Deep South Home: Controlling a Fruit Fly Invasion

It seems that every single summer we have a fruit fly invasion. It always comes on the heels of a return from being out of town and forgetting to have someone take our trash cans out on trash day. Slowly over the few days after returning from vacation the fruit flies have their own vacation and migrate from the trash can into our home. They drive me absolutely insane!!! After a few years of dealing with small invasions here and there I have learned how to get it under control in the shortest amount of time possible.

1. Clean any dishes out of your sink and wipe your sink and counter tops down very well. 
2. Clean your disposal (make sure it is clear of any food scraps) and send a little bleach down all your sinks in your house.
3. Sweep your floors to make sure there are no little crumbs that they can get.
4. Make a trap for the remaining little boogers: fill a glass jar with fruit juice, white wine vinegar, or cider vinegar; add a little bit of vegetable oil or dish soap (helps trap the flies); cover the jar with plastic wrap and poke little holes in the top. Over time the flies will fly in and get stuck in the liquid (if you are for trapping them alive and releasing look elsewhere for tips). Each morning dump and the liquid outside and replace until you are no longer catching any flies.

Works in like 2-3 days hands down and you will feel like you aren't about to lose your mind over pesky fruit flies. Maybe one day I will learn to hire someone to come take our trash to the street while we are out of town, but until then...