Flies carry pathogens and diseases and need to be controlled to protect your family. Flies are a nuisance indoors and often ruin outdoor events. The annoying insects hover around food, people and animals. Different types of flies exist, but fruit flies are those best controlled with apple cider vinegar. Fruit flies are small insects that multiply rapidly. Create a trap with apple cider vinegar or mix it with other ingredients to get rid of the flies without the use of harmful chemicals.
Apple Cider Vinegar and Dish Soap
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Fill a small bowl or jar with 1 cup of apple cider vinegar. Add two to three drops of dish soap, then sit the bowl or jar in the location in which you notice the flies. The flies are attracted to the apple cider vinegar smell. The dish soap causes the surface tension on the vinegar to break. Once the flies land on the surface, they will sink to in the liquid and drown. Change the solution once it becomes full of flies.
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Apple Cider Vinegar Glass Trap
Pour 1 inch of apple cider vinegar into a drinking glass. Cut the corner off a plastic storage bag. Make the hole large enough for the flies to crawl into, but do not make it too large because they may try to escape. Place the storage bag over the glass with the cut hole on the top and center of the glass. Press the corner down into the glass to create a funnel, but do not let it touch the vinegar. Secure the plastic bag in place with a rubber band. Set the trap in an area in which you see the flies the most, such as next to the garbage or near a compost bin. Empty the trap and refill it as needed.
Apple Cider Vinegar Bottle Trap
Cut off the top 1/3 of a plastic 2-liter soda bottle. Pour 1 cup of apple cider vinegar into the bottom of the bottle. Turn the top half that you cut off upside down on top of the bottom of the bottle to create a funnel. Remove the lid from the bottle and place duct tape or packaging tape around the cut section of the bottle to prevent the flies from escaping. The flies will land inside the bottle but will not be able to escape. Replace the vinegar as needed until you eliminate the flies.
Other Controls
Control flies inside and outside your home using other control methods if apple cider vinegar does not prove to be effective. Clean up decaying organic matter, garbage and manure around the home. Tightly close the lid on garbage cans to keep the insects out of the trash. Place window screens windows and door screens on doors that fit tightly to keep the insects out of the home. Hang fly traps inside the home to capture the insects or kill them with a fly swatter.