I Tried Reddit's Vinegar Hack To Banish Flies, And I'll Never Buy Traps Again

Fly trap made with apple cider vinegarI’m not proud of the tiny black flies that have appeared all over my home since summer began, but I can at least reassure myself that I’m not alone. A Redditor reported that since moving to the UK, they had noticed the unwelcome guests every summer despite no clear food source for them (I’m in the same boat). Commenter u/blxndeandblue, however, shared a suggestion that was echoed in a completely separate post by u/Scarlettpunk in r/Frugal: both recommended placing a container of apple cider vinegar with washing-up liquid in order to trap them. So, I thought I’d give it a go – a few hours in, I’m already impressed.Pouring apple cider vinegar into a bottleFlies apparently love the fermented smellSpeaking to The Spruce, Brett Bennett, director of operations with PURCOR Pest Solutions, said there’s science behind the method.“Fruit flies are attracted to the odour of rotting fruit most of all, and since vinegar is very associated with the process of decay and fermentation in fruit, it’s a very compelling odour for them,” he revealed (lovely). So, a little like slugs with beer, the creatures are attracted to the enticing smell and then get trapped in it. Washing-up liquid or another liquid soap will make the liquid even harder to escape.I mixed apple cider vinegar with a couple of drops of washing-up liquid, shut the lid of the bottle, in my case (a bowl, jar, or mug will do too), and then placed it out with a funnel on top.This is designed to make it easy for the flies to enter but hard to escape, though Bennett says a better way is by drilling a hole in a jar lid or poking them through a sheet of tinfoil or clingfilm wrapped tightly around the rim.The ACV mixtureSo... how did it go?I’ve had it in my bathroom (the most-affected area) all day and can see about six casualties (gross, but hey, it’s what it’s there for).Our fly problem isn’t so much about the number of flies: it’s more about their persistence – so that’s a lot to catch, proportionally.Considering how easy and inexpensive it is to make, I reckon I’ll never buy another pre-made fly trap again...Related...I Tried Reddit's Fruit Hack To Descale My Kettle — I'm Never Buying Descaler AgainThe One Herb To Grow If You Hate Flies In Your HouseWhy Does Talking About Bugs Make You Feel So Itchy?

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