As much as you love welcoming guests into your Chatsworth kitchen, you probably don’t invite fruit and drain flies inside. Nevertheless, you could be battling with these annoying pests. Don’t let these buzzing insects keep you from enjoying the time in your home. Learn how to get rid of flies for good with the help of residential plumbing services. 

Do You Have Fruit Flies or Drain Flies?

Although fruit flies and drain flies are different types of flies, they pose similar threats. For one, they’re nuisance pests. They buzz around and harass you and your house guests. Furthermore, they’re hazardous to your health. Fruit and drain flies have the potential to spread bacteria and pathogens, some of which can make you seriously ill.  Both fruit and drain flies are small in size and don’t grow to be much larger than ⅛ of an inch. While drain flies are fuzzy and dark in color, fruit flies are tan or yellow. Because they are so small, these pesky flies can be hard to identify. You might be able to distinguish drain flies by their tendency to hang out near sink and shower drains.

Fruit and Drain Fly Behavior

 Fruit and drain flies enter your home in one of several ways. Typically, fruit flies come in on your groceries or in your plants. They’re almost impossible to notice until they start flying around. Meanwhile, drain flies could fly in from outside. If you have small tears in your windows screens or gaps under your doors, flies could use those as entry points. Even a crack in your wall could be a drain fly entrance. Once inside your home, fruit and drain flies look for food and shelter. They like staying in dark areas with moisture, and your drains fit the bill. All of the food residues on your plumbing make your pipes even more appealing to flies.  As the flies find food and shelter, they may decide to lay their eggs. With the ability to lay as many as 500 eggs at once, these flies can take over quickly. The larvae hatch and enjoy the easy access to food. 

Keeping Drain Flies Away

In a simple world, keeping flies away would be as easy as keeping rotting food off your counter. Unfortunately, the flies in your home are attracted to more than just overripe food. They also seek out the algae and fungus in your drains and high moisture.  All of the following tips could help you get rid of drain flies:

Check for Leaks

If you have any leaks from your plumbing, the moisture will be irresistible to flies. As soon as you notice a leak, call for an emergency plumbing service. They can fix the leak and, in doing so, reduce the moisture in your kitchen.

Throw Away Overripe Fruits

If you leave overripe vegetables and fruits on your counter, you won’t be able to avoid fruit and drain flies. Dispose of your produce as soon as it becomes ripe, or store it in your refrigerator. 

Clean Spills Right Away

When food or drinks spill on your counters, flies are content. Clean up spills as soon as possible, and don’t leave behind a sticky residue.  

Store Trash Properly

Your garbage can could attract fruit and drain flies. While you can’t get rid of your garbage can, you can store your trash properly. Use a can with a lid, and don’t allow your garbage can to overflow. 

Clear Food Residue from Strainers

After dinner, clear out your sink strainers and your sink. If any organic matter remains, it will be a meal for flies. 

Check for Clogs

A clog in your plumbing allows for algae to grow and food particles to collect. If the clog is close to your drain, flies have the ideal environment for feeding and breeding.  To check for clogs, call your plumber and ask for a drain cleaning. They can look for a blockage and use effective techniques to remove it.  

DIY Fly Removal

If you’re someone who likes to do things on their own, you might be tempted to handle this issue on your own. In addition to following the tips above, you could try to catch the flies. However, there’s something you should know about this approach. If you don’t remove the factors attracting fruit and drain flies, you’ll never eliminate them from your property. As soon as you remove some flies, more will come in and breed. With that in mind, there are a few steps you can take to eliminate fruit and drain flies. 

Make Traps

You can make a fruit and drain fly trap by mixing together apple cider vinegar and dish soap. You only need about a cup of apple cider vinegar and a few drops of dish soap. For the best results, use a small glass jar to hold the solution. Keep it in an area with the most fly activity.  If you don’t feel like mixing up your own trap, consider using an even easier method. Take a bottle of beer or soda with a few tablespoons of drink remaining. Then, leave it out for the flies to get into it. 

Bleach Down the Drain

Some people pour bleach down their drains to kill off fruit and drain fly eggs. However, this is ineffective because it doesn’t remain in your drains for long enough. The bleach passes through your pipes too quickly to kill the pests. 

Chemical Drain Cleaner

If you suspect clogged drains are your problem, you might try a DIY solution for drain cleaning. Sadly, chemical Drain cleaners aren’t the answer. They can corrode your pipes and result in future plumbing problems. When it comes to suspected clogs, let the professionals take care of them. 

Call Us for Residential Plumbing Services

One of the best ways to keep fruit and drain flies away is to prevent and remove plumbing clogs. Here at Rooter Shark Plumbing, we can help. Allow us to inspect your Chatsworth plumbing and remove troublesome clogs. Rely on us for your residential plumbing services.