Food Hacks: How to keep fruit flies away?

Have you noticed small fruit flies hovering around food stalls especially where you cut fruits and vegetables while walking through the market? Moreover, you would also find, if you keep cut fruits and vegetables in your home for a long time, small flies start coming over and sitting on them. You start removing them with your hands but after a while their constant returns make your irritated. Fruit flies are real and so is their contamination.

How to keep fruit flies at bay?

The most important way to keep fruit flies off your dining tables is to keep a hygienic environment around.

Remove all breeding grounds

The primary reason why fruit flies meander around your food in multiples is because they are being given the breeding ground to reproduce. To do-away with the possibility of them multiplying, clean your sink and drains regularly. If needed, opt for deep cleaning every fortnight. Recyclable items like bottles, containers and packets must be thoroughly washed before re-using. Rotting edibles must be immediately removed from the house, including the dustbins and any food crumbs or spillages should be wiped clean.

Storage matters!

How you store fruits and edibles play a role in eliminating fruit flies. Fruits must be stored in the refrigerator. If possible, use clean-fills or better, zip lock bags to store your fruits. This helps them stay fresh and increases their longevity. Air-tight containers might also do the trick.

Clean trash regularly!

Do not keep your dustbins full for a long time. This becomes a breeding ground for fruit flies. In fact, ideally you must dispose of them every day, especially if they have biodegradable scraps. After disposing the trash itself, the bin needs to be cleaned, dried and then used again.

Keep repellents, up your sleeves!

Herbs like basil, mint, lavender and eucalyptus are natural repellents for fruit flies that cannot stand their aroma. You can keep fresh stems of these herbs near fruit bowls or cut fruits. In fact, you can also have small planters of these herbs on your kitchen window sill – it will repel the unwanted pests and you can use a handful when required as well.

Ventilation is a must

Fruit flies are repelled with strong airflow currents. Try and keep your fruits in a place which has good ventilation or use a small fan in the area. You can also keep your exhaust on in the kitchen while working with fruits.

Fruit-fly traps

If nothing works, then opt for the fruit fly traps, that you can easily make at home. Take apple cider vinegar and dish washing liquid in a bowl. Cover it with transparent wrap and poke some holes. This is good enough to attract them and then trap them.

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