How to Kill Fruit Flies in Your House, According to Experts

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Plus, learn how to prevent fruit fly infestations

Written by Elias Weston | Edited by Raven Minyard, BA

Last Updated: September 26, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Using Traps
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• Using Sprays
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• Cleaning Drains
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• Preventing Fruit Flies
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• How Do You Catch Fruit Flies?
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• See What You Learned
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• Video
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• Expert Q&A
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• Tips
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• Warnings

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Nothing’s more annoying than pesky fruit flies lingering around your fruit bowl or kitchen sink. It may seem impossible to get rid of them, but don’t lose hope. We spoke to pest control and cleaning specialists to teach you all the best ways to get rid of and prevent fruit flies, from eliminating food sources to setting DIY traps.

How to Eliminate Fruit Flies

Cleaning specialist Elias Weston recommends making an apple cider vinegar trap. Pour some apple cider vinegar into a bowl or jar, add a few drops of dish soap, then cover it with plastic wrap. Poke a few small holes in the plastic wrap, and wait for the flies to enter. Replace the bait every 2 to 3 days.

Steps

Section 1 of 4:

Using Fruit Fly Traps

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1. 
   1
   Fill a bowl or glass with apple cider vinegar. Weston says a great way to get rid of fruit flies or gnats is to make an apple cider vinegar trap: “Pour a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into a glass and cover [it] with plastic wrap, securing it with a rubber band. Then, poke a few holes in the plastic wrap for the [flies] to enter.” Pest control company Paragon Pest Control recommends adding a “little dash of [dish] soap” so the flies get stuck in the mixture.

   • The fruit flies will be drawn to the scent of the vinegar and drown when they come in contact with the soapy surface. The plastic wrap prevents them from escaping once they crawl inside.
   • Empty the bowl and replace the bait every 2–3 days until your fruit fly infestation clears up. Fruit flies usually only survive for 1–2 weeks, so it won’t take long to catch them all.
   • Avoid using distilled white vinegar since it doesn’t attract fruit flies very well.

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Elias Weston is a cleaning specialist and the founder of Seatown Cleaners in Seattle, Washington.

   Paragon Pest Control is a pest control company based in Grand Prairie, Texas.

   Joshua Bloom is a pest control specialist and the Vice President of Operations of Standard Pest Management, a pest control company based in NYC. He has over 20 years of experience in the industry.

   Kevin Carrillo is a pest control specialist and the senior project manager for MMPC, a pest control service and certified Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE) based in the NYC area.

   Brandon Runyon is a board-certified entomologist based in Evansville, Indiana. He has over 18 years of experience as a pest control professional.
2. 
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   Trap flies with a paper funnel and a jar baited with fruit. Roll a regular piece of paper into a cone so the opening at the point is less than 1/4 inch (0.64 cm). Tape the paper so it holds its shape. Set a ripe piece of fruit (pest control specialist Joshua Bloom recommends a banana) inside a jar. Then, set the point of the cone in the jar so it’s just above the bait. After a few days, toss out the trap and replace it with fresh bait.

   • The fruit flies will go down the funnel toward the bait, but they won’t be able to find their way back out and get stuck.
   • Stick the trap in your freezer overnight to humanely kill the flies before throwing away the old bait. That way, they won’t fly away or stay alive in your trash.
   • Try to throw the trap out within 7 days to keep new fruit fly larvae from hatching in your home.
   • Don’t want to make a funnel? If you have a jar with a lid you no longer need, punch a few tiny holes in the lid using a hammer and nail. The flies can enter the jar through the holes, but likely won’t be able to get back out.
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3. 
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   Turn a plastic bottle into a funnel trap for a cheap and effective fix. Cut the top of a plastic soda bottle off just above the label. Put ripe fruit, apple cider vinegar, old beer, or wine in the bottom section of the bottle. Take the cap off the top section of the bottle, and place it upside-down inside the lower section. Leave your trap out in your kitchen for 2–3 days to capture the flies.

   • Flies will be able to fly down into the bottle trap, but they won’t be able to get out by themselves.
   • Have an old wine bottle? If your wine (or beer) bottle still has a bit of liquid inside, add a small amount of dish soap and leave the bottle out to attract fruit flies. This requires practically no set-up on your part, but it may not be as effective as other DIY traps.
4. 
   4
   Try hanging up strips of flypaper in problem areas. Kevin Carrillo, pest control specialist for MMPC, suggests hanging up strips of flypaper “in a kitchen, bathroom, [or] somewhere where the flies are going to be attracted to already-existing food sources.” Leave the flypaper up as long as you see fruit flies in your home. If the strips fill up with flies, take them down and replace them with fresh strips.

   • Flypaper may not be as effective against fruit flies as standard house flies, but it can still catch the ones that didn’t get stuck in a trap.
   • Paragon Pest Control also recommends using other commercial fly traps, like Terro traps or Katchy indoor insect traps.
5. 
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   Set up a UV light trap. UV light traps send out rays of light that are invisible to humans but attract many insects, including fruit flies. The flies are then captured on a sticky trap or electrocuted once they enter the light. Set up a UV light trap near an active area, and see how many fruit flies (and other pests) you catch.

   • Be aware, though, that this method may not trap as many fruit flies as other traps.
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Section 2 of 4:

Spraying Fruit Flies

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1. 
   1
   Spray rubbing alcohol directly on flies to kill them instantly. Fill a spray bottle with any rubbing alcohol that you have around your home. When you see any fruit flies, apply the spray directly to the insects so they die on the spot.

   • Avoid spraying the rubbing alcohol onto any fruit since it could cause it to spoil and attract even more flies.
2. 
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   Use an indoor aerosol insecticide to get rid of large swarms. Point the spray nozzle at the fruit flies and press the button down to spray them with the aerosol insecticide. Since the instructions may vary depending on the brand you’re using, always read the label and instructions on the insecticide to ensure you’re applying it properly.

   • Avoid spraying insecticide on any food or cooking surfaces so you don’t contaminate anything you’re going to eat.
3. 
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   Try applying Spinosad insecticide for fruit flies outside. If you notice any fruit flies outside of your home, load some Spinosad insecticide into a garden sprayer and apply it around the base of your home. If you’re growing any fruits or vegetables in a garden, be sure to treat them directly with Spinosad as well to kill any fruit flies that stop by for a meal.

   • Spinosad impacts a fruit fly’s nervous system to kill it, but it doesn’t pose any serious threats to pets or other animals. You can safely use it around pets and children.
   • Rinse off any fruits and veggies that you applied Spinosad to before you eat them.
   • Try to limit your exposure to Spinosad since it could cause slight eye irritation or allergic reactions.
   • Want more tips for getting rid of fruit flies? Check out what wikiHow users are saying on our “How do I get rid of these ANNOYING fruit flies?” forum.
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Section 3 of 4:

Pouring Boiling Water Down Drains

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1. 
   Pour boiling water and vinegar down your drains to eliminate drain flies. If the fruit flies are lingering around your kitchen sink, there’s a good chance they’re actually drain flies, which feed off of and breed in the gunk in your drains. Paragon Pest Control recommends pouring boiling water down your sink to “loosen the gunk,” then follow it up with about a cup of vinegar, which will kill the eggs and clean out your drains. Cover the drain for 45 minutes to an hour so the flies can’t get out.

   • Paragon Pest Control adds that doing this treatment about once a month will also help prevent fruit or drain flies in the first place.
   • Actual fruit flies can also be attracted to drains.
   • If you don’t want to use the boiling water method, Paragon Pest Control says you can use commercial drain cleaning products, as well, like Invade Bio Drain.

Section 4 of 4:

Preventing Fruit Flies

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1. 
   1
   Wash fruits and veggies when you bring them into your kitchen. Carrillo explains that a lot of fresh fruit and produce already have fruit fly eggs on them. As soon as you bring fresh produce in from the grocery store or garden, rinse it under clean water. Check the fruit and vegetables for damage, bruises, and soft spots, which could all be signs that fruit flies have gotten to them. Get rid of any damaged fruit to keep the flies away from your other fresh produce.
   EXPERT TIP

   

   Kevin Carrillo

   Pest Control Specialist, MMPC

   Kevin Carrillo is a Pest Control Specialist and the Senior Project Manager for MMPC, a pest control service and certified Minority-owned Business Enterprise (MBE) based in the New York City area. MMPC is certified by the industry’s leading codes and practices, including the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), QualityPro, GreenPro, and The New York Pest Management Association (NYPMA). MMPC's work has been featured in CNN, NPR, and ABC News.

   

   Kevin Carrillo
   Pest Control Specialist, MMPC

   Fruit flies typically enter your house on the produce you buy. The fruit you bring inside, especially tropical fruit, usually has fruit fly eggs already on it. To prevent the eggs from hatching, scrub your fruit under running water with a brush to destroy the eggs. Or, you can keep the fruit in your fridge.
2. 
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   Store produce in your fridge or a covered container. “Fruit flies [are attracted to] overripe fruit or produce,” explains Bloom. Rather than keeping fruit out in the open, place it in a bowl that has a lid or cover it with plastic wrap to prevent flies from getting to it. Alternatively, just put your produce in the fridge where fruit flies can’t survive the cold temperatures.

   • As soon as your fruit starts softening or going bad, throw it away so fruit flies don’t lay eggs on it.
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   Clean up food spills right away. “A good cleaning routine can help prevent infestations,” says entomology and pest control expert Brandon Runyon. As soon as you spill anything sweet or syrupy on your counters or floors, wipe it up with soapy water to get rid of all the residue. Focus especially on cracks and seams where food particles could get caught, since fruit flies will be able to reach them. For stubborn spills, apply a multipurpose cleaner and scrub the residue away with a clean cloth.

   • Try to keep your kitchen tidy by wiping up after you cook and doing a thorough clean once a week.
   • Be sure to wipe your cabinets and any other surfaces that come into contact with food as well. Runyon says to pay attention to small kitchen appliances, too, as food particles may fall behind or under them.
4. 
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   Rinse out empty cans and bottles before tossing them. Bloom explains that fruit flies are attracted to unwashed juice, soda, or beer bottles. Avoid tossing out these containers as soon as they’re empty, and instead swish a little clean water inside and dump it out in your sink before putting the bottles or cans in your recycling bin.

   • Store empty cans and bottles outside of your kitchen if you’re able to, so you reduce the risk of fruit flies getting inside.
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   Take out your kitchen garbage regularly. Keep your trash bagged and in a can with a closed lid to help keep fruit flies out, says Bloom. When your garbage is full or after you throw away food scraps, tie up the bag and take it to an outdoor receptacle or dumpster so flies don’t lay their eggs in the trash.

   • Clean out the bottom of your trash can with soapy water if you notice any liquid or spills inside.
6. 
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   Clean and sterilize your sink drains. Try to clean your sink drains at least once a week to prevent any food buildup from forming inside, where fruit flies could lay eggs. When you finish cleaning your drain, boil a pot of water and pour it down the drain to sterilize it and kill any eggs that might have been laid.

   • Remember to clean your garbage disposal, too, if you have one. Runyon explains that “food debris can accumulate under the lip of the disposal,” which can attract fruit and drain flies.
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   Keep your home cool to deter flies. Fruit flies thrive in warmer climates and during the summer months, but they’re less likely to hang around your kitchen when it’s colder. Run a fan or air conditioner to keep your kitchen at a consistent temperature to keep the flies away.
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How Do You Catch Fruit Flies?

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Get Rid of Fruit Flies Quiz

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How do I get rid of these ANNOYING fruit flies?

WikiWombatReader561

Over the past couple weeks my house has become infested with fruit flies and I don't know how to get rid of them! I've tried keeping my kitchen as clean as I can and put out a vinegar trap, but it's not working super well. These flies bother me so much and I feel like I can't live in peace with them around. Please help!

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Kevin Carrillo
Pest Control Specialist, MMPC

The issue with fruit flies is that they proliferate very quickly and tend to be chronically reintroduced. What that means is that for the most part, in the fruit that you're bringing in, there's a good chance that it probably has fruit fly eggs on it already. If it sits in your home long enough, chances are some of those eggs are going to hatch. What we tend to recommend is that whenever produce is brought in, that it is scrubbed under running water with some sort of brush to help destroy and dislodge any of the eggs that are on there. Alternatively, keep it in airtight containers or in deep refrigeration, because in a lot of these cases when we're exterminating the fruit fly problem, a couple days later there are fruit flies again and it's usually coinciding with the delivery of produce. So all of that being said, the main thing is to identify whenever you're dealing with a flying insect and identify the method of introduction and the food source. And for fruit flies it tends to literally be the fruit. It's a matter of identifying what potential food sources you have that are most likely already affected.

Once you've found that you have a fruit fly infestation, generally you can try to start with the tried and true. You can do a wine trap or a beer trap or a vinegar trap, which is usually filling a glass or dish with a small amount of attractant, putting cellophane over the top, and poking a couple of holes in it. If you're seeing fruit flies in the hundreds, then you've probably already gotten to a point where you're going to need a pest control professional to help you mitigate the population at that point. But if it's low-level and you're just seeing a couple, then generally the tried and true vinegar trap will work well for you.

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Wilson Christner
Pest Management Professional

I agree that to get rid of fruit flies, you can create a simple homemade fly trap by filling a shallow dish with a mixture of sugar and vinegar or fruit juice. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and poke small holes in it. Flies will be attracted to the sweet smell and get trapped in the liquid.

You can also hang fly ribbons near doors, windows, or any other entry points where flies may enter your home. This can help catch flies before they have a chance to spread throughout your living space. Also hang fly ribbons in or around your kitchen and dining areas, especially near food preparation areas, dining tables, or where fruits and vegetables are stored. Flies are commonly attracted to food sources, so targeting these areas can be effective.

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Expert Q&A

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• Question

  I have fruit flies in my fridge. What is the safest way to clean my fridge to get rid of them?

  

  Mark Spelman
  Construction Professional

  Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.

  

  Mark Spelman

  Construction Professional

  Expert Answer

  Grab a little ramekin and put some vinegar in it. Then cover with plastic wrap and poke some pin holes in the plastic. The fruit flies enter the ramekin and can't escape.

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Tips

• Even though you should be able to manage fruit flies on your own within a week or two, contact a professional pest control specialist if you can’t get rid of the infestation.
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• To get rid of flies on your plants, let the soil dry out in between waterings since too much water could attract them.
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• Put in a screen door or window screen to help prevent flies from coming in when you want a little fresh air inside.
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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

• Be sure to check for in hard-to-reach places where food may have fallen, and clean it up. Look under your fridge, behind your trash can, and the space between your counter and stove.
• Add dry yeast to fruit in a jar with the paper funnel. I read it somewhere and it really amps up the trapping of fruit flies.

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Warnings

• Avoid using bleach to kill fruit flies since it won’t be as effective, and it could be harmful if you get it on anything else.
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