How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies in the Bathroom

Fruit flies? In the bathroom? If you’ve spied these pesky little flies buzzing around your head while you brush your teeth, Mr. Rooter can help. Though they don’t bite or sting, fruit flies are a nuisance – populations can quickly escalate out of control if nothing is done to stop them. Read on to get rid of fruit flies in your bathroom and keep them away.

Why Are Fruit Flies in My Bathroom?

A good place to start is looking around for any attractants. Removing any temptation for the fruit flies to be there is a great way to deter them. There could be a piece of food in the trash or even hidden behind the toilet/vanity. Even if nothing sweet is in the room, fruit flies prefer warm, moist places like bathrooms.

Fruit flies may also be attracted to any debris in your sink or shower drain. If you notice fruit flies in your drain, they could be sewer gnats, which look very similar. Whatever they are, they aren’t welcome! Luckily, the methods in this blog work on both types of bugs.

How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

Fruit flies? In your bathroom? When you spy these pesky little flies buzzing around your head while you brush your teeth, it’s a huge nuisance. Though they don’t bite or sting, fruit fly populations can quickly escalate out of control if nothing is done to stop them.

Thankfully, these tips from Mr. Rooter Plumbing can help you. Read on to learn how to get rid of fruit flies in your bathroom and keep them away.

Why Are Fruit Flies in My Bathroom?

Before you can solve the fruit fly issue, you need to know where they are hiding. Start by looking around for any attractants. Removing any temptation for the fruit flies to be there is a great way to deter them. A common attractant for flies is a piece of food in the trash or even hidden behind the toilet/vanity. Even if nothing sweet is in the room, you may still find flies because fruit flies prefer warm, moist places like bathrooms.

Fruit flies may also be attracted to any debris in your sink or shower drain. If you notice fruit flies in your drain, they could be sewer gnats, which look very similar but are different insects. Whatever they are, they aren’t welcome! Luckily, the methods in this article work on both types of bugs.

How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies

A great way to get rid of flies and prevent future issues is to make the bathroom a less hospitable environment for them. Remove any moist towels, mops, or clothing in the bathroom. Fix any leaks, and wipe up any standing water. Control moisture and humidity in the room with a fan or vent.

Homemade Fruit Fly Trap

Once you’ve removed any temptations for the flies, remove the existing ones. There are several DIY and store-bought options.

If you want to go the DIY route, make your own trap with equal parts apple cider vinegar and water with a few drops of dish soap in a disposable cup. Cover the cup with plastic wrap secured with a rubber band, and poke a few holes in the plastic cover with a toothpick.

Store-bought options are inexpensive and effective as well. You can find these at most supermarkets and hardware stores.

Homemade Drain Cleaner

Clean out your drains with boiling water or nearly boiling distilled white vinegar to kill sewer gnats or fruit flies breeding in your drains. This should kill any larvae inside the pipes and destroy the type of habitat the flies like. You may also mechanically clean the pipes with a drain snake to remove any debris the flies are attracted to. Afterward, cover the drain with duct tape for 24 hours — the remaining flies that try to escape should stick to the tape.

Professional Drain Cleaning

If you need to have your drains professionally cleaned to remove all traces of fruit or sewer flies and their habitat, just call Mr. Rooter Plumbing. Our experts hate those pesky flies just as much as you do, and we have the right equipment to thoroughly clean your pipes.

While we’re there, we can inspect your plumbing for any leaks or other issues that may be causing the fly problem in the first place. Just call, or request a job estimate today.