Fruit flies all over the sink

[MarylinMonhoe]

Help please!

For the past few weeks there have been fruit flies all over and flying around the kitchen sink. I don't know why or how to get rid of them! It's disgusting. The kitchen sink is always clean as is the kitchen. We've been using fly spray and washing up frequently. I have no idea why they're are there - specifically around and in the sink - or how to get rid of them! I promise we're not a dirty family! :(

I'm having the same issue but in my bathroom. Have washed absolutely everything, and poured bleach down the drains - apparently they lay eggs in damp cloths and drains. Have a pot of white wine vinegar which is trapping them so they are slowly disappearing...

These things are horrendous aren't they? I've got a stinky downstairs loo which I'm manically cleaning and using gallons of bleach on.

I’ve had the same and used cider vinegar in a glass with cling film over the top. Then pierced holes in the cling film. It did work but slowly.

They like places where water sits - nothing to do with hygiene at all . Really clean out the sink trap, set up vinegar traps and/or fly paper. Soon it'll be too cold for them anyway

Do you have any fruit/veg, sweet flowers/plants etc that maybe attracting them? Even stuff that might be in cupboards/larder as sometimes the eggs can already on the fruit when you buy them in so could be the breeding ground for them. Do you put food waste in a kitchen bin? I used to do this until I went to take it out and found a load of maggots at the bottom 🤢 Also if you have pets the flies will be attracted to their food.

They are a nightmare. Hopefully the cold weather will see them off soon.

Leave an open bottle of wine on the counter overnight - and that's where they'll be in the morning. Half an inch of wine will do.

They can live in drains maybe try a drain cleaner solution

Leave an open bottle of wine on the counter overnight - and that's where they'll be in the morning. Half an inch of wine will do.

Good plan. Especially if she gets to drink the bottle bar half an inch by herself

Is the trap of your sink blocked?

It's sounds like you have drain flies not fruit flies you need to use a good drain unblocked or bicarb and vinegar to clean the drains, copious kettles of boiling water then every evening pour bleach down the drain hopefully this will sort them out. Might be worth checking your outside kitchen drain too just incase you have lots of food around great area.

Ah - we have recently had a burst pipe in the sink which caused everything in it to be damp, though we have cleaned it out. Is there anything I can do about that? Thanks for the suggestions, glad to know it's not just me.

Definitely a glass of wine. They love it. Totally works

Will the wine actually work or will the flies just get w*nkered and I'll find vomit all over the kitchen floor tomorrow morning? Or is that just me?

Yes, wine does work. Mines prefer red 🤔 Maybe because it's more fruitier? 🤷‍♀️

I've noticed I've got loads of little flies around. I thought it was because I've got a load more plants since lockdown. They seem to hang around my fern!

They love prosecco and cider, but a drop of washing up liquid and they will all soon disappear.

I've just had these for the first time ever. Read that apple cider vinegar would work but didn't have any so just used a small jar and put some orange juice in, eventually got them all.

Horrible little things. I use cider vinegar; but add a drop of washing up liquid, as that breaks the surface tension so that they drown instead of sitting on the surface. I've drowned hundreds of the little beggars this summer.

I had this too for the first time ever. I kept chucking boiling water down the sink to no avail. Then it dawned on me to pour some down the overflow and that seems to have done the trick.

Apple vinegar with a squirt of washing up liquid. I put some in a tall thin glass with a ‘cone’ of paper in the top and that does the trick

We have to stop putting coffee grounds in the bin or sink to get rid of them. Then once they've gone they've gone and it's fine again. Get rid of any compost too (herbs or pot plants).

I'm sat here with my wine covered in case any fly in...….

I agree with PP using drain cleaner, might need to use it a few days