# Ways to get rid of fruit flies **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 29, 2004, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-get-rid-of-fruit-flies/271772 "2004-10-29T01:40:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2004, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-get-rid-of-fruit-flies/271772/21 "2004-10-30T23:05:37Z")
Well, we almost ignored it. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-get-rid-of-fruit-flies/271772/22 "2004-10-31T01:39:49Z")
[QUOTE=Melandry] > [@spingears](#): > > I am visiting my parents this weekend and have left some vinegar traps out while I’m gone. When I get back I will try boiling water and plain old Drano to try and clean out the drain. **spingears** , what does the toilet paper do to help the Drano work better? Just curious.Thanks for all the tips. The idea is to hold the drano in place for a short time till it can do its work. Overall idea is to deprive the little varmits of a bed and breakffast. Best wishes for a varmit fee abode. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-get-rid-of-fruit-flies/271772/23 "2004-10-31T18:55:53Z")
Eesh. Talk about overkill. Remember… bleach, acids (like vinegar), and caustics (like Dran-O) will damage pipes (in the long run). They should never be just sitting in your traps for more than, oh, I’d guess no more than half an hour. Certainly not overnight, nor while away on vacation. The easiest and best solution is to use soap or detergent. After washing something or pouring something down the drain, run hot water, shut off the water and put a drop of detergent or soap down the drain. If you think that that your drains are the source of flies, there’s an easy way to find out… stop up the drain (like you would if you wanted to fill the sink). Then, whenever you go to your sink, unstop it and see if anything flies out. If you don’t see anything flying out within a few days… then that’s not the source of your flies. Peace. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-get-rid-of-fruit-flies/271772/24 "2004-10-31T20:15:22Z")
What helps me get rid of the flies themselves are those flypaper strips. They cost a couple dollars for four of them, and they don’t involve pesticides. Then I get rid of the eggs with hot soapy water. Robin ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-get-rid-of-fruit-flies/271772/25 "2004-10-31T20:52:05Z")
> [@moriah](#): > > Eesh. Talk about overkill…\ > > The easiest and best solution is to use soap or detergent. After washing something or pouring something down the drain, run hot water, shut off the water and put a drop of detergent or soap down the drain. The problem is, the drain flies were laying eggs in organic material up under the trap in our sink, where liquid would not reach. I tried everything, beginning with boiling water, until finally using the drain cleaner. ---
**Author:** ![Melandry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Melandry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melandry)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-get-rid-of-fruit-flies/271772/26 "2004-10-31T21:04:16Z")
Just a note, I did not leave bleach or drain cleaner sitting in my pipes while I was away for the weekend, just the vinegar traps on the counter. I certainly don’t wish to bring the wrath of the landlord on my head by destroying the plumbing. Thanks for all the tips (again), I’m amazed that this thread is still on the first page… ---
**Author:** ![mitchythekid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c67d28/32.png) [@mitchythekid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mitchythekid)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2004, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-get-rid-of-fruit-flies/271772/27 "2004-10-31T23:15:08Z")
I would definatly go with the ole boiling H2O,and bleach routine,in that order,then put your drain plug on it over night. 2 or 3 aplications should do it. By the way,it will not hurt the pipes at all,almost sounds as if your worried about what your landlord might say,or do.I would think they would help you with a simple problem such as this,if you have to call a plumber,charge it to the landlord.I would’nt want a fruit-fly flea curcus show on my counter,and kitchen,knowing there still laying more eggs in the drain!!! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-get-rid-of-fruit-flies/271772/28 "2004-11-01T08:41:46Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > Wow, that’s so _clever_! Playing on “fruit” being a derogatory slang term for “homosexual” [Hmmm . . .](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5423408&postcount=22) ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-get-rid-of-fruit-flies/271772/29 "2004-11-01T10:08:50Z")
> [@mitchythekid](#): > > I would definatly go with the ole boiling H2O,and bleach routine,in that order,then put your drain plug on it over night. 2 or 3 aplications should do it. By the way,it will not hurt the pipes at all Not only are you caught up in the overreacting to the menace of the kitchen sink drain trap, but you are directly contradicting what has previously been posted. Dangerous to do so on this board. Especially without a cite to back up your patently wrong, wrong, wrong, and possibly even dangerous, ‘advice.’ Bleach certainly does [damage metal.](http://216.239.39.104/search?q=cache:9UVKmNeRHGgJ:www.ucsfchildcarehealth.org/newsletters/1998/septoct98.doc+bleach+damages+metal&hl=en) It even damages [stainless steel.](http://www.askthebuilder.com/156_Stainless_Steel_Sinks_-_A_Good_No_a_Great_Choice_.shtml) In fact, “Many institutions do not use household chlorine bleach because it…can attack and [corrode metal surfaces](http://www.coastwidelabs.com/Technical%20Articles/Safer%20Restroom%20Care.htm)…” Until you know what your posting about… don’t. ---
**Author:** ![TJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@TJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJay)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-get-rid-of-fruit-flies/271772/30 "2004-11-01T14:03:24Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > What helps me get rid of the flies themselves are those flypaper strips. They cost a couple dollars for four of them, and they don’t involve pesticides. Then I get rid of the eggs with hot soapy water. > > Robin Just a quickie to say that Robin’s method worked for me too - I was infested with the buggers in the summer and put up flypaper strips. Nothing happened for 2 or 3 days , then slowly they started getting stuck up on it. Within two weeks there were no more flying about, and I haven’t seen one since. ---
**Author:** ![dqa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dqa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dqa)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-get-rid-of-fruit-flies/271772/31 "2004-12-04T07:21:52Z")
This is the first time I’ve had the problem of fruit flies breeding in my drain, and I have to say that the vinegar trap works great. But it’s gotten me thinking about electric flyswatters. I would love to get one of these for Christmas, but I don’t get enough other bugs to make it worthwhile to ask for one. Do electric flyswatters work on fruit flies? Or are they too tiny to contact more than one point of the circuit at a time? ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-get-rid-of-fruit-flies/271772/32 "2004-12-04T14:01:08Z")
> [@Melandry](#): > > I am reluctant to buy these products online but have not had much luck finding them (or any fruit fly control product) in stores around here (I plan to try Walmart and Home Depot-type places this weekend while I am visiting Mom and Dad in Suburbia). So I have a couple of questions: does anyone know what my best bet is for finding these products not online? And, has anyone had success with other methods of eliminating drain flies? For instance, should regular Drano (I noticed at the grocery store they had a special ‘kitchen sink’ type) also be effective? All these websites claim bleach poured down the drain does not work. Swatting at the bloody things by hand is extremely inefficient, and I although my apartment is actually very clean, the infestation is starting to make me feel like I live in a pit. You may not be able to buy the gel in a store. I tried to buy it online, and no place would ship to NY. Apparently, it’s illegal to sell it to consumers here. What I had fairly good results with ( I never have completely gottten rid of them ) was drain cleaner- but not the regular one. It was called “foaming pipe snake” and completely filled the pipe with foam until I rinsed it down. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2004, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-get-rid-of-fruit-flies/271772/33 "2004-12-04T14:20:02Z")
> [@dqa](#): > > Do electric flyswatters work on fruit flies? Or are they too tiny to contact more than one point of the circuit at a time? NO, fruit flies are too small to cause arc over from one wire to the next. I built one years ago and one could be built to do the job. It would likely be more than most people would want to undertake. ---
**Author:** ![SavageNarce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@SavageNarce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SavageNarce)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2004, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-get-rid-of-fruit-flies/271772/34 "2004-12-05T17:36:04Z")
Simple fruit fly trap: take a shallow dish or saucer, pour in some vinegar, cover with plastic wrap and punch several small holes in the plastic. Works like a charm, costs pennies. > [@ltfire](#): > > You could put some show tunes on a portable CD player, and take it outside. They will follow the music. I must be slow; I thought this was a “pied piper” reference. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-to-get-rid-of-fruit-flies/271772.md?page=1)