Why you should put wine corks in your fruit bowl: How this age-old trick can repel pesky flies and bugs for good
- Mothers have shared an age-old trick to repel the pesky fruit flies for good
- Wine corks in fruit bowls works as a natural repellent to keep fruits clear of bugs
- Natural corks are said to ‘absorb moisture’ from the ripening fruits
- The cork would then ‘activate a fragrance’ that keeps flies at bay
A group of mothers have shared an age-old trick to repel pesky fruit flies for good – and all you need are a few wine corks.
Australian parenting group Mum Central explained how placing wine corks in fruit bowls works as a natural repellent to keep fruits clear of the bugs.
Natural corks are said to ‘absorb moisture’ from the ripening fruits, which then ‘activates a fragrance’ that keeps flies at bay without using any chemicals.
A group of mothers have shared an age-old trick to repel the pesky fruit flies for good – and you only need wine corks. Natural corks are said to ‘absorb moisture’ from the ripening fruits, which then ‘activates a fragrance’ that keeps flies at bay without using any chemicals
For those who don’t drink wine or have any cork tops lying around, there are wine corks for sale on eBay from just $12 for a bag of 30.
Many were amazed with the simple tip, saying they will try it out at home, while others joked: ‘A good reason to drink more wine.’
‘Thanks for that tip! I really don’t like cold bananas,’ one said, referring to how she keeps her fruits in the fridge to keep them away from the pesky flies.
Ryan Watts, a sommelier, previously explained why the old wives tale actually works.
‘Two things attract fruit flies: sugars and moisture. This is why you most often find them around ripe fruit and in or around sinks and drains,’ Mr Watts told TODAY.
‘Natural cork is a perfect deterrent as the cork material absorbs moisture put off by the ripening fruit and activates a fragrance from the cork that fruit flies are none too pleased about.’
As a general rule of thumb, Mr Watts suggested using one cork for every two to three pieces of fruit.
He said the trick only works with natural corks, not composite or synthetic as they will be of no use.
Mr Watts explained that the cork trick doesn’t work on an infestation of fruit flies.
‘You’ll need a whole other process to get things under control, but once under control, this cork trick will help things never reach your problematic level again,’ he said.
The corks come after a mother revealed she used a cup of apple cider and liquid detergent to create a ‘trap’ that kills the bugs. The method attracts the tiny insects into the cup before drowning them
Mr Watts also warned against using corks with residual wine because that’s ‘completely counterproductive and will attract the little buggers’.
‘You’ll want as clean of cork as possible,’ he said.
‘Discoloration from contact with red wine is fine, white wine corks will indicatively look cleaner. And at all costs, never use a dessert wine cork no matter what.’
The corks come after a mother revealed she used a cup of apple cider and liquid detergent to create a ‘trap’ that kills the bugs.
The method attracts the tiny insects into the cup before drowning them.
‘For those suffering from fruit flies, gnats or whatever these feral pains are… apple cider vinegar and dishwashing liquid – this is what it caught in 30 minutes,’ one mother said, alongside a picture of the dead fruit flies.