Fruit flies sneak into homes looking for food and places to breed. They’re attracted to fruit, vegetables, and sugary or fermented food and drinks. These small flies can multiply quickly, which is why it’s important to take steps to keep them out of your space. We’ve made a list of tips to help you prevent fruit flies from invading your home.
Inspect & Wash Produce
Fruit flies lay eggs on produce, so you’ll want to inspect your fruit and vegetables before purchasing them. Look for fruit flies flying near the produce area and check the produce for bruising or damage. When you bring your fruit and vegetables home, give them a good wash to help remove any eggs or larvae. You’ll also want to inspect produce in your garden and remove any fallen or rotting produce.
Properly Store Produce
After inspecting and washing your produce, you’ll want to make sure you store your fruit and vegetables properly. It’s best to avoid leaving your produce on the counters, especially if it’s overripe. Placing your produce in the refrigerator will prevent fruit flies from being attracted to it. It will also help to slow the ripening process. If you have any rotting produce, you’ll want to throw it away in a trash can with a tight-fitting lid to avoid attracting these flies.
Keep Your Kitchen Clean
Keeping your kitchen clean can also help to keep these pesky flies away. Take the time to clean up crumbs and spills. Wipe down your counters and other surfaces where food and drink residues can be found. Avoid leaving dirty dishes in the sink overnight, and clean your sink to remove any food particles. You’ll also want to make sure your drains are clean. Using a drain cover or basket can help to keep debris out of your drain.
Take Care of Your Trash
Fruit flies are often found hanging out near trash bins. You’ll want to make sure your trash can has a lid that fits well. Taking out your trash daily can also help you avoid attracting fruit flies. Before throwing cans or bottles in the trash or recycling bin, wash them out to remove any drink residues, especially if it contained something sweet or fermented like soda or alcohol. Keeping your trash bins clean can discourage fruit fly activity. You can also place a Garbage Refresh Deodorizer & Insect Control Block in your trash bin to kill and repel fruit flies.
Keep Things Dry
Fruit flies breed in damp and dark environments including drains, garbage disposals, and trash bins. Keeping your space dry can help to prevent a fruit fly problem. Fix any plumbing problems like leaky pipes or slow drains. Keep your counters and floor dry. Damp mop heads or water left in a bucket can also be attractive to fruit flies. Empty buckets and let your mop dry outside. If your mop has a removeable pad, run it through the washer and dryer after using it.
Seal Entry Points
In addition to removing attractants, you want to ensure fruit flies can’t find a way into your home. Denying pests access is one of the best ways to avoid infestations. Check your door and window screens for damage and repair or replace them if needed. Keep your doors and windows closed, especially if you don’t have screens. Check for gaps or cracks on the exterior of your home and seal any you find.
Use Pest Control Products
If fruit flies have invaded your home, pest control products can help. Our Fruit Fly Trap discreetly lures and captures fruit flies, preventing them from breeding and multiplying. You will want to place the traps near fruit fly activity and areas where fruit flies are likely to be found including close to fruit bowls, sinks, and trash bins. If fruit flies are hanging out in your drains, you can treat your drains with our Drain & Fruit Fly Killer. You can also add a sprayer top to the bottle to treat areas that are attractive to fruit flies like trash bins.
No one wants to share their kitchen with fruit flies. Taking the time to remove attractants can help to keep your home free of these flies. If fruit flies or other pests are bugging you, we want to help! Check out our Maggie’s Farm Simply Effective™ Pest Control products.