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If you’ve noticed tiny flies or gnats flying around your kitchen, they’re probably fruit flies. Commonly found anywhere food is present, these small pests can appear any time of the year, but they’re most common in the late summer and early fall months, thanks to the prevalence of ripened or fermenting fruits and vegetables. If you’re looking for do-it-yourself pest control tips for ridding your home of fruit flies, then look no further. With 70 years of experience in pest control, the experts at Acme Pest Control Co. in Concord, NC, recommend trying these homemade remedies.

5 Ways to Rid Your Home of Fruit Flies

1. Apple Cider Vinegar Traps

Gnats and fruit flies love the scent of apple cider vinegar. Open a bottle of vinegar and cover the opening in plastic wrap, securing it with a rubber band. Poke a small hole in the plastic. The flies will enter the bottle, but they won’t be able to escape. If this doesn’t work, add three drops of dish soap to a bowl of vinegar. Leave it uncovered, and flies will become trapped, sink, and drown.

2. Vinegar & Fruit Trap

pest controlAnother way to use vinegar as bait is to combine it with a piece of very ripe fruit in a jar. Roll a piece of paper into a cone and stick the narrow end into the jar. Flies will be drawn in, but they won't be able to get out.

3. Fruit Fly Strips

You might have seen or bought regular fly strips, but there are also pest control strips made specifically for fruit flies. You can purchase them at a pest control store or through an online retailer. Hang them up, and flies will become ensnared.

4. Red Wine

Much like vinegar, fruit flies can’t resist the scent of red wine. Try leaving a little wine in the bottle and setting it on the counter, uncovered. Flies that fly inside will become trapped and unable to escape through the narrow neck of the bottle.

5. Keep It Clean

Of course, starting at the source of the problem by keeping your kitchen clean and free of exposed fruits and vegetables can eliminate fruit flies and gnats. Use bleach and pour it down drains to reach flies that might be attracted to moisture.

If these tips don’t work, and you find yourself in need of different pest control methods, call the specialists at Acme Pest Control Co. at (704) 707-4748 to schedule an appointment or learn more about their services online.

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