Fruit flies are a pain in the neck, and sometimes you just can’t get rid of them no matter how hard you try.
So if you’re struggling to eliminate these irritating pests, why don’t you try getting rid of them with wine corks?
You may think it’s an old wive’s tale, but wine corks work when you want to repel fruit flies.
Of course, it won’t work on a full-blown infestation. But if you have a few that you want to be rid of, then we’ll tell you how wine corks repel fruit flies.
How To Repel Fruit Flies With Wine Corks
First, before you start getting any cork from your nearest wine bottle, you must know this will only work with natural cork. So, any synthetic corks won’t be working over here, but we’ll explain why in a minute.
Now that you have your cork, you’ll want to dry it before you put it in your fruit bowl. If it’s still wet, then it won’t work. You’ll attract more fruit flies with a wet cork absorbing all the sugars and scents.
Instead, ensure it’s dry. Depending on your fruit, get a few more dry natural corks to put into your bowl.
If you’re unsure which corks to choose, the best one is white wine. After all, this is the least sweet type of wine. But if you have a cork tinted with red wine, that should also work.
Make sure your cork doesn’t have too much red wine, or it will be too sweet. You just need to ensure they don’t have any sediment or wine diamonds.
If they do, just remove those with a knife or some decent kitchen scissors.
Pop your corks in with your fruit bowl, and those fruit flies won’t be so interested anymore. But what if they’re not interested in your fruit bowl but your trash instead?
If fruit flies are lurking around your trash, consider cutting one of your wine corks in half. Cut it lengthwise, then place it as close to your trash as possible. They should be staying away then. It’s an especially great trick for dealing with fruit flies around your compost.
Why Do Fruit Flies Hate Corks?
To understand why fruit flies hate corks, you need to understand what attracts the fruit fly. You’ll usually find fruit flies where there will be sugar and moisture.
So, if they’re not in your fruit bowl, you’ve almost certainly seen them in your kitchen sink at one point. However, you won’t be able to do much about the fruit flies in the sink with cork. Instead, you want to focus on your fruit bowl.
Natural cork is the ideal deterrent for fruit flies. They don’t care for it.
The reason fruit flies hate corks is because of the material. Natural cork absorbs the moisture that ripening fruit puts off, giving off a fragrance that fruit flies can’t stand.
Once they smell the scent from the cork, they won’t even want to land on the fresh fruit because they hate it so much.
Some areas have even gone so far as to make fruit bowls from cork and ceramic materials. Using these, you won’t have to worry about any obnoxious fruit flies buzzing around.
I recommend looking for one of these if you’re worried you don’t have enough corks from wine bottles.
Alternative Methods To Repel Fruit Flies
If you want to make sure that all your bases are covered, make sure that you wash any produce you buy. Larvae might still be on any fruit or vegetables, so if you clean them, they’ll be less tempted to swarm over.
Then don’t forget to store anything you’re not going to eat soon in the refrigerator. Keeping fruit you don’t plan to eat straight away in the fridge can be a great way to ensure that your fruit flies won’t get to them.
Just ensure you’re careful, and those fruit flies will disappear soon.
What If There Are Fruit Flies In My Drain?
If you have fruit flies in your drain, using corks to repel them can be more difficult. There’s too much moisture, and it’s the perfect environment for them. Just clean your drains and ensure they’re free from any food so that you know they won’t be interested in it.
Of course, you can also leave out traps nearby. Use some apple cider vinegar and dish soap to catch them if they’re nearby, or even leave an almost-empty bottle of soda or alcohol nearby.
If you’ve been getting corks for your fruit bowl, you could leave an almost-empty bottle of red wine nearby so they’ll be tempted by that instead.
What If I Have An Infestation?
It’s important to remember that most of these ideas will only work if you don’t have an infestation. If none of these work, you might need to bring out the big guns.
You may need to check out some traps and sprays to get rid of them, which you can get online or from certain stores.
Where Did The Cork Idea Come From?
People have been using this method for many years, with some attributing the idea to a grandmother in France. It’s no surprise that the concept comes from France, knowing how popular wine is.
Since then, people have been using corks to deter fruit flies in place of other methods, as this one has been tried and tested to work.
Final Thoughts
When you’re dealing with fruit flies in your fruit bowl, corks can be used to quickly and easily get rid of them. You would be surprised at how much a wine bottle and corks can help eliminate fruit flies in your house.
But to ensure they stay out, you should throw out any rotting fruit and vegetables and remove the garbage from your home.
Hygienic practices work best for getting rid of fruit flies, so corks are only a small part of repelling fruit flies.
