As beautiful as the warm season is and as much as we look forward to it, it also brings with it a few annoying things - lots of insects, which are mostly useful for nature, but can spoil any relaxation for us. In addition to mosquitoes, it is primarily fruit flies that can make our lives difficult. As soon as the fruit has been left for a few days, they are already there. But they don't just like to attack fruit. In general, do not leave food open and clean up spills immediately. This is a great way to prevent an infestation. But what can you do about fruit flies if they are already there? Stay away from chemical agents, as they are completely unnecessary and not recommended, especially in the kitchen. Instead, you can try our home remedies for fruit flies.
How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies – Do This First!
It is only logical to first remove everything that is infected. After all, that's why the flies are there in the first place. Also check whether something might be dirty somewhere. Rotten fruit in particular quickly releases juice, which attracts insects. Once everything is clean, ventilate the affected room well again. This way you can get rid of some of the fruit flies.
If you store fruit at room temperature (e.g. in a fruit bowl), cover it with a hood. The riper it is, the faster it is attacked by small flies. And this is especially true for very sweet fruit. Wash dishes immediately, always throw away leftover food straight away and throw away the garbage every day. Drinks that attract fruit flies should always be covered.
Home remedies for fruit flies – try these tricks!
For the rest, you can then try our fruit fly remedies. From fly traps to repelling essential oils, there are many things that can work against fruit flies. By the way: If you are looking for a home remedy for fruit flies on plants, you should first know that these are not this type of flies. Fungus gnats usually infest potting soil. Find out how to combat thisin this article.
But what to do if there are fruit flies in the house?
Vinegar is one of the most popular remedies
I'm sure you've already done this many timesVinegar as a miracle cureused in the household. In this case, it is not only diluted with water, but also combined with dishwashing liquid and there is an important reason for this: the vinegar (apple cider vinegar is also suitable) is supposed to attract the flies. However, since they can float on water due to their low weight, the surface tension of the water must be broken. And that's exactly what the dishwashing liquid does. This means the fruit fly can no longer land on the water and drowns.
You can easily prepare the home remedy for fruit flies with vinegar by diluting some vinegar with water and mixing in a little bit of dishwashing liquid. You then simply place the glass or bowl somewhere in the room and let the fruit fly remedy do its work.
Build a fly trap with cling film
If you have just snacked on compote, you can use it straight away to combat fruit flies. To do this, you should leave a little fruit juice in the can, then you can use it to build a simple trap. Stretch cling film over the opening of the can (or other container) and pierce it several times. Since the sweet juice attracts the pests, they will quickly find their way through these holes into the can, but not out.
Home remedies for fruit flies - trap with fruit in a food storage bag
Onesimilar trapcan be obtained by placing a few pieces of fruit in an open freezer bag. The fruit flies will gather there to lay their eggs, so after a few days they can seal the bag and discard it. This is another practical home remedy for fruit flies without vinegar.
Home remedies for fruit flies with yeast
The variant with vinegar and detergent also works alternatively with yeast. For example, if you don't have vinegar at home, simply mix fresh yeast with 100 ml of water, a teaspoon of sugar and a little dishwashing liquid. The principle is the same: the sugared yeast attracts the flies, the dishwashing liquid destroys the surface tension of the water and the water drowns the insects. Other alternatives to vinegar that you can use to make your own fruit fly repellent include:
- Bier
- red wine
- Kombucha
- other yeast-containing drinks
Essential oils, herbs and plants for fruit fly control
Use your small collection of essential oils and distribute quickly andsimply with fragrancesthe little flies. For example, you can try the following oils:
- Basil
- Nasturtium
- Lavender
- I'm peeing
- Lemon balm or grass
or the following herbs/spices: green parts of the tomato plant, garlic, bay leaf, chives
A very interesting variant is also to use onecarnivorous plant. The so-called butterwort proves to be extremely effective in the fight against fruit flies.
Home remedies for fruit flies – prevent infestation with lemon
If you cut a lemon in half and then place the halves with the fruit in your fruit bowl, the lemony scent will repel fruit flies. To intensify the effect, you should first stick cloves into the cut sides. This should temporarily protect your fruit from the infestation and in a completely natural way!
