How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies in the House

Fruit flies are one of the most frustrating pests to deal with indoors. They’re tiny, fast, and seem to show up overnight—especially in the kitchen. These bugs are attracted to ripened fruits, sugary spills, and even your garbage disposal.

Once they find a food source, they multiply quickly.

The good news? You don’t need harsh chemicals to get rid of them. With a few focused steps, you can remove what’s attracting them, trap the ones already flying around, and keep them from coming back.

Step 1: Get Rid of What’s Attracting Them

Fruit flies lay their eggs on overripe or rotting fruit, sugary residues, and even the rims of bottles or cans. Start by checking for:

1. Old bananas, apples, or other soft fruits on the counter
2. Open wine bottles, juice cartons, or vinegar
3. Sticky spills or food crumbs
4. Trash and recycling bins with leftover food or drink
5. Toss out anything overripe, and give counters, sinks, and bins a good wipe down.

Tip: Don’t forget dish sponges, sink drains, and even the base of your blender—fruit flies love to hide in damp, sticky spots.

Step 2: Set a DIY Fruit Fly Trap

Once you’ve cleaned up the source, catch the flies that are still buzzing around. Here are two effective DIY traps:

Apple Cider Vinegar Trap

Pour a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into a small bowl. Add a drop of dish soap (this breaks the surface tension so flies sink) and cover with plastic wrap. Poke a few small holes. Flies crawl in, but they can’t get out.

Fruit Trap

Place a piece of overripe fruit in a jar. Cover with plastic wrap and poke small holes. It attracts flies in the same way, but uses fruit as the bait.

Why this works: These traps take advantage of what fruit flies love—fermenting food—and they’re simple and chemical-free.

Step 3: Clean Sink Drains and Garbage Disposals

Fruit flies often breed in drains and garbage disposals where bits of food collect. To stop this:

1. Pour boiling water down the drain once or twice a day.
2. Use a mixture of ½ cup baking soda followed by ½ cup vinegar. Let it foam and sit for 10–15 minutes, then flush with hot water.
3. Drop ice cubes and lemon peels into the garbage disposal and run it for a few seconds to clean and deodorize.

Tip: If your disposal smells, fruit flies will find it.

Step 4: Rinse Recyclables and Empty Trash Often

Fruit flies can breed in empty soda cans, wine bottles, and juice cartons left in recycling bins. Rinse them out before tossing, and keep your bin covered. Empty it regularly, especially in warmer weather when flies reproduce faster.

Also helpful: Line the bin with a bag and wipe it down weekly to remove sticky residue.

Step 5: Keep Fruit in the Fridge Until the Problem Clears

While you’re working to get rid of fruit flies, store all fruit in the refrigerator.

Even clean counters can attract them if ripe fruit is left out. Once the problem is gone, you can go back to keeping fruit out—but only if you stay on top of it.