You know those little fruit flies or gnats that you get in the summer? (We are not talking about mosquitos here!) You know those irritating little things that seem to infest your house the second they get a whiff of something that’s not perfectly ripe?

The ones, that if you don’t notice them in time, can infest a whole pantry in a black cloud of ick. The ones that love it when you drop a potato behind the table and forget about it. Yeah…those gnats or flies or whatever they are: just awful! An unpleasant sight. isn’t it? It would be a hassle once they come to take over our house. Besides being a hassle, you’ll never know where they came from. They might be carrying something unhealthy that may cause unwanted diseases. So, make sure to protect your homes.

However, it took a few tries, but I finally found a remedy that gets rid of them. So, in this article, I will share with you my secret method to get rid of these annoying fruit flies! Moreover, you will find out some key aspects about what causes the appearance of the flies and some biology info, too.

What Are Fruit Flies?

There’s always a question about what kind of fly/gnat you have in your kitchen. However, for me, it’s always the same answer. I came to the conclusion that my kitchen gets always infested by fruit flies as I have made some research on this aspect.

Still, I am aware that you do not always have the necessary time to do that. So, here is a better way to know what the tiny flying creatures are:

  • Drain flies: they breed in drains, sewers, septic tanks, and soil that has been contaminated with sewage.
  • Fruit flies: they can be spotted around fresh fruits/vegetables, rotting fruits and vegetables, drains, garbage, and damp organic materials.
  • Phorid Flies: these are found in sewage-contaminated soil, garbage, drains, human cadavers, rotting vegetables, and fruit. Also, they are found in the garbage as well, especially as we damp organic materials.
  • Sphaerocerid Flies: these flies may be found in manure, damp organic material, drains, rotting fruits, and vegetables.

One of the reasons these become such a problem so quickly is that they reproduce prolifically, usually with a 7-10 day life cycle. So you want to get a handle on this quickly. For the purposes of this article, however, I will lump them all together as Satan’s tiny flying minions which will all succumb to the following: elimination.

To Get Rid of Fruit Flies, Get Rid of the Stink

Whatever is causing the flying insect invasion is probably the food that has been left out to start giving off whiffs of “What’s for dinner?” to those annoying little insects. They have super-sonic smelling, so they’ll always know it’s happening long before you ever do.

Correctly Store Fruits and Vegetables to Avoid Fruit Flies

Refrigerate what you can, and make sure nothing is overripe in the bin you have for storage. Don’t let bananas get too overly ripe on your counter and go unattended. Consider storing your fruit in paper bags to ripen, then use it quickly or preserve it.

Clean Out Your Trashcan and Sink Regularly

Not only do the flies like ripening fruit, they like the gunk that is wet in the bottom of a trashcan from a spill.

Run some baking soda and vinegar every few days. Run hot water and chop up a lemon at your disposal. You can also run some ice cubes through your disposal to sharpen the blades (so that they do a better job of cutting up the foods you put down). Some say that the little fly creatures you get that hang in your drain are a whole different insect than a fruit fly, but this trick works no matter what tiny winged creature is wreaking havoc with your kitchen.

Check Your Food Storage and Clean Your Kitchen to Avoid Fruit Flies

Make sure there are no noticeable spills and that there is no food that may have escaped and is trying to play hide and seek.

This seems like a no-brainer, but sticky little spills that collect on the floor and on your countertops can also be attracting the creatures even when you think you’ve gotten the fruit put away and the sink cleaned up.

Wash Your Fruits/Vegetables and Cover Them to Avoid Fruit Flies

Many times, you bring those little gnats in from the store. If it is fresh produce that you want to wash immediately, have a sink full of vinegar wash like Jennifer @ Self-Reliant School. Then wash those vegetables and fruit. Consider it a routine to pull out your fruit and veg first, put them in the sink, then put the rest of your groceries away.

Moreover, you might find that covering your countertop produce might be necessary. Putting it in a large bowl with a tight-fitting lid on top might be good. However, this may force fruit to ripen quickly and make a mess if you aren’t quick on rotating through it.

How to Kill The Fruit Flies in Your Kitchen (Natural and Safe)

If you want to learn how to kill fruit flies or other tiny insects flying in your kitchen or in your house you will need to go through a couple of steps.

  1. First fill a small glass or bowl with about 1″ of Apple Cider Vinegar (if you don’t have any ACV, use regular household vinegar and a teaspoon of sugar).
  2. Squirt a little dish soap into the vinegar.
  3. Cover the bowl with some plastic wrap and secure it with an elastic band (not only does this trap the pests, but it also helps prevent evaporation).
  4. Poke some holes in the plastic, and set out on a kitchen counter near where the pesky beasts are.
  5. The idea behind this is the ACV attracts the insects, and they go in for a snack. The soap helps bind them to the surface of the water. But even if they only planned on visiting, getting back out is almost impossible.
  6. Once your population has exhausted itself, wash out the cups/bowls well and sterilize.

Other Tips for Getting Rid of House Flies in Your Kitchen

  • You can also use things like flypaper, but we’ve found that the above recipe works really well. And remember, there are dozens of recipes all over the internet on how to trap these creatures, but we’ve found this one works extremely well.
  • Just remember, it’s important to manage cleanliness and the produce in your kitchen at the same time.
  • Here is another option with a cute printable for killing fruit flies in your house.
  • If you also have those nasty fungus flies that come in with your plants, .
  • If you are infested by these little flying minions, make sure to put a bowl/glass in your bathroom. They’ll also congregate there.

How Do You Get Rid of Fruit Flies at Home?

Finally, I want you to know that there are a ton of ways to do this. It is important, though, to implement the most suitable solution for yourself. Considering you have children or pets, it is more likely to go for a 100% nontoxic solution to get rid of the flies. On the other hand, if the problem is already advanced, you may need to ask for the help of a pro. All in all, it is essential to remember to adapt your solutions to the problem you are dealing with!

However, as you do that, please tell us how you fight these insects and what are your best methods. Share your experience with fruit flies and other kitchen intruders in the comments section below. Also, if you found this information helpful and want to tuck it away for safekeeping when you need it, feel free to !

How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies in Your Kitchen