This Apple Cider Vinegar Fruit Fly Trap Is A Kitchen Game Changer

Nothing can ruin the joy of having fresh fruit in your home like a swarm of annoying fruit flies. Seriously, they seem to come out of thin air, don't they? And try and squash one of them? Good luck with that! These tiny, torturous bugs seem to be hard to dispose of, but there is a way to lure them in and disable them.

Why It's Hard To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies

Turns out fruit flies are escape artists. They have around 270-degree vision, so they can see what is coming at them coming from almost any angle. They have the ability to calculate the angle of your attack and will plan their escape accordingly. Scientists figured this out due to a resting fruit fly repositioning its legs when it senses an attack. If your hand is coming from the front, for example, fruit flies move their middle legs forward, lean back, and raise their legs, allowing for a fast backwards takeoff.

They can change directions within one one-hundredth of a second and gain speed by flapping their wings 200 times per second. Not bad for a brain that's smaller than a house fly's. Considering all of this aeronautical prowess, how do you get rid of them? 

How To Set A Fruit Fly Trap

This all-natural fruit fly trap is a game changer. Gather together your supplies and follow our easy instructions to control the fruit flies that are plaguing your kitchen.

What You'll Need:

• Mason Jar
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Dish Soap
• Plastic Wrap
  

Method

Begin your fruit fly battle by pouring just enough cider vinegar to cover the bottom of the jar. Next, add a drop of dish soap. This breaks the surface tension of the vinegar, so the fruit flies won't just float on top of it. Finally, cover the jar with plastic wrap and poke a few holes in the top. Place the jar near where the fruit flies are hanging out, and they will soon be drawn to the jar. Once they're in, they are not coming out.

How To Prevent Fruit Flies

Using our easy trap can really aid in getting pesky fruit flies out of your kitchen, but what methods can you use to prevent getting these bugs in the first place? One of your strategies can be olfactory. Fruit flies can’t stand the smell of basil, peppermint, eucalyptus, lemongrass, lavender and clove. If you’ve had a fruit fly problem in the past, try placing these fragrant herbs in muslin sacks or tea bags and hanging them around the house. You could also buy them in essential oil form and use them in a diffuser.

Another method of elimination is to simply keep your kitchen clean and to be consistent about it. Prompt and thorough cleaning of counters, tables, small appliances, and dishes after any type of food preparation will help prevent an infestation. One key area to clean well is the kitchen sink and garbage disposal. Bits of food can become trapped in the drains. Clean and flush out drains and disposals well after each use for food preparation.

3 More Reasons You Need Apple Cider Vinegar

1. It's the thing that's always in your cupboard that you are not sure you need. But aside from masterful fruit fly elimination, apple cider vinegar has many uses. The first thing you need to try is this DIY honey face mask. With the simple ingredients of raw honey, turmeric and apple cider vinegar, brighten your complexion and minimize the appearance of pores.
   
   
2. Another surprise use for apple cider vinegar is as an ingredient for a mocktail. And if you wish, making it a cocktail takes mere ounces of your favorite spirit. For the Lavendar-Plum Shrub, your mixologist skills are leaning on fresh fruit, aromatics, and the tang of apple cider vinegar. This shrub is the perfect mixer for anytime, but during the holidays, this plum-based elixir with its beautiful jewel tone brings a festive hue to an ice-filled glass.
   
   
3. There are elemental ways to cleaning your home, no heavy cleaning agents needed. Of these simpler approaches, it is the use of vinegar that helps to keep your environment fresh. Keep in mind that if you are using white vinegar for this gentle DIY approach to cleaning, that apple cider vinegar can be used as well. Try this simple method for cleaning your microwave.