Fruit flies are tiny bugs attracted to ripening food and other organic material. Laying up to 500 eggs at once, fruit flies may invade your sinks, garbage cans and countertops. While commercial pesticides can be used to kill fruit flies, these products often contain harsh chemicals. Instead, kill fruit flies with natural home remedies.
One of the most basic yet effective remedies for getting rid of fruit flies is to clean up the kitchen. Keep ripened or ripening fruit off the counter. Instead, put them in the refrigerator. Empty out and clean garbage and recycling cans frequently. Since fruit flies are also attracted to the sink, keep dishes clean and put away. The more sources of food you eliminate, the better your chances of getting rid of the pests.
Make a homemade trap by taking an 8-by-10-inch sheet of thick paper and creating a funnel. Hold the cone-shaped funnel together with a piece of tape. Put 1 tsp. of apple cider vinegar into the bottom of a clean, empty jar. Put the narrow end of the funnel into the jar. Put the trap on the countertop or wherever you notice the fruit flies. They'll be attracted to the food source in the jar but won't be able to get out. Clean out the jar and replace the bait as necessary.
Clean out a jar and toss a piece of fruit into the bottom. Use whatever overripe fruit you have on hand: a slice of apple, banana, pear or peach. Take a piece of plastic wrap and stretch it over the top of the jar. Hold the plastic wrap in place with a rubber band. Use the tip of a pencil to poke a small hole in the plastic wrap where the fruit flies can get into the jar. Don't make the hole too big or the fruit flies will get right back out. Wait for the fruit flies to go after the fruit in the jar, where they won't be able to get out.
In a clean pint-size glass jar mix 1/4 cup of warm water, 1/4 oz. of dry yeast and 1 tsp. of sugar. Swirl around the jar to thoroughly combine the ingredients and activate the yeast. Put a piece of plastic wrap over the mouth of the jar and hold it into place with a rubber band. Make a small hole in the plastic with the tip of a pencil. The hole should be no more than 1/8-inch in diameter. Sit the jar in a spot where you notice the fruit flies and wait for them to get trapped in the jar. If you don't have dry yeast, fill the jar 1 inch from the bottom with beer instead of the other ingredients listed above.