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 watch a small creature buzz up out of the drain. Is that a gnat? Then you see more of them buzzing around the kitchen. These irritating little guys are actually fruit flies. And if you’re asking how they got in there and what you can do about them, you’re in the right place. 

Why Are They Here? 

Fruit flies exist all over the U.S., and spread 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.” Since they’re lured by moisture and rotting food, they’ll head for your trash can, your rotten fruit and the kitchen drain, which is filled with moisture and little pieces of food. In some cases you’ll notice them fly up out of the drain. This can be especially frustrating if you have a somewhat clogged sink or disposal that clears out slowly. This maintains more moisture and food waste that appeals to these insects and enables them to thrive and reproduce. 

How Bad Are They? 

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

What Can I Do About Them? 

Because of this bacterial risk, keep high-traffic surfaces clean at all times. Use a kitchen surface cleaner that destroys bacteria. Don’t reuse sponges that can soak up, retain and transfer germs. It’s best to use paper towels and throw them away. 

Bug sprays can kill the adult fruit flies but won’t destroy the eggs. And you probably don’t want to spread insecticide all throughout your kitchen. Instead, pour boiling water in your drain. Before bed, block off your drains with clear packing tape. In the morning, you ought to see some fruit flies trapped to it. 

Here are other barriers you can also try, all utilizing a jar: 

  • Wine—Place an ounce of wine in the jar. Make a hole in the lid so the fruit flies can access the wine. You can also have a funnel or paper cone rather than a lid. 
  • Rotten fruit—Same as above, but using rotten fruit instead of wine. 
  • Apple cider vinegar—Same as above but using apple cider vinegar. 
  • Apple cider vinegar and dish soap—Same as above with dish liquid as well, which makes it much harder for flies to get away. 
  • Yeast—Put in two or three ounces of water, one packet of activated dry yeast as well as a teaspoon of sugar. 

To avoid attracting fruit flies: 

  • Wash your produce immediately after bringing it home. Occasionally they can possess fruit fly eggs or larvae. 
  • Refrigerate whenever you can. 
  • Avoid keeping old produce in your house. Buy only what you’re going to eat. 
  • Empty your kitchen trash often, and keep it closed. 
  • Keep your surfaces clean and disinfected. 
  • If you want to keep windows raised, put in some well-fitted screens. 

If the listed methods haven’t resolved your fruit fly problem, there may be an issue with your p-trap. That’s the section of your drain pipe bent in a u shape to capture water and prevent foul air from moving up into your home. It also prevents flies from living in your pipes and flying up from the drain. If your pipe has a leak and has no water seal, this can create a fruit fly problem. Run the water and search below for a leak. If you notice one, get it fixed promptly. Leaky pipes can encourage mold and structural problems with your home. 

You should also call a plumber if your kitchen sink or garbage disposal is draining slowly. This problem not only helps encourage fruit flies, but over time the sink drain can entirely clog and become useless. The Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing plumbing team has the tools, experience and knowledge to diagnose the problem and fix it promptly. We employ a video drain inspector to plainly see what’s happening inside the pipes, and multiple methods to clean them, depending on the type and severity 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 Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing. 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.