil or placing cedar balls on your counter where you keep your fruits.
Fruit flies also dislike incense and clove, lemongrass, and camphor (be very cautious when using this one).
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No products found.Wash incoming thoroughly as you can unwittingly bring fruit flies home with you from the grocery store and make sure there are no dirty dishes lying around, it is best to get into the habit of cleaning the dishes as soon as you are done with your meal as the fruit flies will start to appear if you leave food waste for too long in your kitchen and this flies multiply really quick.
Fruit flies don’t have t long life span, their entire life takes about a week but the fruit flies reproduce quickly and can make the house look unclean, ensure to also keep your environment cleaned regularly.
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