Why Are There Fruit Flies in My Kitchen Sink Drain?

Has this ever happened to you? You’re cleaning a dish in the kitchen sink and see a small creature fly up out of the drain. Is that a gnat? Then you watch more of them zooming around your kitchen. These irritating little guys are actually fruit flies. And if you’re wanting to know how they got in there and what may be done about them, you’re in the right place.

Why Are They Here?

Fruit flies survive all over the U.S., and grow quickly. According to WebMD, “An adult female fruit fly can lay up to 2,000 eggs on the surface of anything that’s moist and rotting. Within 30 hours, tiny maggots hatch and start to eat the decayed food. Within two days, they’re all grown up and ready to mate.” Because they’re lured by moisture and rotting food, they’ll often end up in your trash can, your old fruit and the kitchen drain, which is filled with moisture and little pieces of food. Occasionally you’ll notice them fly up out of the drain. This can be notably likely if you have a somewhat clogged sink or disposal that drains slowly. This preserves more moisture and food debris that draws these insects and lets them thrive and reproduce.

How Bad Are They?

When fruit flies move from a dirty surface to a clean one, they carry germs with them. This might include listeria, salmonella and even E. coli. All of these bacteria can cause acute cases of food poisoning.

What Can I Do About Them?

Owing to this bacterial risk, keep your home’s surfaces clean at all times. Use a kitchen surface cleaner that kills bacteria. Don’t reuse sponges that can absorb, retain and transport germs. It’s better to use paper towels and throw them away. Bug sprays can kill the adult fruit flies but won’t kill the eggs. And you most likely don’t want to spray insecticide all around your kitchen. Instead, pour boiling water into your drain. Before bed, block off your drains with clear packing tape. Every morning, you ought to see some fruit flies attached to it. Here are other ideas you can also use, all with a jar:

• • Wine—Pour an ounce of wine in the jar. Make a hole in the lid so the fruit flies can enter. You can also utilize a funnel or paper cone instead of a lid.

• • Spoiled fruit—Same as above, but using rotten fruit rather than wine.

• • Apple cider vinegar—Same as above but you’ll use apple cider vinegar.

• • Apple cider vinegar and dish soap—Same as above with dish liquid as well, which makes it more difficult for flies to break free.

• • Yeast—Put in two or three ounces of water, one packet of activated dry yeast along with a teaspoon of sugar.

To minimize bringing in fruit flies:

• • Rinse your produce as soon as you take it home. In some cases they can possess fruit fly eggs or larvae.

• • Refrigerate as soon as you can.

• • Try not to keep old produce in your house. Buy only what you’re most likely to eat.

• • Empty your kitchen trash often, and keep it closed.

• • Keep your surfaces clean and disinfected.

• • If you want to keep windows open, put in some well-fitted screens.

If the listed methods haven’t eliminated your fruit fly issue, there might be something wrong with your p-trap. That’s the part of your drain pipe bent in a u shape to capture water and keep foul air from moving up into your home. It also prevents flies from living in your pipes and flying up out of the drain. If your pipe has a leak and lacks a water seal, this can create a fruit fly infestation. Run the water and search below for a leak. If you see one, get it fixed quickly. Leaky pipes can cause mold and structural damage to your home. You should also hire a plumber if your kitchen sink or garbage disposal is draining slowly. This problem not only helps breed fruit flies, but over time the sink drain can fully clog and become useless. The McKinley Heating Service Experts plumbing team has the equipment, experience and expertise to determine the problem and fix it quickly. We employ a video drain inspector to obviously see what’s going on in the pipes, and a number of methods to clean them, depending on the type and extent of the blockage. If the problem is a garbage disposal, we can repair or replace it at a price you can afford. We also resolve leaky pipes. If you need any sort of plumbing service at all, call the professionals at McKinley Heating Service Experts. Whether we’re warming, cooling or making the water run, we take great pride in keeping our customers happy. With more than 4,000 team members, we can deliver and innovate better than anyone. Our can-do family attitude helps us get the job done on time, and right—the first time.