Pesky fruit flies are most active during the summer and early fall. Attracted to the sweet smell of ripe or rotting fruit, fruit flies are often seen flying around fruit bowls or grocery store produce sections. Characterized by bright red eyes with a light yellow to tan body color, fruit flies are common summertime pests. To rid your home of this annoying pest, consider using some of the following home remedies for fruit flies indoor.

Rubbing Alcohol

Fill a fine-misting spray bottle with rubbing alcohol. When you spray them with the mist, the flies will be killed instantly and fall to the floor. Just sweep them up and the flies are gone for good. Parents tend to favor this method because it is a safe alternative to pesticides.

Apple Cider

Make a simple fruit fly trap by filling a jar halfway with apple cider. Punch a few holes into the lid, screw it on, and place it anywhere around your house. The fruit flies will be able to enter the jar but won’t be able to escape.

Basil

Deter fruit flies by placing a bowl of basil on a windowsill or table where the flies congregate.

Fly Strips

These sticky strips work well to eliminate large fly populations. Hang them around your house where the flies frequent.

Clean Your Kitchen

Fruit flies are attracted to mold and moisture. They will sense even the slightest sign of old fruit pieces, so it is vital to keep your kitchen clean.

Remove Overripe Fruit

Fruit flies love the smell of overripe or rotting fruit. Make sure to periodically inspect fruit that is kept out in the open and remove fruit that easily attracts flies.

Open Your Window

Flies dislike the cold and wind, so keep a window open to let the air circulate freely.

If you can’t rid your house of fruit flies, it may be time to call pest control. TalkLocal can find you a local pest control service in minutes!

This entry was originally posted on Friday, September 28th, 2012 at 10:00 pm and is filed under Pest Control. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.