Get rid of fruit flies or phal makkhi hovering over your vegetable basket with these expert-approved tips

Leaving traps out too long is also another common mistake. Traps should be refreshed every couple of days to keep working well.

By: Lifestyle Desk
New Delhi | June 25, 2025 01:30 PM IST

3 min read

What are fruit flies? (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

A basket of juicy and ripe fruits sitting lonesome on a table is nothing short of a siren’s call for flies. Besides hygiene concerns, these stubborn pests, commonly known as fruit flies, invite many potential health hazards.

According to Deepak Sharma from the Indian Pest Control Company, fruit flies are tiny and often appear in kitchens. “They’re tiny, have light brown bodies, and move quickly. If you notice little flies that suddenly appear when you leave fruit out, they’re probably fruit flies,” he said.

Why do these flies hang around fruits and vegetables?

According to Sharma, fruit flies are attracted to the smell of ripening or rotting fruits and vegetables. “They feed on the sugars released by these foods, as well as lay eggs there, which is why even a small piece of old fruit can become a bigger problem in just a few days,” explained the expert.

How can you get rid of them?

Sharma shared some possible ways to get rid of flies hovering above your fruit basket:

1. Throw out anything overripe

Check your fruit bowl, veggie drawer, and trash. If anything smells off or is starting to rot, throw it out. Don’t forget to clean up juice spills or food bits on your counter.

2. Make a simple trap

Take a small bowl, pour some apple cider vinegar, and add a drop of dish soap. Cover it with plastic wrap and poke small holes in the top. The flies go in but can’t get out. Replace it every day or two.

Avoid leaving fruits out in the open (Source: Freepik)

3. Clean your drain and garbage disposal

Fruit flies can breed in sink drains, too. Pour hot water down the drain, or use a mix of baking soda and vinegar to clean it out.

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4. Store fruits and vegetables in the fridge

At least until the flies are gone. Keeping them out of reach helps stop the problem from spreading.

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What people often get wrong

Sharma said that people generally kill only the flies they see. “This doesn’t stop the eggs or larvae. If you don’t clean up where they’re breeding, they’ll keep coming back,” he said, adding that people often forget to check their common hiding spots, such as the sink or trash area. Leaving traps out too long is another common mistake. Traps should be refreshed every couple of days to keep working well.

“Using insect spray in the kitchen is also a big fail. This might kill a few flies, but it’s not safe near food and doesn’t fix the source of the problem,” he concluded.

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