Simple two-ingredient hack to get rid of fruit flies in 'less than 48 hours'

Fruit flies can be a nuisance all year round - even in the winter. Although they're most common during summer and autumn, you might sometimes see in your home during winter because they can't survive outdoors in the cold.

So instead, they come looking for somewhere cosy and warm - and your kitchen offers everything they need, from leftover food and ripe fruit to warmth and moisture. That's why you'll often find fruit flies buzzing around your fruit bowl, bin or sink, where they tend to lay eggs.

Luckily, there are several ways to get rid of these pesky creatures - and one way couldn't be more simple. All you need is you already have in your kitchen - and if you have to buy them, they are relatively cheap.

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content creator Em saw the hack herself and decided to give it a go to see if it would help the problem she was facing without having to pay for expensive fruit fly traps. Amazed, she said it had "worked wonders". She explained: "All you're going to need is a cup of white vinegar to attract them and then olive oil, or liquid dish soap, to make sure they can't get out.

Em grabbed an empty, and clean, jar she had lying around and "filled it about halfway with vinegar", added a "bit of olive oil" as well as some "good smelling hand soap". With this method, Em said she managed to "trap about 30 fruit flies in less than 48 hours".

Other TikTok users started sharing their own hacks for getting rid of them. "Also pour boiling water down the drains once a week," shared one social media user. "I use apple cider vinegar for the sweet smell!" added another.

Many have tried and tested this method. One person exclaimed: "This works! I've done this for years! Thanks for sharing for others!" Another chimed in: "I'm using the Vinegar and dish soap combo and I love it so much. Using it less now, as they aren't as many as when I started with it but it's definitely worth using. "

A third added: "Yes, this is a great advice. I am using this method every summer and it really works well. I put two jars - near the fruits and the bin. I do not add oil and mix vinegar with water and it is also good."

According to , you also need to make sure you're getting rid of the reason your kitchen is attracting fruit flies, or they will keep returning. If you don't, a permanent cycle of fruit fly infestation will ensue and become a "consistent problem".

Ann's method involves filling your sink with piping hot, soapy water to "clean everything thoroughly until you find what's attracting them" whether it's a rogue droplet of fruit juice behind the bin or your in-house compost bin.

To ensure these pesky invaders are eradicated, she suggests dousing your drains and overflows with boiling water daily. Persevere for about two weeks, insists Ann, and those unwanted guests should vanish for good.

And to cap off her advice, Ann stresses: "Wash your bins. Empty them regularly. Home compost outside. Absolutely scrupulous cleanliness. And that will do it."