How to get rid of fruit flies — or are they drain flies?
Here is an easy 6-step method to zap a fruit fly:
- Pour your bait into a bottle with a narrow neck. A Corona Beer bottle is perfect. Because, fruit flies tend to be picky, as you have learned by now. A Cuervo beer bottle can work too.
- Your bait is apple cider vinegar, a banana, bread (they like yeast), or red wine — or even a few drops of left over beer, (if there is such a thing).
- Now, take some liquid dish soap, honey or vegetable oil and rub it around the top of the bottle opening, along the insides down into the jar.
- They fly in, and even if they do hover around the top of the liquid, they slippery soap makes it impossible for them to make their way out of the jar.
- Check your bottle. After a few hours, microwave the entire bottle to kill any eggs they might have dropped.
- Continue until fruit flies are non existent.
This is the fruit fly trap you’ve (I’ve) been looking for. The ultimate death trap for fruit flies. And yes, Mom was right; you can catch more flies with honey. And yes, the fruit fly is breeding, living and laying eggs in your drains. There’s no doubt that the fruit fly is smart. Most fruit flies will figure a way out of the trap we’ve set for them. But I’ve out-witted them. You really won’t have to spend a dime on this trap, as you already have the stuff in your pantry. Plus, I have some expert advice from Asapest.com.
I’ve seen fruit flies hover around the top of a wine glass, and mate, and then I have 2 million more fruit flies. They don’t drown. They have figured out a way to fly up through the tiny pin hole in saran wrap that was designed to trap them. I’ve watched them crawl around the outside the rim of a wine glass, knowing better than to fly in, because they’ll drown. The traps I set turn into breeding grounds for more fruit flies. I even sprinkled odorless Boric Acid Powder around their favorite resting spot, my bathroom mirror, and they crawl around it. Read more below for the how-to’s on this awesome fruit fly trap.
To keep them away, follow these tips from Asapest.
- Clean the buildup from the lining and the surrounding areas of your drains. Use a long, wire drain brush - similar to a bottle- washing brush - to scrub inside the drain.
- A bleach solution and nylon scrub brush can help eliminate the buildup around the edge of the drain.
- One reason for shower and tub drain clogs is the hair that collects in traps (the curved portion of the drain that holds water). Try bending a thin wire hanger to pull out some of this hair. Put a hook on one end and pull out as much of the debris as possible.
- You also can rent a snake, a device that winds through drain clogs using old-fashioned arm strength.
- Once you’ve cleaned the drain of hair and buildup, try using a plunger to push any remaining debris through the trap and down the drain.
- Instead of caustic cleaners, try keeping the lining of your drains clean a couple of different ways. First, I use an organic drain cleaner about three times a year to keep my sink drains and tub drains flowing smoothly. Try Bio-Clean which uses enzymes to break down the organic matter that lines and clogs drains.
- Also, use a drain freshener of salt, baking soda and white vinegar weekly to keep scum from building up in drains. Pour a half- cup of salt, then a half-cup of baking soda followed by a cup of vinegar into the drain. Let the drain foam for as long as possible, even overnight, then flush with boiling water.
Every night I sprinkle baking soda down the kitchen sink. And, a little bit in the tray in the refrigerator underneath the ice and water dispenser.
To keep them away from bananas and tomatoes, I sprinkle baking soda on them as they sit on my counter, and wash it off right before eating.
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Pour a little white vinegar down the drain the next morning. That really helps know out all the trash i the drain.
Cool cheap solution - I’ve always just not kept fruit in the house for a few days until they seem to die off so I’m guessing I have fruit flies, not drain flies . . . never heard of them before, but always good to know, as you never know what surprises you’ll find in your next flat!!
O dear, o dear, o dear, SusieJ, this is a good post. I never knew what Drain Flies were until they invaded my beautiful Tribeca Penthouse. Getting rid of them? I tried everything thinking that there was something my maid was doing. I made the poor woman cry because I kept insisting that fault was hers. One should be cautious in how help is treated. They are human you know. It was the bakery on the ground floor! It wasn’t until I had a melodramatic scene with the owner and had to threaten the Health Department that she brought in a plumber who discovered the source in the sub-basement drain. Once it was cleaned the problem disappeared and, mercifully, the bakery closed and now the new tenants are spotless. But, it was a nightmare. Thank you for beinging this up for us. We love your darling blog!
Nanny Molly
[...] would never believe what the number one google search is to my site. This post. (about 500 hits per day.) Do you people know I’m still baffled, and the flies are still [...]
Quick answer.. Try placing a small strip of tape on all the drains ( don’t cover the whole drain ) an check the the next morning or it may take a few days, but this will help in determining if they are Moth flies ( Drain flies ). If so you could purchase InVade bio drain treatment which helps clean the gunk in the drain were they live and breed. If not a plumber may have to power jet your plumbing system. hope this helps
A. Drain flies, also called moth flies and sewer gnats, are indeed a nuisance, especially in your case because they are originating inside your home. These tiny flies, from about 1/5 to 1/6 of an inch long, accumulate around showers, bathtubs, sinks and floor drains.
They also reproduce outdoors, in shallow standing water, compost bins, overflow pipes and garbage containers.
The flies lay eggs in the soft, moist organic matter that collects in and lines your drains. After hatching, the larvae feed on this matter and mature in 10 to 15 days.
I’m surprised that your exterminator did not know how to rid your drain of these pests. Several gels are made that can kill the flies.
These gels are sprayed around the drain area and are sold only to professionally licensed exterminators. You might want to consult another exterminator.
However, you can try to solve the problem yourself. The first step is to clean buildup from the lining and the surrounding areas of your drains. Use a long, wire drain brush - similar to a bottle- washing brush - to scrub inside the drain.
A bleach solution and nylon scrub brush can help eliminate the buildup around the edge of the drain.
One reason for shower and tub drain clogs is the hair that collects in traps (the curved portion of the drain that holds water). Try bending a thin wire hanger to pull out some of this hair. Put a hook on one end and pull out as much of the debris as possible.
You also can rent a snake, a device that winds through drain clogs using old-fashioned arm strength.
Once you’ve cleaned the drain of hair and buildup, try using a plunger to push any remaining debris through the trap and down the drain.
Although I don’t use caustic drain cleaners because I don’t want to upset the enzymes in my septic tank, you might consider using such a product during the initial cleanup. Follow directions, and do not use the cleaner in conjunction with other cleaners, like bleach (or even the household remedy I describe below).
Instead of caustic cleaners, try keeping the lining of your drains clean a couple of different ways. First, I use an organic drain cleaner about three times a year to keep my sink drains and tub drains flowing smoothly. Try Bio-Clean (available online at http://www.safedraincleaner.com), which uses enzymes to break down the organic matter that lines and clogs drains.
Also, use a drain freshener of salt, baking soda and white vinegar weekly to keep scum from building up in drains. Pour a half- cup of salt, then a half-cup of baking soda followed by a cup of vinegar into the drain. Let the drain foam for as long as possible, even overnight, then flush with boiling water.
There’s a chance that the drain flies are coming from another source, too. Moldy, mildewy areas underneath loose floor tiles or behind rotting drywall can be a breeding ground for flies. Examine the areas around your tub or shower floor. Clean and reset all loose tile and rotting wallboard.
For temporary control of flying drain flies, use aerosol insecticides designed for small flying insects. These generally contain pyrethrins or resmethrin and will kill adult flies. The sprays, however, won’t kill larvae and should not be sprayed into drains.
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