Fruit flies are probably one of the most annoying pests you can have in your home. They don’t hide or avoid you, they usually come with dozens of friends, and they just make you feel like tiny disease covered menaces have invaded your space. Once fruit flies infest your home, it can be hard to get them out so prevention is key. Here are small things you can do to prevent fruit flies in your home.
Take out your trash often and clean trash cans
That brown part of the banana you tossed in your garbage or that empty orange juice container you put into the recycling bin without rinsing out may be trash to you but a welcome mat to fruit flies. Keeping trash covered and taking it to the dumpster or curb before it starts to smell or at least every other day is a good rule of thumb. Try to wipe down and rinse out the trash containers at least once a week to prevent build up.
Clean out bottles & cans before putting in the recycling
People often use old wine to “catch” existing fruit flies. Even the smallest hint of wine or beer can draw the attention of fruit flies. Before discarding any containers, it is a good practice to rinse it out with water to remove anything that might have a scent.
Don’t leave fruit out for long periods of time
Fruit flies get the name fruit flies because they tend to be attracted to areas where ripe fruit is left. This doesn’t mean you have to give up having fresh fruit in your house, just monitor it and only purchase amounts you know your household will eat before it has a chance to over ripe.
Rinse any food out of the sink or garbage disposal input
When every you wash dishes or use the garbage disposal be sure to thoroughly clean out the sink and make sure that no food is left to linger in the garbage disposal. Wipe down the entire sink with a cleaning product like bleach or soap and water. Running a combination of bleach and hot water down the garbage disposal is a great way to get rid of any odors that might attract the unwanted pests.
Keep it tidy
Just like fruit flies are attracted to trash or left out fruit they are also drawn to the dirty dishes in your sink. Avoid leaving dirty dishes in the sink for extended periods of time. Attempt to make a habit of washing dishes and wiping down counters and stove tops at least once a day, if not after every meal.
Once fruit flies get into your home, it can take a while to get rid of them. Fruit flies hatch new eggs daily and typically live 30 days. Because they reproduce so quickly and in the large numbers, you want to try your best to prevent the problem instead of trying to get rid of the pests. If you already find that your home has been infested with gnats, these are still good practices to implement to try to slow down the infestation.
If you have a bug infestation in your home or business contact Dustin Pest Control today.