Don't Throw Out Old Wine, Use It To Trap Fruit Flies Instead

Of all the possible pests in a kitchen, fruit flies might just be the peskiest. These tiny flying bugs enter your home through open doors and windows, on the skins of fresh fruits and veggies purchased from grocery stores or farmers markets, and from produce harvested in your backyard garden. If fruit flies are having a party in your house, it's time to fight back — against them and against food waste.

Using a little bit of old wine is the key to catching fruit flies. These annoying creatures are attracted to the smell of the fermented grapes but get stuck when mixed with another common household item: dish soap.

To trap fruit flies at home, mix ¼ to ½ a cup of old wine with a couple of squirts of dish soap and stir. Pour the mixture into two or three glass jars and seal each one with a lid that has a few small holes punched in it. Set your homemade wine traps out in areas where you've noticed fruit flies hanging out, like on a kitchen counter, near the trash can, or by a bathroom sink. Check the jars in a few days, and you will notice some dark specks — the fallen fruit flies that have lost the battle.

Fruit flies are especially prevalent in warmer months, which coincides with seasons of bountiful produce. They like to lay eggs on the skins of overripe and decomposing fruit, and bananas are notorious offenders. If you have fruit flies in your kitchen, start by rinsing your bananas. In fact, to keep these bugs out of your kitchen, thoroughly rinse the skins of all your fresh fruits and vegetables right when you get home. Also, check for any bruised or brown spots before patting them dry with a paper towel. If you notice any questionable or brown spots on produce, cut it up and remove the bad section.

Another way to inhibit fruit flies is to shut down your kitchen each night, restaurant-style. Start by wiping down all kitchen counters and surfaces, especially areas that are sticky or gummy, like the stovetop. Use warm water, soap, and a dish rag to remove any food particles, which are a food source for fruit flies. Trash cans are another place fruit flies like to set up shop, so change your trash regularly. Run your garbage disposal and faucet to remove fruit or veggie pieces that may be composting in your kitchen sink, and use a bleach solution to disinfect areas where they like to hang out. By removing every possible breeding ground, you're saying goodbye to fruit flies forever.