Why this basket
- The University of Kentucky's extension entomologist says that unless the breeding sites are removed or cleaned, the problem carries on however often the adults are sprayed. Which? quotes a British Pest Control Association consultant: tackle the whole life cycle, from egg to adult. So every main role goes after the places they breed; the one trap waits until the source is clear.
- Which? names those places: the kitchen drain, the food waste bin, rotting fruit and veg, stagnant vase water, damp cloths and sponges, and dirty bottles and jars. The roles follow that list. Rinsing the recycling and emptying vases cost nothing.
- The drain test comes first because a drain is easy to miss. Kentucky suggests taping a clear food storage bag over a drain overnight to check it.
- Autumn is their season. Kentucky says fruit flies are especially common in late summer and autumn, drawn to ripe and fermenting fruit and vegetables.
Tonight: find where they breed
Clear food bags to test each drain overnight
TidyZ large slide-zip freezer bags (100)
4.5 on Amazon · 573 ratings · 4K+ bought last month · #4 in Food & Sandwich Bags · recorded 27 Sept 2026
Kentucky's entomologist suggests checking drains you cannot see into by taping a clear plastic food storage bag over the opening overnight. These are clear 23 x 23 cm bags, 100 to a box, the listing says, wide enough to cover a kitchen plughole. The rest of the box is useful for freezing bread, which Which? says also draws fruit flies.
What buyers say
Buyers like
- Sturdy slide zip that seals well(4 of 8 reviews)
- Good for batch cooking and freezing portions(4 of 8 reviews)
- A useful size that holds a fair amount(3 of 8 reviews)
Watch out for
- Thinner plastic than other freezer bags buyers have used(2 of 8 reviews)
Our summary of the 8 reviews Amazon showed on 27 Sept 2026, counted by us.
More about this pick
- Material
- Low density Polyethylene (LDPE)
- In the box
- Food and freezer bags
From the Amazon listing, recorded 27 Sept 2026. Sizes are the listing's own.
Price: we have checked it on 4 days; Amazon showed no discount of 10% or more on any of them.
Also recommended on: hosting Christmas.
This week: clear the source
Rinse bottles and jars before they go in the recycling, empty vase water and throw out anything soft or fermenting; Which? says a quick rinse is enough.
Bicarbonate of soda for the plughole
Dri-Pak bicarbonate of soda, 500 g
4.4 on Amazon · 5,743 ratings · 10K+ bought last month · #16 in Storage & Organisation · recorded 27 Sept 2026
Always "on offer"26 of 26 days
Which? says to pour boiling water down the plughole, because eggs and larvae usually survive normal water flow. For small flies breeding in drains, University of Kentucky entomologists suggest a cleaning agent such as bicarbonate of soda or vinegar, then a hot water flush, and a brush to scrub the film inside the pipe. This is a 500 g box, the listing says.
What buyers say
Buyers like
- A versatile staple for all sorts of cleaning jobs(4 of 13 reviews)
- Added to the wash, whites come out brighter(3 of 13 reviews)
Our summary of the 13 reviews Amazon showed on 27 Sept 2026, counted by us.
More about this pick
Price: we have checked it on 26 days; Amazon showed a discount of 10% or more on 26 of them, including today.
Also recommended on: a deep clean before Christmas, a smelly washing machine, dog smell in the house.
A food waste caddy with a lid that shuts properly
Joseph Joseph Stack 4 food caddy, 4 L
4.6 on Amazon · 12,874 ratings · 1K+ bought last month · #3 in Indoor Compost Bins · recorded 27 Sept 2026
Which? says to empty the food waste bin regularly, choose one with a well-fitting lid and keep it shut while you peel veg, so flies cannot get in to lay eggs. The Stack 4 holds 4 litres, with a flip-top lid, a charcoal odour filter and a hole that holds the liner in place, the listing says. The maker says to replace the filter every three months.
What buyers say
Buyers like
- The charcoal filter in the lid keeps food smells inside(6 of 13 reviews)
- Liners clip in place and are quick to change(5 of 13 reviews)
- The lid flips up and stays open while you scrape scraps in(4 of 13 reviews)
Our summary of the 13 reviews Amazon showed on 27 Sept 2026, counted by us.
More about this pick
- Size
- about 24 x 20 x 16 cm
- Material
- Polypropylene, Stainless Steel
- Capacity
- 4 litres
- Pack
- pack of 2
- In the box
- Compost bin^Odor filter
From the Amazon listing, recorded 27 Sept 2026. Sizes are the listing's own.
Price: we have checked it on 4 days; Amazon showed a discount of 10% or more on 4 of them, including today.
A lidded bowl for ripe fruit
Pyrex glass bowl with lid, 2 L
4.6 on Amazon · 1,146 ratings · 50+ bought last month · #96 in Bowls · recorded 27 Sept 2026
Which? suggests a lidded bowl or the fridge for fruit, to break the life cycle of any eggs and larvae already on it. Kentucky says ripe produce should be eaten, thrown away or refrigerated. This is a 21 cm, 2 litre glass bowl with a lid made for fridge and freezer storage, the listing says, so ripe fruit can go straight into the fridge.
What buyers say
Buyers like
- The lid fits snugly and seals food in(4 of 13 reviews)
- Used both for mixing and for storing food in the fridge(4 of 13 reviews)
- Thick, solid glass(2 of 13 reviews)
Our summary of the 13 reviews Amazon showed on 27 Sept 2026, counted by us.
More about this pick
- Weight
- 800 g
- Material
- Borosilicate Glass
- Capacity
- 2 litres
- Care
- Dishwasher
From the Amazon listing, recorded 27 Sept 2026. Sizes are the listing's own.
Price: we have checked it on 4 days; Amazon showed a discount of 10% or more on 4 of them, including today.
A sink tidy that lets sponges and cloths dry
HapiRm self-draining sink caddy
4.4 on Amazon · 1,577 ratings · 900+ bought last month · #4 in Kitchen Storage Accessories · recorded 27 Sept 2026
Which? says to dry out mops, cloths and sponges, because fruit flies will breed in anything damp, even a thin film of moisture. Kentucky lists mops and cleaning rags among breeding sites. This stainless steel caddy holds a sponge, a brush and a dishcloth, and a spout drains the water back into the sink, the listing says.
What buyers say
Buyers like
- The drain spout sends water back to the sink, keeping the worktop dry(5 of 13 reviews)
- Keeps sponges, brushes and cloths together in one tidy place(5 of 13 reviews)
Watch out for
- Smaller than some buyers expected(2 of 13 reviews)
Our summary of the 13 reviews Amazon showed on 27 Sept 2026, counted by us.
More about this pick
- Size
- about 24 x 13 x 11 cm
- Weight
- 454 g
- Material
- Stainless Steel
- In the box
- sink caddy
From the Amazon listing, recorded 27 Sept 2026. Sizes are the listing's own.
Price: we have checked it on 4 days; Amazon showed a discount of 10% or more on 4 of them, including today.
Later: if a few flies are still about
Only once the drains, caddy, fruit and cloths are dealt with.
A ready-made trap for the last few flies
Super Ninja fruit fly traps (2)
3.8 on Amazon · 24,550 ratings · 50K+ bought last month · #1 in Fly Control · recorded 27 Sept 2026
Kentucky's entomologists say that once the source is gone, leftover flies can be caught with a homemade trap baited with vinegar, or a vacuum. This is a ready-made alternative: two bottles of liquid bait that smells of decaying fruit, each lasting up to three weeks, the listing says, which also warns it will not work on gnats. Which? says a trap alone is unlikely to be a complete answer.
What buyers say
Buyers like
- Fills up with fruit flies once they find it, usually within a few days(7 of 13 reviews)
Watch out for
- Caught few or no flies for some buyers(4 of 13 reviews)
- Some found a homemade vinegar trap worked as well or better(2 of 13 reviews)
Our summary of the 13 reviews Amazon showed on 27 Sept 2026, counted by us.
More about this pick
- Size
- about 5.3 x 3.3 x 2.8 cm
- Material
- Plastic
- Pack
- pack of 2
- In the box
- fruit fly traps
From the Amazon listing, recorded 27 Sept 2026. Sizes are the listing's own.
Price: we have checked it on 24 days; Amazon showed no discount of 10% or more on any of them.
Skip it
- SkipFly spray for the flies you can seeThe University of Kentucky's extension entomologist says that unless the breeding sites are removed or cleaned, the problem will continue no matter how often insecticides are used on the adults.
- SkipA bigger fruit bowl for the worktopWhich? suggests a lidded bowl or the fridge instead, and lists buying too much fresh produce among the mistakes that keep fruit flies coming.
Quick questions
Why do I have fruit flies in my kitchen?
Something is ripening or fermenting. Kentucky's entomologist says fruit flies are especially common in late summer and autumn, drawn to ripe and fermenting fruit and vegetables. Which? adds white bread, onions and potatoes, vinegar and other fermented foods, pet food left in the bowl, stagnant vase water, damp cloths, the kitchen drain and dirty bottles and jars waiting for recycling.
How do I get rid of fruit flies in my kitchen sink drain?
Test the drain, then clean it. Kentucky suggests taping a clear food storage bag over the plughole overnight to check it. Which? says boiling water kills eggs and larvae that survive normal water flow. For small flies breeding in drains, Kentucky's entomologists add a cleaning agent such as bicarbonate of soda or vinegar, a hot water flush and a brush to lift the film inside.
Are they fruit flies or drain flies?
Look at the wings. Kentucky's entomologists describe fruit flies as about 3 mm long, with a brown-black body and red or black eyes. Drain flies are 2 to 4 mm, dark brown and look like tiny moths, with fine hairs on their bodies and wings. Drain flies lay eggs in the organic matter clogging sink and shower drains, so the drain clean matters most for them.
Do fruit fly traps work?
They catch adults, but they will not end it. Which? says a trap or fly spray is unlikely to be a complete answer, quoting a pest control consultant: tackle the whole life cycle. Kentucky's entomologists say to remove the source first, then catch the rest with a homemade vinegar trap or a vacuum. Kentucky's trap is a jar with a paper funnel and a little cider vinegar.
Why do fruit flies keep coming back?
Because eggs and larvae are still somewhere. Which? says a fruit fly can lay up to 500 eggs at a time and it takes only a week to go from egg to adult, so killing the flies you can see does not stop the next batch. Keep the drains, the caddy, the fruit and the cloths clean and dry.
Sources: Which?: How to get rid of fruit flies and stop them coming back (checked 27 September 2026); University of Kentucky Entomology: Fruit flies (ENTFACT-621) (checked 27 September 2026); University of Kentucky Entomology: Small flies (ENTFACT-657) (checked 27 September 2026).
