Your kitchen might be spotless, but did you know that inside your drains, you could have an uninvited guest? Fruit flies are the scourge of the summer months, usually circulating around decaying food and fruit - but they can also lurk inside drains.

Fruit flies seek rotting organic matter to lay their eggs in - and your kitchen sink drain is likely littered with just what they’re looking for. If you find yourself plagued by  fruit flies, cleaning the drain is the next thing you need to try - and luckily, it’s easy to do for little to no cost.

The first thing you can try is simply pouring a kettle of freshly boiled water down your drain to kill any flies and their eggs. But if they still come back, try manually clearing out the drain with a brush to remove any organic matter and eggs.

You can also try a little white vinegar into the boiling water to deodorise and clean the pipes more thoroughly. 

If you want to keep fruit flies at bay, make sure that no food is entering your drain. Scrape all plates thoroughly into the bin before washing, and then make sure you’re keeping your rubbish bin covered.

It will also help to empty it regularly,and clean up any spills as soon as they occur. 

If you’re still struggling with an infestation, try making a simple trap for them by mixing apple cider vinegar and dish soap. 

It may sound bizarre but fruit flies are attracted to sweet and fermented smells such as apple cider vinegar as it mimics the scent of rotting fruit which is their main food source. However, just a bowl of vinegar won’t do the trick as fruit flies are small enough to stand on top of the liquid. 

By adding dish soap, the surface tension of the water is reduced and the flies will drown in the dish. 

To make this trap simply fill a small jar or dish with apple cider vinegar and then add a few drops of dish soap to the solution. 

Cover the container with plastic clingfilm and secure it with an elastic band. 

Poke several tiny holes in the plastic wrap using a toothpick, then leave the jar near a window or fruit bowl to kill the irritating flies.