How to Get Rid of Bothersome Fruit Flies

Get rid of fruit flies by throwing spoiled food away. Fruit flies love garbage, rotting fruits and vegetables, and damp materials in the basement and garage. The best way to prevent and alleviate fruit flies in your home is to keep it sanitized. Remove dark bananas from the kitchen and double bag them before throwing them in the garbage. Keep damp areas such as the garage and basement clean from mold and mildew as much as possible. Also, be sure that vegetables and fruits are not sitting out or laying freely in the garbage without being wrapped tightly and double bagged. Giving fruit flies no reason to hang around will send them off elsewhere. A few days without rotting food and dampness should kill off fruit flies or send them packing out the door.

Keep drains clean and sanitized to alleviate fruit flies. Fruit flies love food infested drains that are dark and cold. Also, fruit flies tend to breed in drains and multiple. If you keep all sink drains clean and free of hair, old food, and other debris, there will be no reason for fruit flies to hang out. Pour a cup or 2 of Drano into drains weekly and let the cleaner sit for a half hour before running hot water into drains. This will help to keep them clean and free from fruit flies. Try not to get food from dirty plates into drains also to prevent scummy build up and to discourage fruit flies from breeding. In the bathroom, keep drains clean of hair and fabrics to prevent infestation of fruit flies. By keeping drains clean and sanitized, you'll have a much cleaner home free of bothersome fruit flies and their buddies.

Use an aerosol spray with Pyrethrin to get rid of fruit flies. Spraying areas where fruit flies gather with an aerosol spray such as CB 80 Pyrethrin spray can kill fruit flies and eliminate their infestation of areas such as the kitchen, bathroom, basement, and garbage bags. Spray the Pyrethrin spray directly into the sink drains, on and around garbage bags (just be sure to pick the bags up with gloves when removing them outside for pickup), and around the outside of your home in doorways and around the foundation. The spray acts as a suffocation mist meant to instantly kill fruit flies when the come in contact with it. However, you must clean up all food areas, sink drains, and moldy mildew in basements before using the spray or fruit flies will just come back when the Pyrethrin aerosol mist has disappeared.

A few other treatments you can use to get rid of fruit flies are Gentrol Aersol spray, Insecticides for fruit flies, wettable powders, fogging equipment, and fly traps. All of these will work to get rid of bothersome fruit flies in your home and prevent re-infestation. Read the directions on each container in order to know the exact amount to use in killing fruit flies. Also, some of these treatments require that you evacuate your home for an extended period of time. If this does not work for you, be sure to use another type of fruit fly treatment. Know the brand of treatment you're going to use to kill fruit flies before introducing it to your home. It's important that children are kept away from such harsh treatments as well and that pets are kept safe from any chemicals. Read all directions, tips, and warnings before choosing a fruit fly treatment that is right for you and your family.

Do small maintenance on your home to keep fruit flies away. Check tubs to see if they need re-tiled or re-grouted. Clean dirty garbage cans with a disinfectant to persuade fruit flies elsewhere. Be sure there is no rotting food laying around anywhere in the home including where you keep your garbage containers. Check for wet lint in dryers and clean them out often. Be sure to check under houseplants for any signs of water damage to wood (which could rot and become enticing to fruit flies) or any mildew and mold. Inspect air conditioners and water heaters for leaks and mildew. Also, be sure your toilet and sinks are all leak free to prevent infestation of fruit flies. Doing a quick check around your home for any wet spots where fruit flies could breed is a great way to prevent them from coming into your home. Be sure all areas are clean, sanitized, and as newly updated as possible.