Here Is The Best Place To Put Your Trash Can If You Want Less Fruit Flies
Fruit flies are among the most common household pests, and they may create a significant nuisance in your house in very little time. Because females can potentially lay hundreds of eggs that can hatch within 12 hours, once you have these pests, it's extremely difficult to get rid of them. One of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to get rid of fruit flies is believing these bugs will go away on their own. You have to be proactive in trying to eliminate them.
Among the steps to take to get rid of fruit flies once and for all is to make your trash can as unappealing to these pesky insects as possible, starting with its placement. Placing the trash can in an area of the home that's out of direct sunlight will reduce odors from heat buildup. The cooler, shaded location slows the decay of food scraps and old fruit inside the can. If you have a pull-out cabinet for your kitchen trash can, this design keeps it out of the sun and helps with odor control.
Another option is to place the can in an area that has strong airflow. Add a box fan near the can, and the lightweight fruit flies will struggle to fly accurately toward the trash can. (A fruit fly weighs less than 1 milligram.) The insects may be unable to land on the garbage and lay eggs if you place the can near a strong fan. If the trash can is near an air conditioning vent, the cooler air moving in the area could make the area less appealing to fruit flies, too.
Why does moving a trash can to a cooler area potentially keep fruit flies away?
Fruit flies seek out fermenting fruits and vegetables, some of which might end up in the trash. These scraps of food will begin to decompose and generate an unpleasant odor that can be appealing to these pesky insects. They're drawn to the odors of the fermenting organic material in fruit, juice, or wine. Although one of the best ways to keep fruit flies away is to clean and deodorize the trash can to get rid of smelly odors at least once a month, placing it out of direct sunlight is helpful, too, for reducing odors. Warmer temperatures increase bacterial growth and speed up the rotting of fruit peels, vegetables, and other organic materials and food scraps.
During hot summer days when sunlight is streaming through the windows, keeping the garbage in an area out of the direct sun slows the decay of the fruits and vegetables, giving you more time to take the trash from your indoor can to the main garbage can outdoors or in a garage. Solar screens on windows can deliver a difference of 10 to 15 degrees in reduced warmth inside your home compared to direct sunlight. Your trash can and the waste inside it can experience this temperature difference when they're in direct sun shining through a window in your home compared to being in a shaded area.
Does moving your trash can out of the sun fix an existing fruit fly problem?
If you already have fruit flies in your home, moving the trash can into shade isn't going to eliminate them. This preventative step works better for making the trash less appealing to the tiny fruit flies before they appear in large numbers. To eliminate an already existing problem with these pests, you need to use a combination of trapping and preventative measures.
Until you get the fruit fly infestation under control, one of the key preventative measures to take with your trash can is to take it outdoors. Try to trap as many bugs inside the can as possible before moving it. Ideally, they'll disperse outside. Another option is to sprinkle one or two cups of baking soda inside the can to try to neutralize the odors that draw fruit flies to it.
Manage the disposal of your food scraps carefully until you have the insects under control. Even leaving food scraps and rotting fruit in the indoor trash for a short time (like overnight) could draw fruit flies. Take those items to an outdoor dumpster or sealed trash bin immediately, skipping the indoor can. If you have citrus peels, place them down your garage disposal instead of in the trash. You could also try freezing food waste like leftover chunks of fruit or vegetables in a plastic bag before placing them in the garbage can. Freezing them reduces odors and slows the decay and bacterial growth until you have time to take the garbage outdoors.