Woman's homemade trap 'attracts' and kills pesky fruit flies using 2 items

As the weather gets warmer, you might find your home becoming a hotspot for fruit flies. While these tiny insects may seem harmless, they can be quite unhygienic and challenging to get rid of if an infestation occurs.

Chris Hutton, a storage expert and owner of Adams Selfstore, has offered some advice on how to tackle a fruit fly problem. Instead of resorting to strong or smelly chemicals, Chris recommends using everyday household items - apple cider vinegar and washing up liquid, or beer and wine, reports the Express.

Chris said: "You can make a homemade fruit-fly trap with apple cider vinegar and washing-up liquid, as the cider attracts the fruit flies, while the washing-up liquid keeps them stuck.

"All you need to do is mix about a shot glass full of apple cider vinegar with some washing-up liquid and place it in a container - anything with a narrow opening and a wide base is ideal."

"You can then add a funnel to the container, or leave it open, and simply watch the flies fall into it. Just remember to keep changing the liquid on a semi-regular basis."

Apple cider vinegar can be purchased from most local supermarkets or online for as little as £2. A handy alternative solution if you don't have apple cider vinegar at your disposal is beer or wine. As with apple cider vinegar, fruit flies are "attracted to the smell" of both.

To employ this nifty trap, fill a bowl or glass with the tipple of your choice, snugly fasten cling film over the container securing the edges with a rubber band or tape, then perforate the top with several tiny holes. Chris explained: "The beer or wine will attract the fruit flies, and once they're inside, they won't be able to escape the cling film barrier."

Further methods to thwart an invasion of fruit flies are to halt watering your plants or to take things one predatory step further by introducing carnivorous plants. Common household pests, such as gnats and fruit flies proliferate on the fungus of houseplants.

Hence, by not watering your plants, the soil dries out thereby eliminating the fungus that sustains them. Carnivorous varieties like Venus flytraps offer not only a natural way of dealing with a fruit fly infestation but also contribute to the look of your home.