How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies in My House in the Wintertime

Fruit flies are pesky flying insects that are attracted to the warmth of your home during the winter and food that is left out. They can quickly multiply in your home if they are not eliminated. The key to getting rid of fruit flies is through natural deterrents to keep them away from common areas as well as eliminating their food sources; they cannot survive if there is nothing to consume during the winter.

Things You'll Need

• Broom
• White vinegar
• Spray bottle
• Bowl
• Cooking pot
• Paper funnel
• Jar
• Cider vinegar
• Dishwashing liquid soap
• Pyrethrum-based aerosol insecticide

Instructions

1. Sweep your floors daily to remove food crumbs, and wipe down your tables and counters to keep the area clear of a food source.

2. Pour 1 cup of white vinegar into a spray bottle and spray your kitchen countertops and tables to neutralize sticky and sweet spills; fruit flies are attracted to sweet smells.

3. Boil 2 to 3 cups of water in a pot, and pour 1 cup of white vinegar down your sink or garbage disposal's drain. Slowly pour the pot of boiling water into the drain to kill fruit flies that may be living in the drain.

4. Fill a bowl with white vinegar and place the bowl on your kitchen counter or wherever fruit flies are commonly found. The distilled white vinegar is an odiferous household product that wards off the fruit flies when placed near common areas.

5. Pour 2 to 3 ounces of cider vinegar and 1/2 cup of dishwashing liquid soap in a jar and poke a small hole in the bottom of a paper funnel. Place the bottom of the funnel into the jar to trap the fruit flies. The fruit fly is attracted to the scent of the cider vinegar, and drowns when it attempts to consume the bait.

6. Spray fruit flies with an pyrethrum-based aerosol insecticidal spray to kill them immediately in common areas. Ventilate the area by opening a window to prevent breathing in the insecticidal spray.

References

• Vinegar Tips: Cleaning with Vinegar
• University of Kentucky Entomology: Fruit Flies; Michael F. Potter; January 2010;
• "Good Housekeeping The Complete Household Handbook"; Editors of Good Housekeeping; April 2007;