Share
In summer, one of the tasks is to keep flies away from fruits and food. You leave the balcony door open for just a few minutes, and flies will find their prey and rest on it. Whether it is vegetable or fruit, they will sit on everything and leave it contaminated, making you vulnerable to catching diseases or developing symptoms of food poisoning.
However, you can follow a few effective tips to keep your food fresh and healthy for consumption. These tricks can help you get rid of flies and ensure your food is clean and fresh. This way, you will be able to ensure that you and your family can avoid stomach-related discomfort and food-borne diseases.
Clean Fruits
The moment you bring fruits or vegetables from the market, clean them. You must have observed when you buy groceries that the skin of any fruit or vegetable has a sticky surface. This can attract multiple flies, especially if you keep the produce in the open. Hence, the moment you return from the farmer’s market, clean them thoroughly to reduce their appeal to flies and other insects.
Set Up Fly Traps
Flies are attracted to fruits, food, and vegetables. To prevent them from contaminating your food, you can set up fly traps that will cost you nothing. One of the DIY hacks is to keep a jar of apple cider vinegar near fruits and vegetables. Add a few drops of dishwashing soap to it. While the vinegar will attract the flies, soap will trap them.
Cover Food Properly
You must always keep raw produce or cooked meals covered. You can use a net mesh to cover fruits on the table, keep vegetables in containers or net mesh, even inside the refrigerator, and put the lid on casseroles and other containers used in the house to store cooked meals. A net mesh ensures air circulation and keeps the fruits and vegetables fresh for a long time.
Keep The Kitchen Clean
Flies are not only attracted to food but also to unhygienic spaces, especially nooks and crannies where food particles are stuck. You might not even notice, but flies will tell you that your kitchen is dirty, and their rampant attack on a corner or place will bring unhygienic conditions to your attention. Therefore, you must strive to keep the kitchen clean, including shelves and sink.
Use Natural Repellents
There are a few ingredients in your kitchen that can be used to repel flies and other kinds of insects. For example, placing herbs like mint, basil, and bay leaf near the fruit bowl will keep the flies at bay. The insects do not like strong scents, therefore, these aromatic herbs can be a part of DIY hacks along with adding a refreshing touch to your drinks. Similarly, you can use citrus peels, for example, peels of lemon and orange can be added to fruit bowls to repel flies.
Store Fruits In Refrigerator
One of the foolproof ways to keep flies away from food is to store it in the refrigerator. Whether you have mangoes, lychees, apples, capsicums, or any cooked meal, store it in the refrigerator. If the food isn’t out in the open, it will not attract any kind of insects. Moreover, this is a perfect way to prevent contamination and spoilage of food and fresh produce in hot weather.
Dispose Overripe Fruits
Overripe fruits tend to get gooey and leaky. They can attract not just flies but a variety of other insects that can contaminate the house. Therefore, check the produce, and if it seems overripe or on the verge of spoilage, either use it in the kitchen as soon as possible or discard it. Along with this, you must always keep the trash covered, especially if it has discarded food and scraps.
