The Best DIY Fruit Fly Killer

Pesky fruit flies bothering your produce in your kitchen? Sometimes it’s impossible to put all of your fresh fruit and veggies in the fridge so it has to sit out! Here’s a simple fruit fly killer to keep them from coming back.

The Best DIY Fruit Fly Killer

Are you looking for a fruit fly killer that actually works? There’s nothing more annoying than having a bowl of fruits lying around and a bunch of fruit flies hovering over it…It seems to be the struggle we have every summer.

If you have to deal with this on the daily, no worries. I’ve got you covered! I’m going to share with you the best method we’ve used to to get rid of those pesky fruit flies without having to buy commercial products.

While there are many products out in the market to kill fruit flies but if you’re looking for a more natural fruit fly killer or simply something that you can make for very little money, opting for a DIY fruit fly killer trap is a good idea. It’s one of the most effective and cheapest options for treating these little pests.

DIY Fruit Fly Trap

What You Need:

• A glass jar (an old jelly jar works well)
• Plastic wrap
• Jar lid
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Dishwashing soap or liquid

How to Make the Fruit Fly Killer:

Take the glass jar and pour some apple cider vinegar into it. I usually use about 1/4 cup or less. (Apple cider vinegar is the ultimate fermented liquid that will reel those fruit flies in. You can also use a bit of kombucha.)

Why Apple Cider Vinegar? It’s the perfect meal for a fruit fly. Fruit flies love anything fermented. The vinegar naturally plays a big role in fermentation, so fruit flies are attracted to the scent and will fly right to it.

It’s always handy to keep Apple cider vinegar around the house and you can learn about all the helpful uses of it in my blog post about Uses for Apple Cider Vinegar.

Next, cover the jar with the plastic wrap or lid. Whichever you use, make sure to poke some holes into the plastic cover or lid. In the middle of the lid or cover, make a bigger hole. Creating holes will allow for the fruit flies to take in the scent which will attract them to the jar.

Add a drop or two of dishwashing soap to the jar, this will keep the fruit flies trapped in when they fly through the hole.

That’s all there is to it! Now place the jar anywhere you seem to have the worst fruit fly problem. I like to tuck it in behind the fruit bowl that I keep on the countertop.

Old Fashioned Fruit Fly Killer Concoction

Here’s something fun…

This is an old Fruit fly killer trick from back in the 1800s…

To make this fruit fly trap, All you need is milk, sugar, and raw pepper. It seems like a rather odd combo but nevertheless…

Boil half a glass of milk and let it simmer with half a cup of sugar and raw pepper, place this mixture in a bowl or jar and leave it where the fruit flies will find it. The raw pepper will suffocate the fruit flies, and the fermentation of the sugar and milk will attract them.

I haven’t actually tried this mixture yet but I thought it sounded quite interesting!

Preventing Fruit Flies

Of course, in most cases, prevention is best. So if you’re looking for a way for them never to return after you’ve set your fruit fly killer up in every corner in your home, eliminate the fruit fly attraction points in your home.

• Make sure your fruit cans are well sealed at home.
• If you have ripe produce, make sure you eat it or refrigerate it.
• Discard rotting or bruised fruits and vegetables, or have a cover on your scrap bucket.
• Eliminate suspected fruit fly breeding spots and be sure to cover potential breeding areas with plastic or a tea towel if they seem to be really bad.

If you practice some of these tips, you can prevent fruit flies from laying eggs and infesting your kitchen or other areas of your home. If you are unable to prevent the flies (because you just can’t store tomatoes in the fridge…don’t do it!), use the simple DIY mixture above to at least eliminate the ones you do have in your home.

I hope these suggestions are helpful and if you try any of these methods, let me know which one you like the most and which ones from the above have worked the best for you. I’d love to hear your feedback!