How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Method 1: The apple cider vinegar trap (fastest)

To get rid of fruit flies fast, start with this trap — full guide at apple cider vinegar fruit fly trap.

1. Pour 2–3 cm of apple cider vinegar into a small bowl, jar or cup.
2. Add 2–3 drops of dish soap and stir gently. The soap breaks the surface tension so flies sink instead of landing and flying off.
3. Optional: cover with plastic wrap and poke a few tiny holes with a toothpick — flies get in but struggle to get out.
4. Place it where you see the most flies. Replace every 2–3 days.

You will usually see the first trapped flies within a few hours. Keep the trap out for at least a week after the last fly disappears, because eggs keep hatching for days.

Method 2: The funnel trap (no plastic wrap)

1. Put a piece of overripe banana or peach (or a splash of wine) in a jar.
2. Roll a sheet of paper into a cone with a tiny hole at the tip and place it point-down in the jar, sealing the edges with tape.
3. Flies fly down the funnel toward the smell and cannot find the small exit.

Take the whole jar outside to release or dispose of it, then set a fresh one. Works well as a second trap alongside the vinegar trap.

Method 3: Clean the drains (the hidden nursery)

If traps catch flies but new ones keep appearing, they are probably breeding in your sink drain, garbage disposal, or dishwasher filter. Fruit flies lay eggs in the slimy layer of decaying food inside drains.

1. Scrub inside the drain with a long bottle brush — this physically removes the breeding layer. This step matters more than any liquid you pour.
2. Flush with boiling water.
3. Follow with ½ cup baking soda + 1 cup vinegar, wait 15 minutes, then flush with hot water.
4. Clean the garbage disposal splash guard (the rubber flaps) — food collects underneath.

Bleach alone rarely works. It kills on contact but does not remove the slime layer, so flies return within days. Scrubbing is the real fix.

Method 4: Remove everything that attracts them

Traps kill the adults; this step stops the next generation. Walk through your kitchen and fix every item:

• Fruit on the counter: refrigerate ripe fruit, or store in sealed containers. Throw out anything overripe.
• Trash: empty kitchen bins daily, use a lid, and rinse the bin itself — dried juice at the bottom is a breeding site.
• Recycling: rinse bottles and cans before binning them. A single unrinsed beer bottle can breed flies.
• Dishes: do not leave dirty dishes overnight; rinse and load the dishwasher.
• Sponges and mops: wring out and replace damp sponges; they breed flies too.
• Counter spills: wipe up juice, wine and sugary spills immediately.

Not sure where they are coming from? Read where do fruit flies come from for the 7 most common sources.

Method 5: Store-bought traps (for stubborn cases)

Wondering about the best fruit fly trap to buy? Commercial traps work on the same vinegar-attractant principle and are useful if you want something tidier than a DIY bowl. They are a convenience, not a stronger solution — pair them with attractant removal like any other trap.

What does NOT work well

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