Fruit flies are real buzzkills! If you’ve ever forgotten about your weekly bushel of bananas, you’re probably familiar with these annoying little pests, but fruit isn’t the only type of food these flies are attracted to. Sometimes they decide to make your home theirs, and your sink drain will make the perfect residence.
All Aloha Plumbing know just how frustrating fruit flies are, especially when they’re coming from your drain. We want to help you prevent and exterminate these pests, and we have the tips you need to learn how to get rid of fruit flies for good.
Causes Of Fruit Flies In Your Drain
Fruit flies look for decaying organic matter, like rotting food, to lay their eggs in. Food falls down your drain whenever you rinse your dish, and it isn’t always cleared from the drains perfectly. As time goes on and this built-up food starts to rot, fruit flies will notice and use the drain as a breeding ground.
What Happens If You Don’t Get Rid Of Fruit Flies?
In short, an infestation won’t go away on its own. The flies will keep breeding, and the problem will continue to get worse. As long as they can find organic matter, fruit flies will stick around! It’s best to take care of the problem as soon as you notice it.
How To Get Rid Of Fruit Flies
Thankfully, there are a few different methods for killing these flies:
- Use a drain cleaning brush. By manually removing the build-up of food and flies, you can evict those fruit flies from your drain!
- Pour drain cleaner in your sink. Whether you use a chemical drain cleaner or a DIY solution, it’s a good way to get rid of flies. To make your own drain cleaner, mix one half-cup of salt and one half-cup of baking soda with a cup of vinegar. Then pour it down your drain.
- Don’t pour food in your drain. Unless you have a garbage disposal, it’ll be best for you to toss extra food into your trash before washing dishes.
The main goal is to clean out the decaying food from your drain, so following the methods above should help remove the fruit flies. Although you might see suggestions online to use bleach mixtures, we do not recommend this method. Bleach won’t eliminate the food or flies, but it could cause a reaction with any other chemicals sitting in your pipes.
If you’ve tried everything and still can’t get rid of your unwanted visitors, it’s time to call your local exterminator. Sometimes homeowners don’t realize how bad an infestation is until it’s too late, and killing the adult flies isn’t enough. Luckily, an exterminator can get rid of the source of the flies along with the pests themselves!
How To Prevent Fruit Flies
Prevention is always better than treatment, so it’s important to follow a few tips to keep your home free of these tiny menaces.
Keeping your drains free of food is the best rule to follow! This way, fruit flies aren’t attracted at all. You can also keep them away by keeping fruits and veggies in your fridge and using or tossing them before they go bad.
If your disposal is no longer working, it may be time to invest in a garbage disposal replacement. It will help to eliminate any fallen food from your sink drain before it attracts flies, and it’s the best drain cleaning method!
Professional Oahu Plumbers From All Aloha Plumbing
If you’re looking for help with your home’s plumbing, All Aloha Plumbing is happy to help. We offer drain cleaning, sewer repair, plumbing repairs, garbage disposal replacement and even emergency plumbing services!
At All Aloha Plumbing, we know that Honolulu area homeowners need a reliable plumbing system, and they need a reliable plumber too. That’s why we pride ourselves on offering premier-quality services to the island of Oahu!
If you want the job done right, you can count on All Aloha Plumbing!