Although they aren’t particularly dangerous, fruit flies are unpleasant insects that can lay eggs in your food. Do you want to get rid of them simply, without resorting to an insecticide? Are you wondering how to keep fruit flies away? Here are a few tips that will let you deal with these annoying insects.
Don’t let them settle
The best way to prevent fruit flies from settling in your home is to repel them by acting methodically:
- Avoid having an indoor compost bin. If you can’t do otherwise, empty it and clean the container regularly to make sure that there aren’t any flies or maggots;
- Take your garbage out quickly after throwing away food, especially in the summer;
- If you leave fruit and vegetables out in the open, check them regularly and store them in the refrigerator or cook them before they get too ripe;
- Make sure that your work surface and sink are perfectly clean to avoid attracting flies with crumbs and other residue; and
- Clean the containers that you put in the recycling bin.
You can also place some fresh basil in soil in the area appreciated by the flies: The smell of the plant makes them fly away. If you don’t have any basil, you should know that essential oils of lavender and citronella help repel fruit flies.
Trap them
Fruit flies aren’t very intelligent insects; a very simple trap is usually enough to trap them successfully:
Take an empty plastic bottle and cut it in half. Pour some syrup in the bottom of the lower part of the bottle, then insert the upper part upside down after removing the cap. Attracted by the sugar, the flies will succeed in entering the device through the neck but won’t be able to get out of it. You can either let them die in the trap or give them a second chance by opening the trap outside your house. However, make sure to open the trap far enough away and in an isolated area so that the flies don’t come back or go annoy other people.
Exterminate the maggots
If the flies lay their eggs before you trap them, then you may have to restart your cleaning operations and your “fly hunt” a few days later. Indeed, the eggs hatching is all it takes for the maggots and then the fruit flies to invade your home again. To prevent this from happening, checking all the wet areas is strongly recommended. Clean your pipes with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar and clean your sink with bleach. Throw away your old sponges, dish cloths, and even your mops if you notice that they are wet. Flies love laying their eggs in this type of place; they even like the bristles of toothbrushes.
After eliminating the fruit flies and their eggs, you should finally enjoy a healthy home without any parasitic insects in your food. Afterwards, make sure not to leave rotten fruit in your garbage bins, and never forget leftovers on a plate with the window open. Taking these few precautions can help you get rid of the problem permanently. If you notice that the flies are coming back often or that your home is infested with other insects, don’t hesitate to call on professionals.