Home remedies to banish fruit flies for good

Fruit flies can be annoying. Often, even if we maintain impeccable order in the kitchen, the flies still appear in our homes. Fortunately, there are methods to address this problem.

These insects, although small, can be irritating. The appearance of fruit flies in the house can also be troublesome—these creatures feed on food scraps and can carry microorganisms. In addition, they reproduce quickly, so as soon as we notice them, we realize that we are in for a real fight.

Fortunately, there are ways to get rid of these creatures more easily. Below, we present five best, proven, and home methods that do not require the purchase of chemical agents.

Cork

The first method, which may seem surprising, is to prepare a homemade repellent using natural cork. Cut clean and dry cork into smaller pieces and place them in various places in the kitchen or pantry where you often encounter fruit flies. Natural oak corks repel flies with their smell.

Essential oils

Many scents repel fruit flies, such as lavender, mint, and eucalyptus. Soak pieces of cloth with essential oil of one of these aromas and place them strategically. The flies won't even come close.

Apple cider vinegar and sugar

Pour apple cider vinegar into a glass and cover the vessel with plastic wrap. Make a few holes in the wrap. Tempted by the vinegar smell, the gnats will fly inside and get trapped. You can add a few more significant drops of dish soap to the vinegar for a better effect. If you do not have vinegar on hand, mixing dish soap with sugar and water can achieve the same effect. The lured flies will drown in the glass.

Fresh herbs

Gnats do not like the smell of fresh mint and basil. It is worth buying seedlings and placing the pots in the kitchen—you will gain fresh herbs for dishes and repel flies simultaneously.