Whats with the fruit flies??? HELP!!!

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leavinglasvegas
leavinglasvegas Posts: 1,495
in Food and Nutrition
:grumble: :mad: :grumble:

When I get home from the market I unpack everything and IMMEDIATLEY wash ALL fruits and veggies. I use a brush to scrub them down and most veggies go into the fridge and are preped for easy access, but I keep a fruit bowl on the table for whole fruits.

I can't understand where all these darn fruit flies are coming from. I have disected my house and bleached the crap out of it, I make sure the garbage is taken out and rarely is there food in the trash anyways unless it can't go down the disposal. I'm not in a position to purchase those fruit/veggie washes, because I am on a VERY tight budget since I'm still out of work:cry:

Anyone know what to do about this infestation???? Is there anything else you can use to safely clean produce that is not so expensive???? Is that even where they are coming from???? Are the little creatures unsanitary even if my house is practically sterile???:huh: :huh: :huh:

Replies

  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    Keep your fruit in the fridge. They aren't IN the fruit. They're just attracted to it. Are your windows open?
  • leavinglasvegas
    leavinglasvegas Posts: 1,495
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    Keep your fruit in the fridge. They aren't IN the fruit. They're just attracted to it. Are your windows open?

    My windows are almost always open because we don't have AC.
  • debnu1
    debnu1 Posts: 1,568 Member
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    I had an infestation also and was able to get rid of it by putting all of my produce in the fridge. Tomatoes and bananas included. They won't go away until they aren't eating anything. Good luck! I hate those little flies!
  • Magenta15
    Magenta15 Posts: 850 Member
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    LOL glad to know it's not just me!!!! same issues ---
    i seen something referring to it on the news too, but i missed the story.... dunno what it is this year but they are bad! :laugh:
  • coolviolet73
    coolviolet73 Posts: 29
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    I did some reading online about fruit flies and fruit fly infestations a few years ago. Although it sounds like you take your housekeeping very seriously, I would make sure that you're thoroughly keeping your drains/garbage disposal clean, as the fruit flies tend to breed in that area (it's dark, warm, moist, and generally has some food waste in it). So while you're bleaching your home, throw some bleach down the drain too, and make sure that your drain plug baskets (or whatever they're called) are super clean too. Take care, and good luck with this!

    :grumble: :mad: :grumble:

    When I get home from the market I unpack everything and IMMEDIATLEY wash ALL fruits and veggies. I use a brush to scrub them down and most veggies go into the fridge and are preped for easy access, but I keep a fruit bowl on the table for whole fruits.

    I can't understand where all these darn fruit flies are coming from. I have disected my house and bleached the crap out of it, I make sure the garbage is taken out and rarely is there food in the trash anyways unless it can't go down the disposal. I'm not in a position to purchase those fruit/veggie washes, because I am on a VERY tight budget since I'm still out of work:cry:

    Anyone know what to do about this infestation???? Is there anything else you can use to safely clean produce that is not so expensive???? Is that even where they are coming from???? Are the little creatures unsanitary even if my house is practically sterile???:huh: :huh: :huh:
  • chrissyh
    chrissyh Posts: 8,235 Member
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    This is going to sound funny but even with a pest man for a husband here's what I do....

    take a plastic throw away cup - pour about 1/3 of it with cider or red wine vinegar....put clear wrap on top of cup - hold on cup with a rubber band around the rim....poke a hole in the top - the flies go in but they don't come out.....
  • April0815
    April0815 Posts: 780 Member
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    We have them at work right now. We cut a plastic water bottle in half and we add cider vinegar with a few drops of dawn dish liquid.

    Also a lot of times plants cause them.
  • leavinglasvegas
    leavinglasvegas Posts: 1,495
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    Good ideas guys thanks!!! I'm bleaching the drains now and will get some apple cider vinegar today when I head out to run my errands!!!!


    THANK YOU!!!!:flowerforyou:

    :heart: Holly
  • KirEats
    KirEats Posts: 3
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    I have done the vinegar in a cup thing . It does help... just need to be patient.
  • Mrsfun44
    Mrsfun44 Posts: 19 Member
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    Haven't tried this, but I received this tip recently:

    Goodbye Fruit Flies
    To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2" with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!
  • tuc712
    tuc712 Posts: 2
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    I had a fruit fly problem this summer- put all fruit in the fridge- and cleaned everything! I even put wet dish rags in the fridge so that they didn't attract the flies- but so that I could use them later. I put out a clear glass cup with apple juice in it. I spread saran wrap over top and secured it to the sides of the glass. I poked several holes with tooth picks. The flies really can't get out. I've been doing this daily for a week or so and they are FINALLY starting to go away. Yuck!
  • tabbydog
    tabbydog Posts: 4,925 Member
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    Also, if you save bottles and cans from soda and beer and fruit juice for recycling or to return for your deposit, they are attracted to that. I have the same problem in my house, and it took me a while to figure out that it wasn't even the fruit. Now I make sure that any empty bottles are rinsed immediately! Even if you leave them over night there will be the little pests!:angry:
  • nguill6
    nguill6 Posts: 133
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    I bought some sticky fly catcher strips at WalMart for the flies around my plants. You stick them to the window near your plants and the flies are super attracted but then get stuck. It was amazing the first time I did it- there must have been hundreds of fruit flies...
  • leavinglasvegas
    leavinglasvegas Posts: 1,495
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    I did the apple cider vinegar trick. How long does it take to work??? I haven't seen one of those little guys since I put it out yesterday afternoon, that was fast!

    Question...
    Do I change the cup daily, weekly.....???

    Thanks
    Holly:flowerforyou:
  • BirdieM
    BirdieM Posts: 791 Member
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    [
    take a plastic throw away cup - pour about 1/3 of it with cider or red wine vinegar....put clear wrap on top of cup - hold on cup with a rubber band around the rim....poke a hole in the top - the flies go in but they don't come out.....
    [/quote]

    That's the coolest thing I've ever heard of! Thanks for the tip!
    BirdieM
  • chrissyh
    chrissyh Posts: 8,235 Member
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    I did the apple cider vinegar trick. How long does it take to work??? I haven't seen one of those little guys since I put it out yesterday afternoon, that was fast!

    Question...
    Do I change the cup daily, weekly.....???

    Thanks
    Holly:flowerforyou:

    I just throw it away (cup and all) when the vinegar doesn't smell as strong and replace - maybe 2x a week unless there's tons of bugs in it....I always get fruit flies around my peaches and bananas so I just keep the cup on the window sill behind the fruit - really don't even notice it!

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