Fruit flies are tiny, but they can make an otherwise clean kitchen feel out of control in a hurry.
The best way to get rid of fruit flies is to do two things at the same time: remove whatever is attracting and breeding them, then set out a vinegar-and-dish-soap trap to catch the adults..
After trying several fruit fly traps over the years, this is the simple method that has worked best in my kitchen.
“I’ll be darned. I’ve been looking for something to get rid of my fruit fly infestation and absolutely nothing has worked. But I set up your vinegar/dish soap combo in my kitchen this afternoon and I have nearly 20 dead flies in the bowl!” ~Jessica.
Are They Really Fruit Flies?
Before you begin, make sure you are treating the right problem.
Common fruit flies are about 1/8 inch long, and tend to hover near ripe produce, fruit bowls, recycling, garbage, or other decaying organic material. According to Utah State University Extension, they lay eggs on ripe or overripe fruits and vegetables or other decaying organic matter.
If the insects look fuzzy or moth-like and stay close to your drains, you may have drain flies instead. If they gather around your houseplants, they may be fungus gnats.
That distinction matters because the trap below attracts fruit flies. It will not solve a drain-fly or houseplant problem.
First, Find What Is Attracting the Fruit Flies
A vinegar trap catches adult fruit flies, but it does not remove their breeding source.
Fruit flies can complete their life cycle in approximately seven to fourteen days, depending on the species and conditions. That means you may continue seeing new adults for a while if eggs or larvae are developing somewhere in the kitchen. University of California Integrated Pest Management recommends removing breeding sites and using sanitation along with trapping.
Before setting the trap, take a few minutes to check these common trouble spots:
- Overripe, damaged, or forgotten produce
- Potatoes, onions, or fruit stored in a cabinet or pantry (this was my main source once!!!!)
- Produce scraps in the garbage or compost container
- Sticky juice, wine, or soda spills
- Empty bottles, cans, and juice containers in the recycling
- Residue under a fruit bowl, garbage can, or small appliance
- Damp things too, like mop heads, cleaning cloths, or sponges containing food residue
- Organic buildup around the garbage disposal, compost bins or drain opening
- A forgotten lunch bag, grocery bag, or container holding food (for real, do some deep searching!)
Throw away spoiled produce, empty the garbage and compost, rinse recycling, and wash any sticky areas with warm, soapy water.
How to Make a Vinegar Fruit Fly Trap
What You Need
- A small glass bowl
- ‘Fermented’ vinegar (apple cider, balsamic, wine vinegar) or a sweeter wine. My personal favorite is white wine vinegar.
- One small drop of liquid dish soap
Vinegar works because fruit flies are attracted to fermenting organic material.
Any liquid dish soap can serve the purpose in this trap. If you already use it in your kitchen, one drop of Norwex Dish Soap is enough.
Step 1: Add the Vinegar
Pour about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of vinegar into the bowl or jar. You only need enough liquid to create an attractive scent and catch the flies.
Step 2: Add One Drop of Dish Soap
Add one small drop of liquid dish soap and gently swirl the container.
Fruit flies can ordinarily land on the surface of a liquid. The dish soap reduces that surface tension, causing the flies to sink into the vinegar instead.
Step 3: Put the Trap Near the Activity
Place the trap near the fruit bowl, recycling container, sink, or wherever you see the most fruit flies.
Keep it away from uncovered food and where children or pets cannot reach or spill it.
Step 4: Remove Competing Attractions
If a bowl of overripe peaches is sitting beside your trap, the fruit flies have options—and your trap may not be the most appealing one.
Use, refrigerate, or discard ripe produce as appropriate. Continue checking the kitchen for sticky residue and forgotten food until the flies are gone.
Step 5: Refresh the Trap as Needed
Replace the vinegar when it becomes filled with flies, diluted, dirty, or no longer seems to be attracting them.
You should begin seeing fewer fruit flies within several days as long as you have also removed the breeding source. Because new adults may still emerge, continue the cleanup and trapping routine for at least a week or two.
How to Prevent Fruit Flies from Returning
Once your kitchen is under control, a few simple habits can help prevent another infestation:
- Check countertop produce frequently and use ripe fruit promptly.
- Remove damaged or leaking fruit right away.
- Empty compost and kitchen garbage regularly.
- Rinse bottles and cans before putting them into recycling.
- Wipe up juice, wine, and other sweet spills promptly.
- Clean beneath fruit bowls, garbage containers, and countertop appliances.
- Wash cleaning cloths and mop heads before food residue has time to remain in them.
If your kitchen needs a more complete reset, my Lazy Guide to Deep Cleaning Your Kitchen can help you work through it without turning the project into an all-day ordeal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will a vinegar trap completely eliminate fruit flies?
The trap helps reduce the adult fruit fly population, but it will not eliminate eggs or larvae developing in overripe produce or other organic material. Removing the breeding source is an important part of ending the infestation.
What kind of vinegar works best for fruit flies?
Any type of vinegar seems to work. In my experience, white wine vinegar has been the most successful for me.
Why am I still seeing fruit flies after cleaning my kitchen?
You may have missed a hidden source, or new adults may still be emerging from eggs or larvae already present. Check produce, recycling, garbage, compost, beverage containers, drains, cleaning tools, and any place where food residue might remain.
Are fruit flies coming from my drain?
Fruit flies may be attracted to organic residue around a drain or garbage disposal. However, fuzzy, moth-like insects that stay close to a drain are more likely to be drain flies and require a different approach.
Can I use any dish soap in the trap?
Yes. The dish soap’s job is to reduce the liquid’s surface tension. You only need one small drop.
Fruit flies may be persistent, but the solution does not need to be complicated. Remove what is attracting them, clean the surrounding area, and set out the vinegar trap.
One practical step, followed by another, is usually what gets your kitchen back to normal.
~ Suzanne
Thanks for the tips! Sink overflow, that little hole near the top of the bathroom/kitchen sink, can also be a breeding spot. Fruit flies often breed in the gunk hidden there, so flushing it with boiling water or vinegar mix once a week helps stop a recurring infestation.
This was such a fun and relatable read—thanks for sharing, Suzanne! I’ve seen a lot of DIY traps in action as a plumber, and your vinegar and dish soap combo really is one of the most effective. One quick tip: after catching a bunch, be sure to dump and refresh the trap every couple of days to prevent it from becoming a new breeding site. And don’t forget to check sink drains too—fruit flies often lay eggs in that hidden gunk. Great job helping folks reclaim their kitchens!
I have a small kitchen area so no space for bowls to take up my space. So I bought some plastic shot glasses and after putting in a small amount of vinegar I then stretched clingfilm over the top. Next I made a hole, just big enough for the fly to get through, in the center of the clingfilm.
The fly is attracted to the vinegar but after it enters, it can’t find a way back out again and will drown in the vinegar.
While I have been using your “recipe”, my container differs from yours. I use an empty 16.9 Oz. water bottle. Discard the cap and cut around the bottle just above the straight side where it begins to narrow. Cut the bottle side down and around a little more than half way and discard the cut piece. Done! Now put your “recipe” in and turn the funnel shaped piece on top, making sure that it doesn’t touch the liquid. Works like a charm and I have even caught flies in it.
Thanks for the idea!!
My sister-in-law gave me this tip. Put the mixture in a small jam jar with a pencil-sized hole in the lid. You can put it on a window sill, or on a patio table. The mixture does not evaporate so quickly.
I’ll be darned. I’ve been looking for something to get rid of my fruit fly infestation and absolutely nothing has worked. But I set up your vinegar/dish soap combo in my kitchen this afternoon and I have nearly 20 dead flies in the bowl!
Awesome, pays to try someone’s recipe , I love it💯👏
You’re a lifesaver. Thank you!
Does this work for regular flies?
Allesia, I have found the occasional regular house fly in the vinegar solution, but I don’t think it would eliminate an infestation of them, as they’re typically not drawn to fermenting fruit.
Do I need to change the bowl, and if so, how frequently?
Marie, you only need to change the bowl if you find the collection of dead fruit flies unsightly. You will notice that, due to evaporation, the liquid level in the bowl will decrease – I often just pour in a little more white wine vinegar to top it up.
Can you eventually put your fruit back out on the counter?
Robin, yes you can eventually put your fruit back on the counter… at least here where we only have fruit flies during the warmer months of the year. If you live in a location where fruit flies thrive all the time, you might have to keep your fruit tucked away!
Omgg this is working wonders they’re all attracted to the bowl and im so excited! I can’t wait till they’re all home!
I had a problem with fruit flies but couldn’t find the source. They had become quite a problem in my bathroom! I finally called an exterminator out of desperation. He told me that they were not fruit flies, but DRAIN FLIES! He said I could deal with the problem myself by using a bottle brush to scrub the inside of my drains. Goo tends to build up on drain walls and the flies lay eggs in the goo. Get rid of the goo and no more flies! He said that after brushing down the drain walls, I should follow up with bleach. “Fruit” flies have a source. If you don’t have fruit lying around, consider your kitchen drains as a possible source for these annoying insects. I regularly scrub down my drains, and don’t need to use bleach.
Drain flies (gag)… they sound worse than fruit flies! I’ll be doing a scrub down of my drains for sure. Thanks Nancy!
Thank you so much! Found this on Pinterest and within 30 minutes there were 7 floating in the bowl. As soon as I put the bowl out I could see them flocking to it. I didn’t even realize there were seven flies in the house! I thought we had three or four pesky ones. Can’t wait to see how many we catch by the end of the day!
Should I use balsamic vinegar or a chocolate wine? Those are my two choices! Thank you!
Balsalmic vinegar would work best, I’d say! – Crystal
We’ve had a ton of fruit flies over the past month! SO gross! My hubby set up a trap, but it hasn’t been working the best. Hopefully this one will! Thanks for sharing!
WOW! Within 2 minutes, I saw a “casualty” and I almost started to cry! I was so happy… Thank you so much for posting this helpful thing so that my family and I can reclaim back our home.
It works! Within minutes, the stinkers were flocking to the bowl. Thanks!
Do I need a rotting banana to go with this formula or can I get away without using the banana? Please tell me YES! Thank you for sharing this.
Lola, YES! You can do this without the rotthing banana 🙂 I actually never use one, and never have a lack of fruit flies in it.
This trap is remarkable!!! Granted I’m sure I looked a bit odd digging through my trash outdoors for a rotten banana however I just set this up not even 2 minutes ago & already have 5 casualties & many more taking interest. For whatever reason we battle with fruit flies in our home this time of year & they’re everywhere, I’m hopeful this is the remedy I’ve been searching for…
Great article. Been wondering how to get rid of these pesky little things!
We were having a HUGE problem with fruit flies at our house and my aunt told us about the apple cider vinegar and a drop of dawn soap. It’s been less than a week and I see like one or two every once and awhile now. It works great. It’s awesome coming home and seeing all the dead fruit flies at the bottom of the bowl 🙂
I hate these little buggars! Giving this a try tonight! Thanks for the info.
Me too . Omg its so bad in my kitchen it will smack u in the face when u walk into the kitchen . I been ordering out for my granddaughter and daughter.
I hope this helps you!