Key Steps
Wash fruit before storing it and get rid of decomposing fruit as soon as possible.
Empty and clean your bin regularly, using baking soda as a natural deodoriser.
Clean pet bowl and litter trays regularly to remove smells that attract flies.
Store fruit and veg in the fridge where suitable to do so.
Bake with overripe fruit to avoid food waste.
Clean up spillages and crumbs quickly so that they don’t attract flies.
Use a homemade fly trap to deal with any persistent pests.
Found small flies in the kitchen? These are often fruit flies which are drawn to the scent of decaying fruit and love feasting on overripe fruits. You can get rid of fruit flies quickly by regularly cleaning your kitchen, storing fruit safely, and using fly traps. Read on to learn more about how to get rid of small flies quickly and easily.
Use good quality products like Jif Cream Lemon to clean up any spillages and prevent flies wanting to come into your home.
How to get rid of fruit flies at home: 3 easy steps
Learning how to get rid of small flies in your kitchen or home might be easier than you think. Try this 3-step process.
1. Keep it clean. The most important step after discovering a fly infestation in your home is to start cleaning. Focus on the following areas and ensure any spillages and crumbs are cleaned up straight away:
The bin. Empty and clean it regularly. Sprinkle a little baking soda to prevent it from smelling in between changes and always use a bin liner.
Food waste. Refrigerate or freeze mature fruits where able or bake items like overripe bananas into a nice recipe rather than wasting them.
Pet food bowls and litter trays. Clean regularly and change the litter as needed to prevent nasty smells that can also attract flies.
2. Rearrange your storage. Instead of leaving fruit and veg out on the side, consider storing them elsewhere. The fridge is a great option and will often keep your food fresh for longer but it’s not the right choice for all foods. Read our article on the best way to store fruit & veg to learn more about which foods you can refrigerate.
3. Wash your fruit and veg. This is particularly important if you purchased it at the market or an open-air farm shop. The last thing you want is to bring fly eggs or larvae into your home, so give it all a good clean before storing it in your kitchen.
How to make a homemade fruit fly trap
Still got a problem with flies after reorganising your kitchen and cleaning everything regularly? Make a homemade fruit fly trap with one of these 3 methods to remove these last pests:
Mix apple cider vinegar and a good quality dish soap together in a jar. Flies are attracted to the sweet smell but get stuck. Cover the top of the jar with a plastic wrap that you’ve punched a few holes in.
Place old fruit or fruit juice in an old glass jar. Make a cone from paper and slip it into the top of the jar - flies will be able to get in but not fly back out into your home.
Cut the top off a plastic bottle and pour melted sugar water inside. Flip the top piece of the bottle over and insert into the body of the bottle, securing with staples, tape, or even glue. Other wildlife, like bees, might also be attracted to this mixture so to avoid trapping them with the flies you can add a few drops of vinegar.
Now you have our instructions on how to make a homemade fruit fly trap and top tips for how to get rid of fruit flies in your home, it’ll be easier to keep your home pest-free. Try our supporting article on removing flies for more general tips for other types of house flies.