Your kitchen is an attractive place for many common pests, and one of the worst is, of course, fruit flies. If you’ve ever had an infestation, you’ll know how frustrating it can be. Fruit flies breed quickly and can emerge from the seemingly impossible of places. Once you spot a couple in your kitchen, it’s important to move quickly to help make sure they get out and stay out. If you’re unlucky enough to have been visited by these teeny, tiny monsters - it’s time to act quickly to get rid of their breeding grounds to stop them taking over your home.
Dirty surfaces
If fruit flies have been breeding in your kitchen - you must give your surfaces a good clean as neglecting to do so can pose a health risk. You’ll want to ensure that anything not locked away is cleaned including cups, glasses, cutlery and other kitchen items to prevent the spread of foodborne illnesses which can cause food poisoning.
Rotting fruit
Fruit flies weren’t given their name at random. Rotting fruit attracts fruit flies like a moth to a flame! Attracted by their sweet smell, fruit flies will flock to rotting fruit to feed on and will use it as a place to breed. You’ll want to remove all fruit that even appears remotely rotten and might want to consider putting all fruit and vegetables in a container or in the fridge until your infestation is eliminated.
Dingy sponges
How long has it been since your kitchen sponges were replaced or washed thoroughly? As clean as they appear, the older they are, the more likely it is that they are offering a damp, inviting home for fruit flies to breed. If you spot some in your kitchen, be sure to remove old sponges, cloths, and towels immediately to stop these becoming targets for your fruit flies.
The drain
Fruit flies will even breed in drains, and the ones in your kitchen will have more appeal than ever with various foodstuffs and drinks being poured down them every day. Flush them out with a foaming drain cleaner and use ammonia regularly to keep them at bay. There are other ways to clean drains which may be more effective to keep them clean going forward.
Getting rid of fruit flies
The internet is full of great articles on how to get rid of fruit flies. Home remedies are an affordable and effective way to get rid of these pests and you’ll find a list of the best ones here: https://homeremedyshop.com/how-to-get-rid-of-fruit-flies. You may need a combination of several to eliminate them for good.
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Alternatively, you could try traps bought from a store which comes with solutions designed to attract fruit flies and trap them so that they can no longer bother you, you’ll find a great selection on Amazon and may even be able to find coupon codes to help you save money. We've also done a post here on how you to save money on Amazon: http://www.mommawithoutaclue.com/2017/07/canadian-consumers-can-use-amazon.html.
Keeping a clean kitchen is your best defense against fruit flies, and hopefully, the tips above will keep your home free from them this summer.
