Brit shares ‘genius’ DIY fruit fly trap as UK heatwave sends pests into homes

A woman has shared a simple homemade hack for getting rid of fruit flies – as warmer temperatures and the bank holiday weekend bring the pests back into UK homes.

With a mini-heatwave forecast across parts of Britain this weekend, many households are likely to notice an increase in fruit flies around kitchens, bins and leftover food.

But TikTok user Genevieve Levy says she found an easy DIY solution using common household ingredients.

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The 33-year-old’s clip racked up more than 1.4 million views after she demonstrated how she keeps her kitchen free of the tiny pests.

“It was very effective,” Genevieve, who works in sales and lives in London, told Whats The Jam.

“Nothing is 100% but this dramatically reduced the amount I had.”

The hack is simple: in a bowl, mix together washing-up liquid with sugar or honey, and some vinegar, and top with water.

Genevieve then places cling film over the top of the bowl, using a knife to pierce it with holes big enough for flies to get into the mixture – but not get out.

She said: “And then literally just put it on the side where you normally get some [flies].”

She placed hers next to some “concoctions” – which appear to be fruit juices – on her kitchen counter, and says it attracts almost all of the nearby fruit flies.

Genevieve also recommends pouring boiling water down the kitchen sink, too, as this is where they often hatch their eggs.

The post garnered over 65,000 likes, with one user commenting: “Omg ur a lifesaver I have been struggling for days, I can’t use the sprays cus I’m allergic to whatever’s in them even after days of airing them out.

I came home from hospital after an emergency visit last week and must have left food in the bins and they have been giving me hell since.”

Another person wrote: “This trick also works without kitchen film! The fairy liquid traps them basically and they’re unable to fly away.”

“Another hack if you have a fruit bowl and don’t want fruit flies in the summer then put some corks under the fruit they absorb any moisture and stop the flies,” said one viewer.

Someone else added: “Brb doing this now.”

“It works,” another user insisted.

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