Fruit flies are common and can be irritating. Most people find it daunting to get rid of these small flying insects which infest your house. These flies are commonly seen hovering around sweet items, especially fruits, which is why they are named as ‘fruit flies’. Getting rid of fruits flies cannot be that easy. These flies can breed faster and may stay alive for long even if you have cut their source of nutrition. One needs patience to to win against these flies as it may take some time and considerable efforts. Here are some tips that can help you get rid of fruits flies in the kitchen.
Throw away rotting fruits
If you see fruit flies around long- kept fruits or vegetables, then you need to first throw away these items immediately. Anything that is over-ripened, oozes liquid, has been cut or rotten, may attract these flies. Hence it is essential to dispose such items immediately. Ensure that you throw these items in trash far away from your house to avoid re-infestation. Make sure that kitchen is cleaned with phenyl, especially the area where these items were kept.
Get rid of empty cans
Fruit flies dwell in areas which has even slight moisture and in places, where they can find something sweet. Empty soda cans, beer cans or wine bottle serves as a perfect habitat for such flies. Hence, these items should be disposed away from the house.
Dispose compost items
Compost items can also attract fruit flies. Decaying foods or other items should be removed from the kitchen and moisture should be dried, if any. Scrub away the remaining area where these items were kept.
Replace old mobs or sponges
Sore sponges or mobs can also serve as a place for these flies to dwell. It is crucial that you get rid of old decaying sponge and cloths lying in your kitchen. After you get rid of rotten fruits these flies may probably switch their habitat to dwell on these mobs. Also check that your dishrags are clean and fresh.
Dish cleaning
Do not let dishes to remain unwashed especially if you find fruit flies in your house. Remains on the dishes may also serve as source of nutrition to these flies and they may accumulate over night around these dishes. You should specially wash away wine or juice glasses or bowls that were used for serving confectionaries. When you dispose-off the left- over ensure that they are placed away from your house in a tightly tied bag.
You can make trap using kitchen items
Sometimes one can also get rid of these flying insects faster by setting up traps. Fruit flies are also highly attracted to fermented items. If they smell anything even remotely fermented, they will go for it. Using cider vinegar, one can set up traps to catch and get rid of these flies. Soak a sponge in cider vinegar and place it in a zipper plastic bag (preferably transparent). When these insects fly into the bag and if they are in substantial amount, zip-close the bag and throw it away from your house. You can set-up several traps like such in your kitchen. This will help in eliminating significant amount of flies.
Repair your drains
Mucks accumulated at drainage area are also good place for these flies to stay. If the drainage of your house is not clean and slow moving water is present, then it may also have enough muck to allow these flies to breed. Ensure that you drain away any slow moving water and clean the muck to destroy colonies of fruit flies. If possible use firm brush and clean away any accumulation in the drainage. There are cleansing- solutions readily available that can help you clean such deposits.
Clean the entire kitchen
This should be a routine practice as it will not only eradicate fruit flies but will also help you maintain a hygienic kitchen and prevent infestation of fruit flies. Clean you sink, cooking area, refrigerator, dish –stand, etc. Wipe away fragments of spilled foods or other items.
Attention while canning
Some people do their own canning. Such people are suggested to ensure that jar and preserves are sealed properly. If you stock sauce, jellies, pickles and other sweet items, then ensure that you seal the jars and cans properly not allowing these flies to feed on the items.
There are also other ways to get rid of fruit flies. You do not need a complete pest control, but getting mosquito killer- sprays and spraying it on habitat of these flies can have great results. This is an easy way to get rid of fruit flies. However, you may have to perform this action quite a few times to eradicate fruit flies completely. In case if you are not able to handle these flies, then call for pest control.
