No one wants to see fruit flies hovering in their home. These pests are small but they’re mighty annoying. These flies are not harmful. But seeing them inside the home gives an impression that the place is unsanitary.
You might be wondering how fruit flies get inside your home even when you clean it on a regular basis. The surprising truth is we often bring them with us. Fruit flies might have laid eggs in the fruits and vegetables that you’ve bought. They can also come in through cracks in the wall. They’re drawn to fermented produce. These tiny pests are also seen in garbage disposals and old cans and bottles. You might even find them flitting around your cleaning mops and rags.
Don’t feel intimidated by the number of fruit flies in your kitchen or around your home. A professional cleaning company like PCT Clean can handle the problem. You can also do it yourself. Here’s how to get rid of fruit flies in your apartment.
Clean Your Home
The first thing you should do is clean your space. It’s the simplest solution. Wipe down the table and countertops. Clean any spills as soon as you can, especially beer, wine, and fruit juice. Fruit flies are drawn to these sticky liquids.
You should also wash the produce as soon as you arrive home. This will get rid of any eggs or larvae on the surface. Fruit flies lay their eggs on the food surface. There’s little chance you’ll ingest them as long as you wash them. You should also clean the sink and make sure there are no food particles left. You don’t want to give these pests a place to breed. Make it a habit to take out your garbage. Always check that the lids of trash cans are also shut.
Get Rid of Rotting Produce
Check the fruits and vegetables in your home. Throw away products that are overripe and rotting. Fruit flies are always attracted to their smell. They’ll lay their eggs on the surface and in a day or two, you’ll be swarming with more flies. You should consume fruits as soon as you can. Storing them in your refrigerator is also a good option.
Use Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar can help you get rid of these flying pests. All you have to do is pour a small amount of apple cider vinegar into a glass. You can also remove the cap from an almost empty bottle of apple cider vinegar.
Cover the glass or bottle with plastic wrap. Secure it with a rubber band. Poke a few holes on the plastic. This will allow the flies to enter and try to get to the vinegar. Flies love the smell of vinegar. They’ll then become trapped inside.
Make several apple cider vinegar traps and place them in different parts of the kitchen. You can also put some outside.
Trap Them with Fruit and Vinegar
Make good use of the overripe fruits you have. Place several pieces of rotting fruit in a jar. Add a little vinegar. You can also use ketchup, wine, or beer if you don’t have fruit.
Roll one paper into a cone. Stick the part with a narrow opening inside the jar. You can also use a plastic funnel if you have one. The smell of the rotting produce will attract the flies like bees to honey. They’ll go inside the jar, but the cone will block them from getting out. Now the only thing you’ll have to do is to wait for the jar to fill up. Throw away the contents once the flies are all dead. If you used a paper cone, add it to your compost pit.
Drown Them with Soap and Vinegar
Here’s one trick every maid service knows. Get a small bowl and pour a small amount of vinegar. Add three drops of dishwashing soap. Place it in the kitchen but leave it uncovered. The vinegar will draw the fruit flies in. The soap weakens the surface tension so the flies will fall in and drown.
Offer Old Beer
It turns out that stale beer and wine are like catnip to flies. Leave out an almost empty bottle of wine or beer. The flies will dive in the mouth but the skinny neck makes it hard to escape. You can even add several drops of liquid dishwashing soap to ensure success.
You can also cover the mouth of the bottle with plastic. Poke some holes so the flies can go in but they can’t get out. Wait until the flies are dead before throwing away the bottle.
Invest in a Bug Catcher
You can also have the housekeeping service bring in a tried and tested insect trap. You can use tape traps that you can stick on windows. The Catchmaster Clear Window Fly Traps are popular. An indoor UV trap is also effective. But it’s a bit expensive and the buzzing sound whenever it traps an insect can surprise you. Check out models like Katchy Indoor Insect Trap.
Have a Clean and Pest Free Home
You don’t have to worry about bugs and other pests when you have PCT Clean on the job. We’re one of the best cleaning services companies in the industry. We’re dedicated to keeping your office and home clean as a whistle. Our professional cleaners are highly-trained and reliable. We do home and office cleaning. We also offer deep disinfecting and maid services based on your schedule. All the cleaning products we use are effective and safe. Drop us a message and request a quote here. You can also call us at (770) 422-5326.
