One of the most effective ways to kill fruit flies is to make a vinegar trap. Fruit flies use their sense of smell to find fermenting produce, that's what makes vinegar so effective. The vinegar trap will lure fruit flies in and prevent them from escaping.  

What you need

• 1/2 Cup of Apple Cider Vinegar

• 1 Tbsp of Liquid Dish Washing Soap

• 1 empty glass

• plastic wrap

Directions

• Mix apple cider vinegar with the dish soap in a glass.

• Use plastic wrap to cover the glass. Secure the wrap tight with a rubber band.

• Make holes in the plastic wrap.

• Place your vinegar trap in the area where you see the most fruit flies.

• Fruit flies will fly into the glass, pass through the hole in the cellophane and become trapped in the glass.

Getting Rid of Fruit Flies: Alternate Ideas

The vinegar trap isn`t the only method: Essential Oils such as lemongrass can also help keep fruit flies away.

Lemongrass Spray

Lemongrass essential oil won`t kill fruit flies, but sure can keep them at bay (along with a number of other pests.)

 You will need:

• 10 drops of Lemongrass essential oil

• A clean spray bottle

• 2 ounces of hot water

  Directions In a spray bottle mix water with the oil with water and shake well. Then spray all areas where you see the flies: walls, ceiling, whatever. Eventually the critters will disappear.  

Tips for keeping Fruit Flies Away:

Cans Attract Flies

One thing that attracts fruit flies is beer or soda cans. If you save them to later recycle them, this could be the source. You will either have to rinse out each can or put them in a sealed garbage bag or container.  

"Fly Trap" Gets Rid of Flies

"I worked at a bar where fruit flies can be a problem. We put a small amount of red wine into a shallow dish, covered it with plastic wrap, and then poked a hole into it. This "fly trap" worked so good that it had to be changed every couple of days." ~Arturo  

Down Under How To

"I grow tomatoes, and I have found a great way to trap the flies when ripening fruit inside. To trap the fruit flies, I take a 600ml or bigger soft drink bottle (soda bottle for the non-Aussies!) and cut it in half round ways about a third of the way down from the top. Put an old tomato or some fruit in the bottom of the bottle with a small amount of water. Take the top third of the bottle without its lid and turn it upside down and put it into the bottle (like a funnel). The flies can fly in, but don`t make it back out again!" Barbara - Australia.