How to Make a Homemade Fruit Fly Trap (Most Effective)

As fruit flies congregate in and around your house, you are trying to find ways to eliminate them. There are plenty of articles showing you the different methods on how to make a fruit fly trap, but there is one that is guaranteed to work. Here’s how to make the most effective homemade fruit fly trap:

Pour 1 cup of apple cider vinegar into a small bowl. Add a few drops of liquid dish soap and mix until a layer of bubbles form on the surface. Place the bowl in an area where there are plenty of fruit flies. The apple cider vinegar attracts the fruit flies but they will drown due to the dish soap bubbles.

In this article, you will learn the most effective way to make a homemade fruit fly trap. And the best part is, you will only need two simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.

How to make the most effective homemade fruit fly trap

Making this super effective homemade fruit fly trap could not get any easier. All you need are three simple ingredients: apple cider vinegar, dish soap, and a small bowl. Here’s how to make the trap:

1. Mix the ingredients

Pour 1 cup of apple cider vinegar into the small bowl. It does not have to be exact. Next, add several drops of dish soap into the small bowl. Mix the liquid inside the small bowl until a layer of bubbles forms on top.

Keep the solution out of reach of children. Although apple cider vinegar is the main ingredient and is considered safe for consumption, liquid dish soap is not. Before you start this project, throw away any overripe fruit in your kitchen or inside your house that may be attracting fruit flies.

2. Set the trap

Once the solution has been mixed inside the small bowl, place it in an area where there are plenty of fruit flies. All you have to do is to wait and before you know it, the bowl will be filled with drowned fruit flies.

You can place this trap inside or outside your house. Basically, you can set the trap in any area where there are many fruit flies flying around. You can also replace the small bowl with a larger container to attract more flies.

3. Keep the trap around

Even after you’ve trapped plenty of flies, keep the trap around, especially on your kitchen counter. The trap can also prevent future infestations. If you don’t want the trap to stand out, use a pretty container.

You also need to keep adding the apple cider vinegar. The vinegar evaporates over time, so you may need to add some more apple cider vinegar whenever you notice the liquid level getting low.

Why does this trap work so well?

Apple cider vinegar, especially the raw, unfiltered variety, contains little bits of fermented apple. Fruit flies are attracted to the smell of the apple cider vinegar and will try to land on its surface.

However, in order to land on the apple cider vinegar solution, the fruit flies will need to pass through the layer of dish soap bubbles on the surface. They will not be able to escape through it and drown.

The best part about this homemade fruit fly trap is that it is super easy to make. It doesn’t take more than 5 minutes to make the trap and set it up. All you need are items you have lying around the house.

Although some liquid dish soap brands contain toxic chemicals, apple cider vinegar is a natural and eco-friendly product. Unlike many commercial products, apple cider vinegar does not emit harmful, harsh fumes.

What if you don’t have apple cider vinegar?

If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can also trap fruit flies by placing pieces of overripe fruits in an open plastic bag (the bigger the better). Once fruit flies gather inside, carefully seal the bag to trap them inside.

Why does your house have so many fruit flies?

Your house has so many fruit flies because there might be ripe, rotting, or decayed fruits and produce. They are also attracted to fermented items like beer, liquor, and wine. Warmer weather brings fruit flies out of dormancy. Indoors, fruit flies are frequently active at all times of the year.

Fruit flies often breed and develop in drains, garbage disposals, trash cans, and mop buckets. Once they begin reproducing indoors, females are able to lay about 500 eggs and the eggs will hatch in as little as 24-30 hours after being deposited by the female. This makes fruit flies difficult to control.

How to prevent fruit flies

The easiest way to prevent fruit flies is to store fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator rather than on the counter. Also, shut windows and doors. Don’t rely on screens, as fruit flies can fit through the mesh.

At the first sign of fruit flies, purge your produce. Examine fruits and vegetables for any signs that it is overripe, oozing liquid, or has been bruised or broken. Do not dispose of produce or scraps in your kitchen trash can. Bag it up and take it to an outdoor can so the fruit flies can’t get inside.

Don’t allow recyclables to sit around. Empty soda cans, wine bottles, and beer cans are fruit fly havens. Be sure to give your bin regular scrubbing to remove any residual liquid or juice that may have leaked into it.

Final words

And there you have it, the complete guide on how to make a homemade fruit fly trap. The most effective method is to mix apple cider vinegar with a few drops of liquid dish soap. In addition to trapping fruit flies, you also need to make sure you don’t have overripe fruits and produce lying around your house.