How do I get rid of fruit flies?

Fruit flies appear suddenly because their entire life cycle takes about a week. Killing the adults you can see achieves nothing while the breeding site remains — and the breeding site is almost always something small and overlooked, like a drain or the base of a recycling bin.

What you'll need

• Cider vinegar or wine
• Washing-up liquid
• Small bowls
• Cling film (optional)
• Cleaning supplies

Step by step

1. Find the breeding site — that's the whole job.Ripe or damaged fruit, the bin, the recycling, a drain, a mop head, a bottle with residue, or spilled liquid under an appliance.
2. Remove or refrigerate all ripe fruit.Fruit bowls in summer are the most common source. Refrigerate anything ripe or move it out of the room.
3. Clean and dry the bin and recycling containers thoroughly.Residue in the base of a recycling box is a classic overlooked breeding site.
4. Flush and clean the sink and any floor drains.The film inside a drain supports breeding. Flush with hot water and a drain cleaner or bicarbonate and vinegar.
5. Check under and behind appliances for spills.A spill under a fridge or dishwasher that nobody can see is a common persistent source.
6. Set a trap: cider vinegar with a drop of washing-up liquid in a bowl.The detergent breaks surface tension so they sink instead of landing and flying off. This is what makes it work.
7. Alternatively cover a glass of vinegar with cling film and pierce small holes.They get in and can't find their way out. Both traps work; the detergent one is simpler.
8. Leave traps out for a week or two after the flies disappear.The life cycle takes about a week, so a second generation may still emerge from eggs already laid.
9. Wipe surfaces and keep them dry.They breed in very small amounts of moisture and organic residue.

Tips

• If flies persist after removing all the obvious sources, check drains — a small amount of film inside a plughole supports a surprising population.
• Wine and beer dregs are more attractive to them than vinegar. A glass with a little leftover wine and a drop of detergent is an excellent trap.
• Compost caddies need emptying more often in summer, and a well-fitting lid makes a substantial difference.
• Drain flies — small and fuzzy, resting on walls — are a different insect with a different source. They breed in drain film specifically.

Common mistakes

• Spraying the adults — It kills the ones you see while eggs continue hatching from the breeding site. The source is the only thing that matters.
• Only removing the fruit — Bins, drains and recycling residue are just as common as sources, and less visible.
• Omitting the detergent from the trap — Without it they land on the surface, drink, and fly away. The detergent is what makes them sink.
• Stopping too soon — Eggs already laid continue hatching for a week or so. Leave the traps out.

Questions people ask