Fruit Fly Trap with Vinegar {Gnat Trap}

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Tis the season, no, not that season — fruit fly season! In this post I will show you how to make a fruit fly trap with vinegar that really works, with a few household items and in just minutes! With or without apple cider vinegar this solution easily traps those pesky gnats!

End of summer brings delicious, juicy, ripe summer fruits and veggies and with them a fruit fly family reunion! But who needs them, use this gnat trap recipe and be rid of them, easy and without any chemicals.

I love DIY’ing easy recipes that are much cheaper than store bought; you too? Try this Carrabba’s Grill Seasoning, or this healthy Lemon & Peppermint Antibacterial Hand Scrub.

Using everyday household items, you’ll learn how to make your own cheap and effective gnat trap recipe.

Equipment for a Gnat Trap Recipe

• Shallow Glass Ramekin
• Apple Cider Vinegar or White Vinegar
• Plastic Wrap
• Toothpick

If you are like me, you enjoy keeping a few produce items un-refrigerated; tomatoes especially are so much more flavorful, juicy and did I say flavorful when they hang out on the counter.

But do you find yourself seeing itsy-bitsy black insects flying around, flies and gnats dive bombing your face? You end up looking like one of those clapping monkey’s as you try to smack the darn things; looking like a fool? Just me? 

How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies with Vinegar

This fruit fly trap is so simple, I am sure you have the ingredients at home. So how do you make a fruit fly trap with vinegar?

Simply pour apple cider vinegar or white vinegar into a ramekin, leaving about 1/2 inch at the top.

Cover snugly with plastic wrap, pull tight, sealing tightly and taught, all the way around the ramekin. 

Using a toothpick or an ice pick, puncture holes in the top of the plastic wrap, swirling slightly to enlarge the hole a bit larger than the toothpick makes by itself. 

Set out as many gnat traps as you need, concentrating them especially near your fruit or where you have kept your fruit. 

Pro Gnat Trap Recipe Tip

If the fruit flies (or gnats) are attracted to the trap, but not going in (walking all over the top of the plastic wrap), it typically means your holes aren’t big enough.

Without making the holes too big, use a toothpick to slighly swirl and enlarge your holes, remember you don’t want them flying back out, warning their fly friends. Make it easy for them to get in and never get out. 🙂

After a few days the vinegar loses it’s drawing power, toss out, wash the bowl and start over again. You’ll be surprised at how many you catch!

Our infestors visitors are not too prolific at the moment, but typically I’ve got 2-3 traps going and they each catch 15-20 flies a day! EW!

How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies Without Apple Cider Vinegar

I personally like using Apple Cider Vinegar for my gnat traps, however; regular white vinegar will work too!

Still want to try it? You should know quickly if it works and if it doesn’t then move on to apple cider vinegar, balsamic, red wine, anything that is naturally a bit sweeter. 

More DIY Recipes and How To’s

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