How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Thank you for this question. I looked online when I started with my problem and was told a dish of apple cider vinegar...that didn't work, but I wasn't told about the dish soap or the plastic wrap, I will have to try that now.

I had the same problem a couple of weeks ago. I tried the apple cider vinegar method - with some success, but I had better luck putting a slice of apple in the dish with the plastic wrap over it with small holes poked in it. The apple slice seemed to attract them better. Good luck - it takes a few days, but you will soon be clear!

Oh, what a pain! We just barely conquered our kitchen fruit fly infestation and it took almost three weeks--our flies came in on a box of fresh peaches.
I read about putting vinegar and dish soap in a dish and tried it. I put some Press 'n Seal Wrap on the top and poked holes in the top. The idea I read was that they'd go in but not out and be stuck. Over two weeks, I caught maybe 12 this way, so it was only moderately effective for me.

The things that helped the most were cleaning up or covering all food sources in the kitchen and moving ALL fruit to the fridge for awhile, and vacuuming the flies up. Consider double-checking your pantry so you know there's not a potato or something sitting around that has become their headquarters.
After a full week of being aggressive and vigilant, I can finally have fruit in a fruit bowl again. I think you'll have to offer the dog canned food outside or clean the dish immediately after s/he eats. Fruit flies are attracted to moisture, so I was extra conscientious about not leaving any dishes in the sink (dirty or wet) and wiping around the sink constantly.
It's a big pain, but pretty soon you won't feel like you're living inn a cloud of bugs. Hang in there!

I have heard that you set out bowls of apple cider vinegar. They are attracted to the smell and end up drowning.

I had this problem this year, too. My friend told me of this...

Get a bottle, like a canning bottle or I just used a tall, skinny glass, and fill about 1/4 full of apple cider vinegar. Make a funnel out of paper--make sure the hole at the bottom of the funnel is tiny (that is where flies go in cause they are attracted to the smell, but it has to be small so they can't get back out). Put tape around the funnel and the bottle so the flies can't get out of the jar. That's it!!

If you have questions, email me. My email is ____@____.com. I have a picture of what it should look like but I don't know how to post pictures on here :)

Marci: i am so glad you posted this. I was going to today as I'm having the same problem. Guess I'll try the vinegar thing and see what happens

I'm having the same problem, I tried putting bleach down the kitchen drain that seemed to help somewhat.

Marci, I have a fool proof way of getting rid of fruit flies! Take a small, clear cup and fill it about 1/4-1/3 of the way with apple cider vinegar. Then put in some dishwashing soap (like dawn or whatever you have by your sink). The fruit flies are attracted to the smell of the vinegar and will try to fly in for a taste. The dishsoap will stick to their wings and they will not be able to fly out of the liquid. It is very simple and works very well. Good luck!

I just read a tip today to get rid of fruit flies. It said to take a small glass and put in some Apple Cider Vinegar and mix in a couple drops of dish washing liquid. Apparently it attracts the flies and then kills them.

If they ARE fruit flies here's a great way to get rid of them. Put an inch or apple cider vinegar (real, not apple flavored) in a glass along with a drop of liquid dish soap. Cover it with plastic wrap and poke holes in it with a pencil. The vinegar attracts them & the soap kills them. They fly in & are too stupid to get out. Put these wherever you need to. Works like a charm.

We recently had the same problem. Time . . . time is the answer. And, we actually went to where they congregrate and vacuumed them up. That helped a lot to reduce the numbers of them. And, got rid of all the fruit on the counter until the worst was over. Good luck!

Thanks for posting this- I have the same problem!! I'll try the vinegar thing. Good luck!

We had the same problem this summer. We did small bowls of apple cider vinegar with a dash of dish soap. Apple cider vinegar attracts them, dish soap kills them. Worked like a charm. We didn't have to use lids or paper rolls or anything.
J.

Well, from my days as a restaurant manager, I dealt with fruit flies that made it in with fresh produce. Weird thing is this... they used to multiply INSIDE the drains to the walk-in refrigerators and the bar refrigerators. We would pour 2 parts hot water and 1 part bleach down the drains and it would end the problem right away. This happened at my house once, and I found the little drain in my freezer (all frost-free refrigerators and freezers have this) and poured the solution in, and presto! The fruit flies were gone.

Get a small plastic dish and put a drop or two of Dawn soap and fill part way with water till it is bubbly.place on your counter. If you have plants with gnats place it near them out of reach of children. Shaklee also make a spray for gnats for a big bottle under 10 dollars. Apple cider works also but you will need to make a trap to cover the smell.

I had the same problem for a while. Put out jars or lidded containers with small holes poked inthe top with vinegar or red wine + dsh soap. The flies are attracted to the odor and fly in but can't get out and just drown or die from the soap. I also invested in a btter trashcan with steplid as the flies seemed to breed in the trash. They also loved any food that is left out (coffee grinds in the pot) and even all trash including the diaper pail! so I had to be diligent about putting everything away every night. Oh I also hung a fly paper ribbon in the kitchen which caught a LOT of them.

Hi Marci,
Try apple cider vinegar with a drop of dish soap in a small bowl. This works real well too. You'll need a small jar, make a cone out of paper to fit tightly in the jar put some apple cider vinegar in the jar. they will fly down the cone to the vinegar and get trapped in the jar (some are smart and can get out, so when you trap them disgard them).
I hope that helps.
L.