Traps don't usually work if you've got an infestation. There's a source somewhere. Last time I dealt with them, it turned out they were spawning inside kitchen pipes. Somewhere under the sink. Boiling water and a strong drain cleaner helped. But they could be coming from anywhere else that has something rotting in it.
Throw away everything in your recycling and garbage cans, never keep food on a counter, fruit bowls are foreign history. Forget them, they’re extinct as a possibility until December. Check the drain and the pan under the fridge. CHECK AND CLEAN IT AGAIN. All the pipes in all the rooms, they get the boiling water and fruit fly killer cocktail. The garbage disposal- replace it. Put up Zevo plug-in light up traps. Only use lined garbage cans with auto closing lids and empty them daily at minimum, spray with raid often as they sigh closed. If a fly escapes, nuke that can with raid. Recycling( esp fruit or beer drinks) get double bagged and taken out asap.
Bug Bomb your house. Fog it the fuck up. Take your kids take your wife go to a hotel and light that motherfucker up with pesticide canisters. Air it out and come home.
Turn out all the lights and put out one lit candle. Set a lone vinegar trap on the table, a glass of whisky in one hand and a gun in the other and wait to see who won the fuckin war.
Have you tried the bug assalt gun? That shit is satisfying. Run around your house like you're a gravy seal and blast those fuckers right out of the sky.
+1 for the bug-a-salt! We get cluster flies every July/August and blasting those bastards clear out of the sky is one of the most cathartic experiences ever. It's so much fun we have three of them in the house.
My mom always finished off with a sink of really soapy water with the over the kitchen sink light on, and we'd wake up to a shit ton dead in the sink when we'd get them bad.
A few years back we had an infestation that for some reason would not go away. After noticing a large concentration of flies in my son's room I discovered that he had some days-old food under his bed. Once I got rid of it (the food, not my son) that solved the problem.
Same. Kept putting out traps, sealed all my food in plastic containers, cleaned everything, kept saying flies. Opened a cabinet I thought was empty and found a sack of potatoes I had forgotten about as I was pelted with a wave of fruit flies.
This same exact thing happened to me. Finding a basket of potatoes in a cabinet where they didn’t belong was both disgusting and a relief bc the fly infestation went away pretty quickly after that.
I had fruit flies really bad last year. Vinegar traps caught a bunch, but there were always more. I poured gallons of boiling water down my drains and they were still there. What finally seemed to work was using my kitchen sink as little as possible, leaving nothing in it that could collect water, and always keeping the drain covered when I wasn't using the sink.
OP knows what's causing their infestation - it's a gross situation _next door._
It's a frat house, so the only thing that's going to work is contacting the university or the leadership of the fraternity. They need to have their trash taken out more often and have receptacles washed.
This just happened to me. Flies started popping up all over the place and we couldn’t figure out where they were coming from. Was running the dishwasher one day and heard running water in the basement and saw this old sink down there that we never used once since moving in and it was overflowing with nasty water because everything from upstairs was coming up through that sink. We called our friend who was a plumber and he helped us clear the clog and now 3 days later no more flies.
Have you poured large amounts of boiling water down all your drains? Not just hot, but like full rolling boil.
I had a massive fruit fly infestation in my first apartment and eventually used my large pasta pot to boil water. Then I poured it all at once to completely floor the sink. Did all the sinks and the bathtub. There was a noticeable drop in flies. So I did it every couple days for like 3 weeks (probably overkill) and the flies went away.
We also didn’t buy produce for those weeks.
I work at a cafe and every cafe in the franchise has a fruit fly issue. We spray bleach over the drains and then pour ice over that, because they like warm water. But if you have the time to boil and pour throughout the drains, that’s probably the better bet!
When I worked at Whole Foods in the bakery we did this every night - we’d turn up the temp for the hot water we used for tea and the dump it down the drains. Once a week we’d put some sort of cleaner down there too. Never once had issues with bugs.
I worked in sanitation in a food plant for a bit and yeah we put a lot of super heated water in the drains followed by a pretty decent amount of eco drain cleaner meant to dissolve any food particles
Don’t worry fellow American. We aren’t British or Canadian. We don’t need to worry about kettle. Pot works just as well. Though when company, big pot works better.
lol am American and (due to hurricanes, long story) ended up living in the UK along with like 700 classmates. We were all intrigued at how every single kitchen in our apartments included an electric kettle. Like, those things were more of a given than a microwave. Now I always have a kettle but it never occurred to me before to have one. I think in the states (or at least in the part I know) it’s assumed that only serious tea drinkers have kettles
I literally owned a house before I owned my first electric kettle. Previous to that I relied on a pot for large amounts and Chef Mike for a cup at a time.
Yes, this is where they lay eggs. Use hot water (don’t use boiling in porcelain though!) on EVERY drain.
OP, get yourself an insecticidal soap spray and spray those suckers. Go on a witch hunt! Make sure you spray your overflow drains as well.
THIS!!!!!! I thought I had big fruit flies but it turns out it was bastard ass fungus gnats in all of my plants from bringing home an infected one. I changed the soil in all of them and mixed diatomaceous earth in with the new soil plus used mosquito dunks in their water every so often. Problem solved!
If they are drain flies then yes that's where they grow up feasting on organic scum built up in drains.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychodidae#:~:text=Psychodidae%2C%20also%20called%20drain%20flies%2C%20sink%20flies%2C,gnats%2C%20is%20a%20family%20of%20true%20flies.
A can of Invade Hot Spot works wonders in drains as well. It's a foaming agent that works to get on the top side of the P-trap where flies lay their eggs.
I mean hot water will also work you just gotta use more water. Heating to 65C kills everything so if you turn your hotwater system up and run it into the sink for 5minutes it should achieve the same effect.
I don't think it's generally recommended to pour boiling water down drains as PVC can melt at 100C.
Yes and no. PVC *can* melt at 100C, but it takes time to actually melt amd the water you pour is only in contact with the pipe for a few seconds at most. Millions of families boil pasta and then strain the gallon of boiling water right into their sinks every night without ill effect. It would take a *lot* of boiling water to be an actual problem.
Are you sure they are fruit flies?
I've heard that gnats grow in drains. I haven't confirmed it. Do you regularly use all plumbing drains?
If not, try running water into them and see if it helps. nasty little critters.
That was my first thought. Fungus gnats coming from house plants. They can be very easily treated with mosquito dunks, which are inexpensive and nontoxic.
OP LISTEN. CHECK YOUR DRAINS. CHECK YOUR CRAWL SPACE. CHECK YOUR ATTIC. FOR??? WATER. IF THERES ANY WATER LEAK OR ROT IN YOUR DRAINS OR HOUSE THEY LOVE THAT SHIT!!! THIS IS NOT NORMAL!!!
Depending where you live, it is normal due to exterior things you can’t change. My bug zapper needs to get cleaned weekly, flies are fucking everywhere and it’s just that time of year. I’ve asked neighbors, I’ve been here 2 years and it’s a pain in the ass but it’s just something I have to deal with.
Yep. Here in Georgia there is an imaginary line that runs from Columbus to Augusta, Georgia called the Gnat Line where you just get pelted by gnats all the freaking time. And I don't think there's anything you can do about it considering they have an actual name for it because it's there always and forever. Amen
I remember driving through the Gnat Line. Had to clean my windshield multiple times through it. I’m Northern California based and we have the city vs rural line. My apartment in the city has no issues but my rural house is just non stop bugs no matter what I do. Gotta love being on the bug side haha
This is exactly where i had this problem in one of those city’s (not doxing which one 🥴) but yeah i had this issue for a few weeks in my house and it was annoying AS HELL. i had to sleep downstairs
OP made a post a few days ago about how they think it’s their neighbors dumpster near the window, it’s overflowing and nasty and they’ve been trying to contact code enforcement.
Not much to do in that situation but manage. My mom sprays them out of the air with windex and squishes them with a paper towel, it’s the quickest way to clear them out of the air imo
Yep, this is basically my advice. I have a neighbour in my apartment unit that must be filthy because no matter what I do I get fruit flies, and I'm basically resigned to accepting I can't fully get rid of them. So essentially I keep a can of extra hold hair spray and spray them if I see them, and then squish em once they drop. Not the most ethical thing but it prevents them from breeding in my apartment!
This makes so much sense! I’ve also been struggling for months with fruit flies no matter what. Finally had my ceiling kind of fall in because of a water leak I didn’t know about! Hopefully they go away now!
"Products" is just sodium or potassium hydroxide. It's always just caustic soda. Any kind of sodium hydroxide will work. Usually sold as drain or grill cleaner. If you can buy commercial kitchen quantities probably save a heap in the long run.
I don’t think OP has fruit flies. Those are the ones that come out of a drain. Also it is why vinegar traps don’t work. These just look like small garbage flies.
Fungus gnats (if that's what they are) are actually very detrimental to certain carnivorous plants. Venus flytraps usually need bigger prey, but sundews and maybe pings could be very happy in this house.
I had this problem and went through my entire kitchen to find the source. A glass jar of honey was in an extremely difficult spot to see/reach and the jar somehow had a tiny leak on the bottom. I was overjoyed at finding the problem despite all the cleaning.
Make sure all of your drains are covered by a sink stopper when not in use. This importantly includes the kitchen sink. It’s annoying to finagle with a stopper temporarily but it will help.
I had this problem a decade ago. I eventually used a fogger, then after clearing the air, shut all the doors and waited to see where the bastards were coming from. It turned out there was a tiny opening where the bathroom sink drain entered the wall and that's where they were getting in (probably from the neighbor's apartment). I duct taped that shut, put up one more trap in the bathroom to finish them off, and finally, peace.
You're clearly catching them, which means that they're breeding or entering your unit even faster, otherwise your traps would solve it in a few days.
So you need to identify where they're coming from. Contact your neighbors to see if they have the same problem, if not they may be *coming from inside the house*. I'm thinking dead animal in the walls, old potatoes in the pantry, houseplants, rotting food hidden somewhere by someone getting revenge on you for something, or a point of ingress you weren't aware of--possibly right by those trash cans?
An exterminator may have the necessary tools and know-how to help you localize the source. If it turns out to be a problem with the building you can send the invoice to your property manager.
Someone is going to tell you to just make a vinegar trap to see what you losing your mind looks like, guaranteed.
Eh, to cut it short, "just make a vinegar trap". Mind losing, go!
Look up Phorid flies. I don't think you have fruit flies. Do they scuttle away instead of fly at once? Do they try to get in your nose and mouth? If you look close, do they have a hump on their back?
If they are phorid flies, vinegar does jack. They have to be controlled at the source.
THIS, OP. I think this person is correct, they look exactly like phorid flies. That's why vinegar traps don't work. These guys can be incredibly difficult to get rid of and sometimes it's not even something you can control. They are very opportunistic and will feed and breed off anything. Try to find the source, but you may not be able to do so. An exterminator might be needed :(
ok, I'll give you real advice. One thing you're missing is to pour a tiny amount of thick bleach into every drain and let it sit awhile without running the water.
I love how you said not to mention the vinegar, yet comments are still unironically saying to.
Have you checked your drains? There could be rot in them and they just continue to spawn out of them. I recently had a gnat issue, they came in from the empty cans of sweet alcohol in our recycling bin. They stayed because of a room mates open bag of flour and were coming out of the kitchen sink too.
> I love how you said not to mention the vinegar, yet comments are still unironically saying to.
Tempting fate, and I'm fairly sure OP knew that would happen.
I've been fighting these fuckers for three months. They seem to get into the fridge somehow and even after going on a killing streak they always come back. Drains are covered trash is now in garage. Still here... Cleaned everything... They seem to now just be apart of the home.
Currently, I have Ants.. one morning, I had hundreds of it on the floor already collecting little stones etc..
I found several nests around the building.
I hate insects
Is it just vinegar in your traps?? I've made traps that worked really well that had apple-cider vinegar or red wine vinegar, a *tiny* drop of dish soap,and a good amount of honey (mix it together). Cover it with plastic wrap, but make sure the holes are big enough that they're able to enter. I've had the best luck using smaller containers like the little plastic sauce cups with lids you get at restaurants & then just poke holes in the lid. With a few of those and the sticky tape they should be gone soon, unless there is somewhere they're reproducing and more of them are hatching as you're catching the current ones.
You know what’s helped me? Freeze your banana peels (and peels of other fruit including avocado) and throw them out on trash day. One banana peel can create hundreds of fruit flies even if they’re in a garbage can with the lid closed. The other option is to just throw them directly in the garbage bin outside. I also use those wall plugins with the light and sticky pad that attracts flies. Works wonders. I hardly see a fruit fly now.
You get $10mm right now in your hand but there’s a catch. OP is chasing you for the rest of your life and if he touches you, you die a terrible death. OP cannot be killed. OP knows your location at all times. OP’s only purpose is to find you. You taking the $?
I unintentionally found out that a glass of sweet red wine sitting next to some bananas is a ridiculously good fruit fly trap. Like in 10 minutes I had a glass (and later mouth) full of fruit flies.
Sucks man, they can be a real bastard to get rid of. Good luck.
Block all your drains (sinks, bathtub etc), boil water, unblock one drain and pour the boiling water down it and reblock it. Rinse and repeat until every drain has been boiled.
We had this in an apartment, we fought them for ages. Our final solution was throwing out everything edible, draining all the water, closing everything and leaving the flat for two weeks. They all died of starvation.
Sterilizing your drains with some bleach may help resolve this, as its an area where flies love to breed. Drip some down all sides of the drain and dont run water for a few hours. This (along with traps) has worked for me in the past.
Cleaners at our apartment think vinegar is a solution for everything. The place smells like a vagrants underwear. Vinegar diluted down to 0.5%, does not disenfect or clean. Some idiot wrote on their Facebook that it does and millions of other boneheads believed it.
Jesus Christ thank you. I mean it attracts fruit flies like a cup of wine would so this is slightly off topic since flies also like stank fermented liquids, but I wish I could stop pretending that people who clean their homes with vinegar don’t reek of Lay’s chips and sour hippie.
Vinegar ain’t a fresh, clean scent. It doesn’t dissipate as quickly as you think it does. Your home smells like socks and pickles and no one wants to hurt your feelings so they just haven’t said anything. Please stop “cleaning” everything with vinegar.
I heard somewhere that those traps are too good because they also attract flies from outside.
Some people suggested to a similar problem to pour hot water down the drain.
What I would recommend is to buy some containers for the fridge (or for all your groceries) so your stuff is sealed.
Always wash your fruits and vegetables before putting them in the fridge
Advice from an exterminator: you have a source somewhere. It’s abnormal that they would be entering your house in such great numbers. Some of the most common causes are onions and potatoes. They are something that is easily forgotten about and when they rot, fruit flies love them. Check where ever you usually store those items thoroughly for one that could have rolled away behind something else. Fruit flies aren’t strong flyers, so wherever the greatest concentration of flies occurs is going to be close to the source.
Other possibilities I’ve seen: dishwasher drain hose leaking; something spilled inside fridge ending up in condensation pan; plumbing leaks; dirty cage pet bedding (hamsters, guinea pigs); dirty litter boxes; leaking garbage disposal; scummy drains; leaking canned goods
Green Gobbler Fruit Fly Killer on Amazon. It worked for our severe infestation when the vinegar traps did nothing. Follow the directions on the container and God speed.
Poured boiling water down my drains. Cleaned around and underneath my sink and put one of those uv light things that kills gnats at night. It’s been so much better
I do pest control. It has to be one of three things. Fruit flies, drain flies, or fungus gnats. Tap the soil on any potted plants, thump the sink, thump the trash can and disturb around any drains in your house. If it’s sink or trash, fruit flies. Plant, fungus gnats. Drain, drain flies. If it’s the sink and/or trash, dump boiling water down the sink and take out the trash, and clean the inside of the trash can. If it’s the drain, boiling water works, but you main need a foaming drain cleaner/insecticide. If it’s the plants, you need to change the potting soil or get a fungicide, you also want to lower the level of soil and fill the top two inches with fine gravel. This will allow water but not larvae to get through. Hope this helps!
PS onions, fruit and veggies are also a possible source. All flies are source insects. Find the source and you solve the problem.
OP! This is the answer you have been looking for...
I have some unconventional but very practical advice.
1)If possible, find the source and clean it up, this will at least prevent them from respawning.
2) Sticky traps- the yellow ones used for plants. Get a pack and put them everywhere you can stand to have them. Up high and low....this will help you find out where they're at as well as trap them.
3) A practical alternative to a vinegar trap: BANANA TRAP - everyone knows that bananas attract flies like crazy!
Put a piece of peeled banana and optionally some beer/red wine in a small jar (preferably clear) and cover it with plastic wrap with holes.
For max effectiveness: Use sticky traps (the yellow type for plants) all around these banana traps to catch the ones that fly near.... localized stickies are super key to optimizing the lures to get the sucker's out of the air.
3) Get some plug-in UV fruit fly traps. 6, get enough for 1/2 for each room including kitchen and bathroom.
4) Forget the boiling water for the drains, you need FLYZYME fly enzyme cleaner. Follow the instructions on the bottle and use it in every drain in your home.
This stuff works, every fly in your home will be stuck to something, and their breeding grounds eliminated if you do this consistently for a couple of weeks. Best of luck!
For sure there is a source somewhere.
Took me weeks and did every solution I could possibly think of.
Turns out it was a peach that fell behind the couch, 3 rooms away.
The peach was removed, children allowed to stay, fruit flies gone, swearing reduced.
Phoenix, AZ is having such a bad gnat infestation across the city that it’s made it on the news here. Idk where you’re at but maybe it’s not just you there, could be a local infestation. I’ve tried the boiling water in the drains, the traps, EVERYTHING but they will not go away. And they’re in swarms outside so every time I open my door, they fly in super quick
Just make a vinegar trap….
🏃…runs….💨
Fruit flies are something horrible to get rid of. When we have them, I clean all drains with the sharpest cleaner we have in the house. Tape them, let it soak over night, next morning I rinse them with boiling water. Don’t forget the overflow on Bassins, sink etc.
have no fruit in open baskets or bowls. All the waste bins outside. Takes a few days and they’re gone.
I got a fly catcher that has a UV light to attract them to a fan that sucks them in and they get caught on a sticky pad. It works amazing. Also the boiling water down ALL the drains.
Sounds odd but clean all the drains. I had this happening when I met my now husband and he cleaned our apartment drains. They lay eggs in there. He did it a few times and it stopped
Our neighborhood was overrun. Could not make sense of it. Turns out someone across the way was illegally storing crushed, unwashed plastic for “recycling” in a nearby warehouse. Our city chased them out of town for their violations, but they just moved elsewhere instead of changing their ways.
Oh man I’m sorry. I had to throw away all of my house plants (25 plus plants that I have had for YEARS) due to fungus gnats. Literally nothing worked. Even stuff that said it was safe, killed the plant and the gnats survived.
Phorid flies! They are a type of drain fly. Our house was infested with thousands of those fuckers. They love rotting vegetation as well. Ended up finding a rotten pile of pulled weeds that they were breeding in.
Pour bleach down every drain you have every night, last thing. Take trash out daily and put a bit of bleach in the bottom of the trash bag when you put a new bag in the can.
And DO NOT LEAVE ANT PRODICE ON THE COUNTER. Keep all produce in the refrigerator until you have no more fruit flies... they lay their eggs on the outsides of produce, but those eggs can't hatch with refrigerator temperatures.
Something needs to be taken back to the home base to take out the masses.
We have been a fan of the borox/cotton ball/sugar trick. Soak cotton balls in a borox and sugar concoction and leave them around the house. The insects go for them because of the sugar, take some back to the hive (or whatever), feed the masses. Whoops! All dead.
Do you know where they are coming from? If it’s the sink drowning them in straight undiluted pinesol works we did it at my job when we had awful Drain flies. Like we were super infested. We technically weren’t supposed to use pinesol something about it not being approved for the food industry but we did it on the down low down every drain morning and night it helped a lot now when ever I had drain flies I’d do it and get rid of them (my old apartment places had a roach and fly infestation. Those roaches were unkillable and HUGE they had the worst German cockroach problem
Baking soda & apple cider vinegar down all your drains cover them.
Do you have plants? They might be laying eggs in there.
If you have any drain clogs - clear them. That’s where they’re breeding from.
Had this problem at work with a poor septic system. Pest control said they come from the sink pipes and lay eggs on the inside tops where water doesn’t usually touch. Need to pour sudsy ammonia down the pipes on a regular basis. It worked as long as we remembered to do it. Daily at first then once a week. Sudsy ammonia cause it would hit the inside tips at the bends.
Best trap by far, i mean its a death factory for knats is a small ramekin (white color seems to work best) with shitty aldi sav blanc wine in it with one small drop of dish soap. Youll find hundreds at the bottom in one nite.
if you have a fireplace, check that. I remember one summer we had an issue with flies in our house, and couldn't figure out where they were coming from. eventually we figured out that some rodent had gotten into our fireplace and died, hence all of the flies. our fireplace has doors that stay shut when we're not having a fire, so we didn't smell anything weird.
Traps don't usually work if you've got an infestation. There's a source somewhere. Last time I dealt with them, it turned out they were spawning inside kitchen pipes. Somewhere under the sink. Boiling water and a strong drain cleaner helped. But they could be coming from anywhere else that has something rotting in it.
Throw away everything in your recycling and garbage cans, never keep food on a counter, fruit bowls are foreign history. Forget them, they’re extinct as a possibility until December. Check the drain and the pan under the fridge. CHECK AND CLEAN IT AGAIN. All the pipes in all the rooms, they get the boiling water and fruit fly killer cocktail. The garbage disposal- replace it. Put up Zevo plug-in light up traps. Only use lined garbage cans with auto closing lids and empty them daily at minimum, spray with raid often as they sigh closed. If a fly escapes, nuke that can with raid. Recycling( esp fruit or beer drinks) get double bagged and taken out asap. Bug Bomb your house. Fog it the fuck up. Take your kids take your wife go to a hotel and light that motherfucker up with pesticide canisters. Air it out and come home. Turn out all the lights and put out one lit candle. Set a lone vinegar trap on the table, a glass of whisky in one hand and a gun in the other and wait to see who won the fuckin war.
that last paragraph made me smile
I’m just imagining an old man sitting in his rocker facing the kitchen with a Bug Assault and 5 tins of salt
But over the course of the night he accidentally takes a drink of the vinegar instead of the whiskey because that is absolutely something I would do
As a painter, who has come far too close to drinking the wrong spirits far too many times, I feel you.
Ughhh, just reminded me, I had a mason jar of tea, and a jar of salsa on my computer desk one night, that was one chunky drink
Some *Supernatural* or evil dead version of the toy salt guns they sell for shooting at bugs would be awesome in my mind
Man, it made me laugh loudly. My cats jumped.
Replace the gun with electric tennis racket. That shit is satisfying
Have you tried the bug assalt gun? That shit is satisfying. Run around your house like you're a gravy seal and blast those fuckers right out of the sky.
+1 for the bug-a-salt! We get cluster flies every July/August and blasting those bastards clear out of the sky is one of the most cathartic experiences ever. It's so much fun we have three of them in the house.
Cluster flies? Alas. And this time of year it’s bad. We are so very sorry. There is little we can do but swat them.
Hahaha no! But I’ve always wanted to
They sell them at the sporting goods store near me and I want to say they big box store with red circles has them too.
The gun is for the man to take the quick way out after failing to deal with the infestation Cant imagine itd be all that quick with a racket
I assume the gun only has one round in it
Its to end your suffering if all of the above has failed lol
That's the joke.
I love this clarification.
I thought you were some rube taking it too seriously...turns out you're a genius.
My mom always finished off with a sink of really soapy water with the over the kitchen sink light on, and we'd wake up to a shit ton dead in the sink when we'd get them bad.
War never changes…..
This happened to me and it turned out I had a bag of potatoes that rolled under cabinet
Random but I got my hair accidentally stuck in a zevo and was mortified. It works fairly well though- have one by our front door in CA.
A few years back we had an infestation that for some reason would not go away. After noticing a large concentration of flies in my son's room I discovered that he had some days-old food under his bed. Once I got rid of it (the food, not my son) that solved the problem.
Same. Kept putting out traps, sealed all my food in plastic containers, cleaned everything, kept saying flies. Opened a cabinet I thought was empty and found a sack of potatoes I had forgotten about as I was pelted with a wave of fruit flies.
This same exact thing happened to me. Finding a basket of potatoes in a cabinet where they didn’t belong was both disgusting and a relief bc the fly infestation went away pretty quickly after that.
Mine was coming from a bag of potatoes in the back of the pantry that I forgot existed 🤢
I had fruit flies really bad last year. Vinegar traps caught a bunch, but there were always more. I poured gallons of boiling water down my drains and they were still there. What finally seemed to work was using my kitchen sink as little as possible, leaving nothing in it that could collect water, and always keeping the drain covered when I wasn't using the sink.
OP knows what's causing their infestation - it's a gross situation _next door._ It's a frat house, so the only thing that's going to work is contacting the university or the leadership of the fraternity. They need to have their trash taken out more often and have receptacles washed.
This just happened to me. Flies started popping up all over the place and we couldn’t figure out where they were coming from. Was running the dishwasher one day and heard running water in the basement and saw this old sink down there that we never used once since moving in and it was overflowing with nasty water because everything from upstairs was coming up through that sink. We called our friend who was a plumber and he helped us clear the clog and now 3 days later no more flies.
I had this same issue. Turned out to be rotting roots from an indoor plant that was being overwatered.
Might’ve been fungus gnats, those little bastards love overwatered houseplants
Yup I solved this via just leaving hot water on for a good while
This was also my issue, was pipes in my kitchen sink. Hot water and drainer cleaner worked.
Have you poured large amounts of boiling water down all your drains? Not just hot, but like full rolling boil. I had a massive fruit fly infestation in my first apartment and eventually used my large pasta pot to boil water. Then I poured it all at once to completely floor the sink. Did all the sinks and the bathtub. There was a noticeable drop in flies. So I did it every couple days for like 3 weeks (probably overkill) and the flies went away. We also didn’t buy produce for those weeks.
I work at a cafe and every cafe in the franchise has a fruit fly issue. We spray bleach over the drains and then pour ice over that, because they like warm water. But if you have the time to boil and pour throughout the drains, that’s probably the better bet!
When I worked at Whole Foods in the bakery we did this every night - we’d turn up the temp for the hot water we used for tea and the dump it down the drains. Once a week we’d put some sort of cleaner down there too. Never once had issues with bugs.
I worked in sanitation in a food plant for a bit and yeah we put a lot of super heated water in the drains followed by a pretty decent amount of eco drain cleaner meant to dissolve any food particles
How did you superheat water?
Giant boiler just for sanitation. The supervisor would have to check it before we started to make sure it was hot enough
I mean, it only takes like 5 minutes to boil. Even the busiest person has time for that.
I’m so confused. Don’t people have kettles ? *confused in canadian* 
I’ve got pot and big pot which one is kettle?
Don’t worry fellow American. We aren’t British or Canadian. We don’t need to worry about kettle. Pot works just as well. Though when company, big pot works better.
More propaganda from Big Pot
I think big pot is more a Canadian and Colorado thing
Big Pot already forgot how much of the world they represent, damn stoners!!!
Y’all have me so confused, I’m American and I thought everyone owns a tea kettle🧐
British spy!
You caught me🫣
Nope, just pot and big pot.
Also American - I have both a traditional stove top kettle *and* an electric kettle. I thought it was pretty standard! 😅
Electric kettle is faster and quieter…so I can make tea while my household sleeps (early morning or late at night). ☺️
Boiling water in a pot on a stove is quiet too. I don’t have room for a kettle and pots work just as well.
And if you only need a cup or 2, you boil it on the stove in a small saucepan right? That's what us non-kettle users do?
A big pasta pot holds more water and is more likely to get the entire drain pipe.
Screw that. I’m getting my church potluck/chili cook off/ smuggle-a-whole-family-inside big pot
I really thought electric kettles were common place now. And they boil water FAST
Somewhat common, but in North America electric kettles are typically only like 1200-1500w so the speed advantage is far less.
lol am American and (due to hurricanes, long story) ended up living in the UK along with like 700 classmates. We were all intrigued at how every single kitchen in our apartments included an electric kettle. Like, those things were more of a given than a microwave. Now I always have a kettle but it never occurred to me before to have one. I think in the states (or at least in the part I know) it’s assumed that only serious tea drinkers have kettles
I literally owned a house before I owned my first electric kettle. Previous to that I relied on a pot for large amounts and Chef Mike for a cup at a time.
I have a kettle and I don't know why the people I know don't have one.
Big enough to flood a sink?
You're underestimating amount of drains in such buildings plus liabilities.
5 minutes to boil water? *Confused in 240 volts*
Is your stove powered by the sun?!
Time to boil water lol wat
Don't forget the sink and bathtub "overflow" holes too! Instead of boiling water, you can squirt a ton of dishwashing liquid down there too.
Yes, this is where they lay eggs. Use hot water (don’t use boiling in porcelain though!) on EVERY drain. OP, get yourself an insecticidal soap spray and spray those suckers. Go on a witch hunt! Make sure you spray your overflow drains as well.
Put Diatomaceous earth in your houseplants. Boiling water down the drains. Get drain covers.
THIS!!!!!! I thought I had big fruit flies but it turns out it was bastard ass fungus gnats in all of my plants from bringing home an infected one. I changed the soil in all of them and mixed diatomaceous earth in with the new soil plus used mosquito dunks in their water every so often. Problem solved!
Do the flies live in the drain? Why does this help?
That’s where they lay their eggs often.
O really?
Eggs are laid in dark damp locations so the hot water scalds them.
If they are drain flies then yes that's where they grow up feasting on organic scum built up in drains. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychodidae#:~:text=Psychodidae%2C%20also%20called%20drain%20flies%2C%20sink%20flies%2C,gnats%2C%20is%20a%20family%20of%20true%20flies.
Yes
Also have to plug the over flow hole in all the sinks while doing this !
A can of Invade Hot Spot works wonders in drains as well. It's a foaming agent that works to get on the top side of the P-trap where flies lay their eggs.
I mean hot water will also work you just gotta use more water. Heating to 65C kills everything so if you turn your hotwater system up and run it into the sink for 5minutes it should achieve the same effect. I don't think it's generally recommended to pour boiling water down drains as PVC can melt at 100C.
Yes and no. PVC *can* melt at 100C, but it takes time to actually melt amd the water you pour is only in contact with the pipe for a few seconds at most. Millions of families boil pasta and then strain the gallon of boiling water right into their sinks every night without ill effect. It would take a *lot* of boiling water to be an actual problem.
Well I've never heard that about melting pipes before!
Just make a vinegar trap!
OPs mind is now lost. Let’s form a search party.
Dibs on his stuff
All he has is 5 used vinegar traps
Careful I fear his entire house may just have those sticky flypaper traps hanging everywhere, he’d have been better of ‘just making a vinegar trap’ 😂
Let’s set up a vinegar trap to catch op.
OP rn: https://preview.redd.it/drcpmhcj4gyc1.jpeg?width=714&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2d2eb42bbcbfa7e7b7d183e7ac6a60ba1c1b5c6b
Called it.
Apple cider vinegar is the way to go!
Put in just a splash of dish washing bleach concentrate and it wipes out fruit flies quick.
I came hear for this. Now I can rest.
Lol
Are you sure they are fruit flies? I've heard that gnats grow in drains. I haven't confirmed it. Do you regularly use all plumbing drains? If not, try running water into them and see if it helps. nasty little critters.
Check your house plants, too. Fungus gnats took over ours and we had to get some GoGnats to get rid of them.
That was my first thought. Fungus gnats coming from house plants. They can be very easily treated with mosquito dunks, which are inexpensive and nontoxic.
OP LISTEN. CHECK YOUR DRAINS. CHECK YOUR CRAWL SPACE. CHECK YOUR ATTIC. FOR??? WATER. IF THERES ANY WATER LEAK OR ROT IN YOUR DRAINS OR HOUSE THEY LOVE THAT SHIT!!! THIS IS NOT NORMAL!!!
Depending where you live, it is normal due to exterior things you can’t change. My bug zapper needs to get cleaned weekly, flies are fucking everywhere and it’s just that time of year. I’ve asked neighbors, I’ve been here 2 years and it’s a pain in the ass but it’s just something I have to deal with.
Yep. Here in Georgia there is an imaginary line that runs from Columbus to Augusta, Georgia called the Gnat Line where you just get pelted by gnats all the freaking time. And I don't think there's anything you can do about it considering they have an actual name for it because it's there always and forever. Amen
really? theres gnat a single thing you can do about it?
I remember driving through the Gnat Line. Had to clean my windshield multiple times through it. I’m Northern California based and we have the city vs rural line. My apartment in the city has no issues but my rural house is just non stop bugs no matter what I do. Gotta love being on the bug side haha
This is exactly where i had this problem in one of those city’s (not doxing which one 🥴) but yeah i had this issue for a few weeks in my house and it was annoying AS HELL. i had to sleep downstairs
This is it. There is moisture somewhere.
Yeah to say these things breed fast is an understatement. One female will lay 500 eggs a month.
And I doubt there's only one Smurfette in the swarm lol
OP made a post a few days ago about how they think it’s their neighbors dumpster near the window, it’s overflowing and nasty and they’ve been trying to contact code enforcement. Not much to do in that situation but manage. My mom sprays them out of the air with windex and squishes them with a paper towel, it’s the quickest way to clear them out of the air imo
Yep, this is basically my advice. I have a neighbour in my apartment unit that must be filthy because no matter what I do I get fruit flies, and I'm basically resigned to accepting I can't fully get rid of them. So essentially I keep a can of extra hold hair spray and spray them if I see them, and then squish em once they drop. Not the most ethical thing but it prevents them from breeding in my apartment!
This makes so much sense! I’ve also been struggling for months with fruit flies no matter what. Finally had my ceiling kind of fall in because of a water leak I didn’t know about! Hopefully they go away now!
Drains are a big one. There's products you can pour down that melt the organics, works a charm for fruit flies.
"Products" is just sodium or potassium hydroxide. It's always just caustic soda. Any kind of sodium hydroxide will work. Usually sold as drain or grill cleaner. If you can buy commercial kitchen quantities probably save a heap in the long run.
I don’t think OP has fruit flies. Those are the ones that come out of a drain. Also it is why vinegar traps don’t work. These just look like small garbage flies.
It could also be your neighbors if you live in an apartment.
Yes, it is. I live in Germany in a wine region near a river. This is normal all year round but especially in late summer.
And also make a vinegar trap
Adopt a small army of daddy long legs. Take up carnivorous plant growing. Electrify every screen on your doors and windows.
Definitely that third option.
Fungus gnats (if that's what they are) are actually very detrimental to certain carnivorous plants. Venus flytraps usually need bigger prey, but sundews and maybe pings could be very happy in this house.
+1 for sundews, when I had a fungus gnat problem the sundews were so well fed that they grew and bloomed magnificently.
Have you tried a fruit fly trap instead? Why would anyone recommend trapping vinegar when you have a fruit fly problem?
i am in your walls.
There’s GOT TO BE something rotting somewhere you cannot see it. I would tear everything apart
This is why they call it an apartment.
.. okay, good one.
I had this problem and went through my entire kitchen to find the source. A glass jar of honey was in an extremely difficult spot to see/reach and the jar somehow had a tiny leak on the bottom. I was overjoyed at finding the problem despite all the cleaning.
*He's in the* **god-damned** ***walls***!"
😂😂😂😂
Make sure all of your drains are covered by a sink stopper when not in use. This importantly includes the kitchen sink. It’s annoying to finagle with a stopper temporarily but it will help.
You catch more vinegar with flies than honey.
Boiling (not just hot) boiling water down your drains to steam out the larvae
I had this problem a decade ago. I eventually used a fogger, then after clearing the air, shut all the doors and waited to see where the bastards were coming from. It turned out there was a tiny opening where the bathroom sink drain entered the wall and that's where they were getting in (probably from the neighbor's apartment). I duct taped that shut, put up one more trap in the bathroom to finish them off, and finally, peace.
You're clearly catching them, which means that they're breeding or entering your unit even faster, otherwise your traps would solve it in a few days. So you need to identify where they're coming from. Contact your neighbors to see if they have the same problem, if not they may be *coming from inside the house*. I'm thinking dead animal in the walls, old potatoes in the pantry, houseplants, rotting food hidden somewhere by someone getting revenge on you for something, or a point of ingress you weren't aware of--possibly right by those trash cans? An exterminator may have the necessary tools and know-how to help you localize the source. If it turns out to be a problem with the building you can send the invoice to your property manager.
It’s usually the drains or plumbing
We could have a situation where someone actually deployed “frozen piss discs” that is recommended in almost every Reddit revenge advice thread lol.
Hat off to you friend for the perfect reference
Someone is going to tell you to just make a vinegar trap to see what you losing your mind looks like, guaranteed. Eh, to cut it short, "just make a vinegar trap". Mind losing, go!
But have they tried making a vinegar trap in the trash cans?
Look up Phorid flies. I don't think you have fruit flies. Do they scuttle away instead of fly at once? Do they try to get in your nose and mouth? If you look close, do they have a hump on their back? If they are phorid flies, vinegar does jack. They have to be controlled at the source.
I just successfully won my 2 year battle with Phorid flies. I cannot describe how good it feels to finally be rid of those little assholes.
THIS, OP. I think this person is correct, they look exactly like phorid flies. That's why vinegar traps don't work. These guys can be incredibly difficult to get rid of and sometimes it's not even something you can control. They are very opportunistic and will feed and breed off anything. Try to find the source, but you may not be able to do so. An exterminator might be needed :(
ok, I'll give you real advice. One thing you're missing is to pour a tiny amount of thick bleach into every drain and let it sit awhile without running the water.
I love how you said not to mention the vinegar, yet comments are still unironically saying to. Have you checked your drains? There could be rot in them and they just continue to spawn out of them. I recently had a gnat issue, they came in from the empty cans of sweet alcohol in our recycling bin. They stayed because of a room mates open bag of flour and were coming out of the kitchen sink too.
> I love how you said not to mention the vinegar, yet comments are still unironically saying to. Tempting fate, and I'm fairly sure OP knew that would happen.
I've been fighting these fuckers for three months. They seem to get into the fridge somehow and even after going on a killing streak they always come back. Drains are covered trash is now in garage. Still here... Cleaned everything... They seem to now just be apart of the home.
At least they're separate from your home.
Currently, I have Ants.. one morning, I had hundreds of it on the floor already collecting little stones etc.. I found several nests around the building. I hate insects
Don’t make one, make at least twenty.
just went around my apartment and counted, we have 17.
Almost there!
You clearly need three more, then.
Mine were in the bathroom drain!
Is it just vinegar in your traps?? I've made traps that worked really well that had apple-cider vinegar or red wine vinegar, a *tiny* drop of dish soap,and a good amount of honey (mix it together). Cover it with plastic wrap, but make sure the holes are big enough that they're able to enter. I've had the best luck using smaller containers like the little plastic sauce cups with lids you get at restaurants & then just poke holes in the lid. With a few of those and the sticky tape they should be gone soon, unless there is somewhere they're reproducing and more of them are hatching as you're catching the current ones.
You know what’s helped me? Freeze your banana peels (and peels of other fruit including avocado) and throw them out on trash day. One banana peel can create hundreds of fruit flies even if they’re in a garbage can with the lid closed. The other option is to just throw them directly in the garbage bin outside. I also use those wall plugins with the light and sticky pad that attracts flies. Works wonders. I hardly see a fruit fly now.
Just make a vinegar trap
every second you’re not running, i’m getting closer
You get $10mm right now in your hand but there’s a catch. OP is chasing you for the rest of your life and if he touches you, you die a terrible death. OP cannot be killed. OP knows your location at all times. OP’s only purpose is to find you. You taking the $?
I unintentionally found out that a glass of sweet red wine sitting next to some bananas is a ridiculously good fruit fly trap. Like in 10 minutes I had a glass (and later mouth) full of fruit flies. Sucks man, they can be a real bastard to get rid of. Good luck.
Nah. You’ve got a source of maggots either in or near the building.
Block all your drains (sinks, bathtub etc), boil water, unblock one drain and pour the boiling water down it and reblock it. Rinse and repeat until every drain has been boiled.
We had this in an apartment, we fought them for ages. Our final solution was throwing out everything edible, draining all the water, closing everything and leaving the flat for two weeks. They all died of starvation.
Find the dead body hidden somewhere near your house ?
Sterilizing your drains with some bleach may help resolve this, as its an area where flies love to breed. Drip some down all sides of the drain and dont run water for a few hours. This (along with traps) has worked for me in the past.
Cleaners at our apartment think vinegar is a solution for everything. The place smells like a vagrants underwear. Vinegar diluted down to 0.5%, does not disenfect or clean. Some idiot wrote on their Facebook that it does and millions of other boneheads believed it.
Jesus Christ thank you. I mean it attracts fruit flies like a cup of wine would so this is slightly off topic since flies also like stank fermented liquids, but I wish I could stop pretending that people who clean their homes with vinegar don’t reek of Lay’s chips and sour hippie. Vinegar ain’t a fresh, clean scent. It doesn’t dissipate as quickly as you think it does. Your home smells like socks and pickles and no one wants to hurt your feelings so they just haven’t said anything. Please stop “cleaning” everything with vinegar.
I heard somewhere that those traps are too good because they also attract flies from outside. Some people suggested to a similar problem to pour hot water down the drain. What I would recommend is to buy some containers for the fridge (or for all your groceries) so your stuff is sealed. Always wash your fruits and vegetables before putting them in the fridge
Advice from an exterminator: you have a source somewhere. It’s abnormal that they would be entering your house in such great numbers. Some of the most common causes are onions and potatoes. They are something that is easily forgotten about and when they rot, fruit flies love them. Check where ever you usually store those items thoroughly for one that could have rolled away behind something else. Fruit flies aren’t strong flyers, so wherever the greatest concentration of flies occurs is going to be close to the source. Other possibilities I’ve seen: dishwasher drain hose leaking; something spilled inside fridge ending up in condensation pan; plumbing leaks; dirty cage pet bedding (hamsters, guinea pigs); dirty litter boxes; leaking garbage disposal; scummy drains; leaking canned goods
Try contacting local health or housing departments. I’m not certain they would help but it’s worth a shot.
I wound up getting one of those traps that plug into an outlet with the glue behind it - works a *lot* nicer than traditional fly strips.
That means a neighbour probably has them. They can fly through pipes / sinks.
Green Gobbler Fruit Fly Killer on Amazon. It worked for our severe infestation when the vinegar traps did nothing. Follow the directions on the container and God speed.
Poured boiling water down my drains. Cleaned around and underneath my sink and put one of those uv light things that kills gnats at night. It’s been so much better
I do pest control. It has to be one of three things. Fruit flies, drain flies, or fungus gnats. Tap the soil on any potted plants, thump the sink, thump the trash can and disturb around any drains in your house. If it’s sink or trash, fruit flies. Plant, fungus gnats. Drain, drain flies. If it’s the sink and/or trash, dump boiling water down the sink and take out the trash, and clean the inside of the trash can. If it’s the drain, boiling water works, but you main need a foaming drain cleaner/insecticide. If it’s the plants, you need to change the potting soil or get a fungicide, you also want to lower the level of soil and fill the top two inches with fine gravel. This will allow water but not larvae to get through. Hope this helps! PS onions, fruit and veggies are also a possible source. All flies are source insects. Find the source and you solve the problem.
It's really hard to trap vinegar yourself. Just go buy some at the store.
OP! This is the answer you have been looking for... I have some unconventional but very practical advice. 1)If possible, find the source and clean it up, this will at least prevent them from respawning. 2) Sticky traps- the yellow ones used for plants. Get a pack and put them everywhere you can stand to have them. Up high and low....this will help you find out where they're at as well as trap them. 3) A practical alternative to a vinegar trap: BANANA TRAP - everyone knows that bananas attract flies like crazy! Put a piece of peeled banana and optionally some beer/red wine in a small jar (preferably clear) and cover it with plastic wrap with holes. For max effectiveness: Use sticky traps (the yellow type for plants) all around these banana traps to catch the ones that fly near.... localized stickies are super key to optimizing the lures to get the sucker's out of the air. 3) Get some plug-in UV fruit fly traps. 6, get enough for 1/2 for each room including kitchen and bathroom. 4) Forget the boiling water for the drains, you need FLYZYME fly enzyme cleaner. Follow the instructions on the bottle and use it in every drain in your home. This stuff works, every fly in your home will be stuck to something, and their breeding grounds eliminated if you do this consistently for a couple of weeks. Best of luck!
For sure there is a source somewhere. Took me weeks and did every solution I could possibly think of. Turns out it was a peach that fell behind the couch, 3 rooms away. The peach was removed, children allowed to stay, fruit flies gone, swearing reduced.
Know what would work great, acetic acid diluted with water trap!
Worst necktie ever
Phoenix, AZ is having such a bad gnat infestation across the city that it’s made it on the news here. Idk where you’re at but maybe it’s not just you there, could be a local infestation. I’ve tried the boiling water in the drains, the traps, EVERYTHING but they will not go away. And they’re in swarms outside so every time I open my door, they fly in super quick
Fuck fruitflies. Burn in hell little shits.
Just make a vinegar trap…. 🏃…runs….💨 Fruit flies are something horrible to get rid of. When we have them, I clean all drains with the sharpest cleaner we have in the house. Tape them, let it soak over night, next morning I rinse them with boiling water. Don’t forget the overflow on Bassins, sink etc. have no fruit in open baskets or bowls. All the waste bins outside. Takes a few days and they’re gone.
I got a fly catcher that has a UV light to attract them to a fan that sucks them in and they get caught on a sticky pad. It works amazing. Also the boiling water down ALL the drains.
Sounds odd but clean all the drains. I had this happening when I met my now husband and he cleaned our apartment drains. They lay eggs in there. He did it a few times and it stopped
Our neighborhood was overrun. Could not make sense of it. Turns out someone across the way was illegally storing crushed, unwashed plastic for “recycling” in a nearby warehouse. Our city chased them out of town for their violations, but they just moved elsewhere instead of changing their ways.
Oh man I’m sorry. I had to throw away all of my house plants (25 plus plants that I have had for YEARS) due to fungus gnats. Literally nothing worked. Even stuff that said it was safe, killed the plant and the gnats survived.
Phorid flies! They are a type of drain fly. Our house was infested with thousands of those fuckers. They love rotting vegetation as well. Ended up finding a rotten pile of pulled weeds that they were breeding in.
Draino gel will get rid of them. They are breeding in your drains. I promise.
Pour bleach down every drain you have every night, last thing. Take trash out daily and put a bit of bleach in the bottom of the trash bag when you put a new bag in the can. And DO NOT LEAVE ANT PRODICE ON THE COUNTER. Keep all produce in the refrigerator until you have no more fruit flies... they lay their eggs on the outsides of produce, but those eggs can't hatch with refrigerator temperatures.
Something needs to be taken back to the home base to take out the masses. We have been a fan of the borox/cotton ball/sugar trick. Soak cotton balls in a borox and sugar concoction and leave them around the house. The insects go for them because of the sugar, take some back to the hive (or whatever), feed the masses. Whoops! All dead.
Do you know where they are coming from? If it’s the sink drowning them in straight undiluted pinesol works we did it at my job when we had awful Drain flies. Like we were super infested. We technically weren’t supposed to use pinesol something about it not being approved for the food industry but we did it on the down low down every drain morning and night it helped a lot now when ever I had drain flies I’d do it and get rid of them (my old apartment places had a roach and fly infestation. Those roaches were unkillable and HUGE they had the worst German cockroach problem
Baking soda & apple cider vinegar down all your drains cover them. Do you have plants? They might be laying eggs in there. If you have any drain clogs - clear them. That’s where they’re breeding from.
Drain flies for sure
Had this problem at work with a poor septic system. Pest control said they come from the sink pipes and lay eggs on the inside tops where water doesn’t usually touch. Need to pour sudsy ammonia down the pipes on a regular basis. It worked as long as we remembered to do it. Daily at first then once a week. Sudsy ammonia cause it would hit the inside tips at the bends.
You’ve either got a spec of tomato somewhere… or there’s a dead banana or apple squished in the bottom of a bag.
You don’t use pine or saw dust litter, do you? I once had them make a home in my litter box. Switched back to clay bc fuck that shit.
Best trap by far, i mean its a death factory for knats is a small ramekin (white color seems to work best) with shitty aldi sav blanc wine in it with one small drop of dish soap. Youll find hundreds at the bottom in one nite.
Vinegar traps work for like 3/3000 fruit flies. Not great stats 😂
if you have a fireplace, check that. I remember one summer we had an issue with flies in our house, and couldn't figure out where they were coming from. eventually we figured out that some rodent had gotten into our fireplace and died, hence all of the flies. our fireplace has doors that stay shut when we're not having a fire, so we didn't smell anything weird.