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    Home » Recipe

    How to Eradicate Fruit Flies with Soy Sauce

    Aug 14, 2013 · by Katie Koteen · Modified: Oct 1, 2024

    Around our house there’s a serious fruit fly problem. Produce galore plus two kids equals an insane fruit fly population.

    I’ve spent weeks with the apple cider vinegar and saran wrap glass. Kinda works, nothing great. They’re still swarming.

    Then I decided to try my brother’s soy sauce plus paper cone method. Apple cider vinegar move over. SOY SAUCE brings them in.

    That coupled with a little paper cone, problem solved in less than 24 hours. The setup completely got rid of the fruit flies. Tell your friends.

    Here's how:

    1. Fold paper into a cone shape, tape to hold shape and cut off tip close to the end, just large enough for the flies to creep in.
    2. Add soy sauce and a little water to the bottom of a narrow-ish glass. If you like, add a little dish soap to the soy sauce and it will kill the flies. If you want to keep it all buddhist, skip the soap. They’ll live out their short little lives drunk on soy sauce.
    3. Attach cone to glass with a piece of tape.
    fruit flies trapped in a glass with soy sauce.

    You can get this set up in 5 minutes and before you know it your fruit will be safe.

    Reader Interactions

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    1. Carnivore

      August 08, 2023 at 6:10 pm

      Ermmm... I thought you were supposed to be vegan...?

      Reply
    2. Counselorchick

      October 09, 2017 at 11:38 am

      So "vegans" are not against killing living beings all the time. Good to know.

      Reply
      • Katie Koteen

        October 11, 2017 at 2:30 pm

        Ha! Well, if you want to get technical, they live out their natural lifecycle trapped in a glass, drunk on soy sauce. 😉

        Reply
    3. Marty

      October 20, 2014 at 7:15 pm

      Trying it now with ACV but trying soy sauce on the other side of house. Will let. You know what works best.
      Thanks again.

      Reply
      • Well Vegan

        October 20, 2014 at 8:31 pm

        @Marty - I love a good experiment! Yes, please report back 🙂

        Reply
    4. Stephanie H.

      August 06, 2014 at 10:47 pm

      Found you on Pinterest - trying both the vinegar and soy .. so far the soy is kicking serious booty 🙂 Thanks!!!!

      Reply
    5. Cara

      February 04, 2014 at 6:15 pm

      This worked for me, and I have turned at least half a dozen others into believers...thanks!

      Reply
    6. d

      October 11, 2013 at 11:45 am

      this worked beautifully!! thanks.

      Reply
    7. Marian Coast

      September 27, 2013 at 3:27 pm

      Hi Katie,

      Nini and I are reading your blog. Nini has never seen your site! I have a fruit fly and mosquitos now since i have tomatoes and fruit out all the time.

      I will try this! Who would have thought soy sauce?

      Reply
      • Well Vegan

        September 27, 2013 at 4:22 pm

        @Marian - Glad you and Nini have found your way here 🙂 I have not idea where John came up with the idea for soy sauce, but it works brilliantly!

        Reply
    8. Amanda

      September 10, 2013 at 4:04 am

      Trying now!

      Reply
    9. Tamara

      September 05, 2013 at 12:59 am

      I'm trying this now! I've been searching for a solution.

      Reply
    10. Holly

      August 24, 2013 at 3:28 pm

      Trying it right now....my ACV trap has had limited success.

      Reply
      • Well Vegan

        August 27, 2013 at 2:46 pm

        @Holly - Report back! Let us know if you're as successful as we have been 🙂

        Reply
    11. John

      August 14, 2013 at 8:16 pm

      I don't know why it works, but it works. Maybe they want something salty after all that fruit.

      Reply
    12. georgia

      August 14, 2013 at 6:49 pm

      Crazy! I'll have to find my dog other hunting material now:)

      Reply

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