Household Hints & Help
Related: About this forumHow do i combat fruit flies?
OMG!! I am inundated with them.
I've tried the bowls of apple cider vinegar, and it works...it just doesn't completely get rid of them.
I want them GONE.
Viva_La_Revolution
(28,791 posts)We get them this time of year from all the fruit in the house.
recipe - 1/2 t. sugar dissolved in 2 tbl hot water, add 2 tbl apple cider vinegar (raw works best), 1 drop dishsoap. I use little applesauce cups and hide them around the kitchen where they can't really be seen. the buggers find them though. 3 weeks constant use and removing anything drawing them will do it.
sticky fly traps help too, a little.
fizzgig
(24,146 posts)both have worked for me
JaneQPublic
(7,117 posts)Curmudgeoness
(18,219 posts)I find that I will have a few different kinds of flies at this time (this year is a bad one). I also will notice that some are hanging out around the drains in the sink, so I put hydrogen peroxide down the drains because I think some of the kinds of flies are breeding there.
Once you get them, it is a constant battle to get rid of them.
japple
(10,330 posts)and when I boil water for tea in the morning, I always make sure to pour some down the drain. After watching the video below saying that they can lay up to 500 eggs in those little overflow drains in bathroom sinks, I think I'll use your peroxide method, too.
Curmudgeoness
(18,219 posts)but when I saw one fly come out of the drain hole, all I had at hand was hydrogen peroxide. It was kinda fun too, watching it bubble up out of the drain hole until it was clear. I am not so sure that these are all "fruit flies", since someone told me there are some flies that live in drains. I never tried to determine if they were different.
japple
(10,330 posts)It's a great chemical reaction and leaves everything sparkling, squeaky clean, too!
Curmudgeoness
(18,219 posts)especially when the drain starts to run a little slow....because I never think of drains unless they are not working right. I should do that occasionally just to keep everything working, but life gets in the way.
LiberalEsto
(22,845 posts)and pour about a half inch of cider vinegar in them. Option: add a chunk of fruit.
Now make little paper cones using clear tape. Leave a small hole at the tip of each cone, just big enough for a fruit fly.
Put the cones into the tops of the bottles, upside down so the point is aimed at the bottom of the bottle. Make sure the cones fit in the bottle openings so there are no escape routes.
The flies will get into the bottles, attracted by the smell of vinegar and maybe rotting fruit. But they won't be able to figure out how to get out again.
Mwa ha ha ha haaaaaaa!
This worked for me when we had a huge fruit fly invasion a couple of years ago.
LaydeeBug
(10,291 posts)LiberalEsto
(22,845 posts)I don't cut the plastic. It might be harder for the flies to escape from a tiny hole in a paper cone, than from a bottle opening. Try one of each and see what happens.
Good luck!
ret5hd
(21,320 posts)Alternatively, bazookas. But only if you're a good shot.