Natural ways to banish fruit flies from your home

These insects, although small, can be irritating. The appearance of fruit flies in the house can also be troublesome. These creatures feed on food scraps and can carry microorganisms. Moreover, they reproduce rapidly, so as soon as we notice them, we realise we are in for a real fight.

Fortunately, there are ways to get rid of these creatures more easily. Below, we present five of the best, most proven, and most home methods that do not require the purchase of chemical agents.

Cork

The first method, which may seem surprising, is to prepare a homemade repellent using natural cork. Cut clean and dry cork into smaller pieces and place them in various spots in the kitchen or pantry where fruit flies often occur. Natural oak corks repel flies with their smell.

Essential oils

Many scents repel fruit flies, such as lavender, mint, and eucalyptus. If we have essential oil with one of the aforementioned aromas, we can soak pieces of cloth with it and place them in strategic locations. The flies won't even come close.

Apple cider vinegar and sugar

Pour apple cider vinegar into a glass and cover the vessel with plastic wrap. Make a few holes in it. Tempted by the vinegar smell, the gnats will fly inside and get trapped. You can add a few larger drops of washing-up liquid to the vinegar for a better effect. If we do not have vinegar on hand, the same effect can be achieved by mixing washing-up liquid with sugar and water. The lured flies will drown in the glass.

Fresh herbs

Gnats do not like the smell of fresh mint and basil. It is worth buying seedlings and placing the pots in the kitchen. You will gain fresh herbs for dishes and repel flies at the same time.