How to clean fruit flies from drain

We all know that feeling. We’re sitting at the table or doing dishes or making dinner, and there they are. Hovering in the air or buzzing around our face or sitting on a bowl of fresh apples – fruit flies. They seem to come from nowhere and then they seem to be everywhere, especially in your sink drain. Why? Where do they come from? Why do they like the drain so much? And most importantly, how do you get rid of them? Let’s take a look at what you need to know about those irksome fruit flies stuck in your drain.

Where do fruit flies come from?

You can get an infestation of fruit flies from a number of different places. They can come in on a batch of fresh produce, either from the grocery store or a farmer’s market. They can be hiding in plants and flowers that you bring in the house. And worst of all, because they’re so small, even adult fruit flies can get into your house through screens on windows and doors.

Why do they always end up in the drain?

In addition to eating your ripe or rotting food, fruit flies need a place to live and reproduce. What they like best is a dark, damp place. What fits the bill? Your kitchen sink drain. It’s like a dream home to a fruit fly. It’s dark and wet and full of food residue. This is especially true if you have a clog or plumbing issue. It’s particularly dark and dank when the sink is stopped up. Why do they need a dark place to hang out? To lay their eggs. You read that right – their eggs. And they can lay up to 500. Once the larvae hatch, they do the same thing as their parents - they eat your food and infest your kitchen.

How can you get rid of fruit flies?

Fruit flies are like ants – once they’ve taken over, it seems impossible to get rid of them. But there are some simple tricks you can try to give them the boot:

• Keep your sink drains clean and free of old food and debris
• Create traps using apple cider vinegar and dish soap
• Leave out an almost-empty bottle of soda or beer to trap them
• Throw away old fruit and vegetables that attract the flies
• Store produce in the refrigerator
• Wash produce as soon as you bring it home to remove larvae that might be present
• Take out the garbage frequently

What if your drains are the problem?

For fruit flies, your kitchen drains are the perfect place to hide, lay eggs, and multiply. The first thing to do is keep your drains clean and cover them at night to keep them out and prevent breeding and egg laying. If you get a drain clog, a quick fix is crucial to keeping the flies at bay. What do you do if you have a clogged drain? Contact the courteous plumbing professionals at Mr. Rooter online, or by calling (855) 591-0128. With upfront pricing and experience you can count on you’ll rest easy knowing your drains are clear and the fruit flies are long gone.

July 15, 2020 July 15, 2020/ Heather Fegan

The quickest and easiest ways to kill fruit flies and reclaim your kitchen

How to get rid of fruit flies

I’m not doing it. I swear, I’ll run away first. Summer started and sure enough, the invasion began. What is that I am not doing? I’m not co-existing with these pesky little fruit flies that have set up shop in my kitchen. Check out this recipe for the only all-natural ant killer you’ll ever need.

I’ve spent some time researching the best ways to kill fruit flies. Now I’m compiling all the advice to eliminate these pesky little bugs in one place, just for you.

Here’s what I found. Six sure-fire ways to banish fruit flies forever!

Be sure to pin this post if you want to save it for later!

Now, I know how to catch fruit flies. The classic plastic-wrap-over-a-wine-glass trick works. But then there’s tons of gross dead fruit flies floating in half empty wine glasses spread around the kitchen. As much as I don’t want fruit flies swarming around me, I don’t want to live surrounded by fruit fly graves either. And while those glasses are filing up with gross sunken bugs, there’s still more fruit flies on the loose. My goal is to get straight to the source and get rid of the tiny flies FOREVER.

What causes fruit flies in the house? 

Fruit flies are attracted to ripe, rotting, or decayed fruit and produce (and any rotten food, really). They are also attracted to fermented liquid like wine, beer, and liquor. Some fast facts: Females are able to lay 500 eggs at a time, which hatch within 24-30 hours! The lifespan of a fruit fly is 40-50 days. No wonder these pesky little bugs are so hard to control. 

Fruit flies tend to breed in drains, garbages, and compost bins. 

The fastest way to get rid of fruit flies 

Start at the source. Capturing the adult flies is helpful, but is not enough if there are eggs manifesting elsewhere. You’ll want to get rid of flies at the source. 

1. Wash produce as soon as you bring it into your home. Don’t leave any produce on the kitchen counter. 

2. Make sure your garbage and compost areas are sealed tight. Also be sure to keep these areas neat and tidy. You may want to consider keeping compost containers in the fridge or freezer during hotter months.

3. Clean up any sticky messes and crumbs asap. 

Fruit flies in your drain

4. Fruit flies can breed in your drains so clean your sink drain. Here are some options for you:

• you can pour boiling water down the drain

• -try ½ cup of salt, ½ cup of baking soda, 1 cup vinegar down the drain. The following morning, pour boiling water down the drain.  

• Straight up vinegar, bleach, or a a drain cleaner. 

• Stick a metal brush or a pipe cleaner down the drain to clean it out (just don’t let go!).

 Keep the sink drains plugged at night.

The best fruit fly traps

5. There are a variety of simple homemade traps you can use to trap and kill fruit flies. Here are some options for you:

• A dish of cider vinegar (one cup should do) with a few drops of dish soap set out on the counter will lure the flies and trap them in the water. 

• You can also use a glass of beer or wine (red works best) to make a fruit fly trap. Pour some in a glass, cover it with plastic wrap and poke tiny holes with a toothpick for the fruit flies to get in - but they won’t be able to get out. 

• There’s also a funnel trap you can try to catch and kill fruit flies. Put some fruit fly-tempting liquid (beer, wine, cider vinegar), or fruit scraps into a mason jar as bait. Roll up a piece of paper into a funnel and place it with the pointy end into the jar. The flies will get in, but can’t make their way out. 

A home-made fruit fly trap perched near potential breeding grounds like compost bins or sink drains will help eliminate pesky fruit flies #fruitfies #houseandhome #DIYFruitflytrap

Be careful though. You don’t want your fruit fly trap ending up like this weird little crime scene! They are also gross to look at. These traps are a great short-term solution for getting rid of the fruit flies that are already out, but don’t forget to start at the source and eliminate the fruit flies - and potential trap mishaps - forever!

Fruit fly traps are one method to catch and kill fruit flies but are also unsightly, gross, and an accident waiting to happen, like this wine glass trap that was smashed.. kill and eliminate fruit flies at the source, like compost bins and sink drains. #fruitflies #howtokillfruitflies #fruitflytrap #houseandhome

6. There are some natural fruit fly repellents that are nice to keep around the kitchen in any case. 

• Lemongrass and lavender scents repel fruit flies. If you don’t have a diffuser, you can mix 10 drops of essential oil with one cup of hot water in a spray bottle and mist problematic areas - around the kitchen sink, garbages, compost, and fruit bowls. Or keep some fresh lavender around, maybe on the window sill. 

• Fruit flies don’t like the aroma of cedar wood so a bowl of cedar wood chips might help repel and reduce a fruit fly situation, plus it will look and smell good to everyone else. 

• Fruit flies don’t like basil. A basil plant on the counter may help to repel the pesky pests. Plus, bonus herbs for cooking. 

To recap, here are six surefire ways to banish fruit flies forever: 

1. Wash produce as soon as you bring it into your home. Keep it all off the counters and in the fridge.

2. Make sure your garbage and compost areas are sealed tight. Better yet, keep compost in the fridge or freezer. empty garbages frequently.

3. Clean up sticky messes as soon as possible.

4. Clean out your sink drains.

5. DIY fruit fly traps.

6. Keep natural repellants around.

To be honest with you, I waged an all-out war, putting all of the above into practice (red wine in a glass is my trap of choice and lavender essential oil is my favourite). Combined, it’s been immensely helpful. There’s finally not a fruit fly in sight. I believe starting at the source by cleaning and storing all your produce and eliminating potential breeding grounds (compost, garbage, cleaning the sink drain) is KEY. So I guess I won’t need to run away.

If fruit flies are driving you into madness — or at least have you wanting to run out of the kitchen never to return — try these six surefire steps for effectively killing and eliminating fruit flies. Don’t stop until you conquer every last one of these pesky little flies forever.

Follow my six ways to get rid of fruit flies and eliminate fruit flies forver. Reclaim your kitchen pest-free! #fruitflies #houseandhome #fruitfliesbegone #diyfruitflytraps