I Tried 4 Homemade Fly Traps—Here’s the One That Actually Worked

’Tis the season of flies making their way into the house—I’ve spotted fruit flies lingering in the kitchen and houseflies buzzing near my overhead lights. There’s truly nothing more annoying (even my dog can’t stand their presence). Plus, it’s pretty disgusting when they land on food. Flies and tiny gnats can also be a nuisance outdoors, hovering in the garden or flying around food during a barbecue.

To get rid of pesky flies, I made four homemade fly traps—and you won’t believe how easy they are. They all took less than five minutes, and I had most of the supplies already at home. For bait, I used apple cider vinegar mixed with dish soap (it helps drown the flies), but you can use whatever you have available. Fruit flies and houseflies are attracted to sweet smells—think old wine, sugar water, rotting fruit, honey, and syrup. Place your traps where you notice flies congregating, whether it’s around houseplants, near the trash, or in the fruit bowl.

Best for smaller insects, this simple method requires a mason jar with a lid. You’ll also need a hammer and a nail to puncture small holes into the lid. The key is to make the holes as big as the flies you’re trying to catch.

1. Fill a mason jar with bait—anything sweet should do the trick, but I recommend apple cider vinegar. You can also try overripe fruit (bananas are a favorite) or honey. Add a few drops of dish soap to help drown the flies.
2. Use a nail and hammer to gently poke holes into the flat part of the mason jar lid. I recommend putting a piece of scrap wood or cardboard onto your work station to avoid any damage. You should only need to gently tap the nails to create the holes (I made six).
3. Secure the lid onto the mason jar and place it near your fruit fly problem.

My thoughts: Despite needing a hammer, I was able to make this fly trap within minutes. The mason jar lid is easy to remove and screw back on, so it’s easy to replace the bait. It looked discrete, so I didn't mind it sitting near my houseplants or adjacent to my fruit bowl.

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Turn an old plastic liter bottle into an effective fly trap. The goal: Flies smell the bait and fly into the bottle to reach it. Once inside, they’ll either sink in the soapy liquid (the dish soap helps drown the flies) or have a difficult time exiting through the narrow bottle opening.

1. Remove the bottle cap and label from a water or soda bottle, preferably one with a narrow opening. Use scissors to cut the bottle in half.
2. Fill the bottom with apple cider vinegar, leaving a gap between the "funnel" and liquid. Tip: If you don't have apple cider vinegar, try honey, ripe fruit, or sugar water.
3. Add a few drops of dish soap.
4. Position the top half upside down inside the bottom, so it looks like a funnel.
5. As long as the problem persists, empty the dead flies and add fresh bait regularly.

My thoughts: This method might have been the fastest and easiest to make. I love that it repurposes a bottle that would ordinarily be recycled.

All you’ll need is plastic wrap, a mason jar, and something that pokes holes—a fork, toothpick, nail, chopstick, or pin. I’ve tried all four options, and think toothpick or nail worked best. Make sure the size of the holes match the size of the flies you’re trying to trap.

1. Add apple cider vinegar to your mason jar. You can also add in scraps of rotting fruit, sugar, and honey to make your trap more appealing. My advice? Mix apple cider vinegar with a sugary fruit like bananas, peaches, or melon.
2. Cover the opening with plastic wrap. Secure it with a rubber band or twist the mason jar's screw band around the glass.
3. Poke a few small holes using a fork, toothpick, pin, or nail in the plastic wrap, ensuring they’re large enough for flies to enter.

My thoughts: While this method was incredibly easy to make, I worry it won't be as effective as the others. It was challenging to make concise and even holes in the plastic wrap, so it may be difficult for flies to enter.

This one is probably the easiest—chances are, you have everything you need for this simple trap. Gather a large mason jar (or any glass with a narrow mouth), a piece of paper, and your bait. The trick is rolling the paper so that it resembles a cone, so flies can easily fly into the jar, but struggle to fly back out.

1. Pour apple cider vinegar into a large mason jar with a chunk of very ripe fruit (apples, peaches, and bananas work well). Add a few drops of dish soap to slow down flies that land.
2. Roll a piece of printer paper into a cone and stick it into the jar, placing the narrow opening down.

My thoughts: It was a little difficult to roll the paper into a cone shape so that it hovered above the bait, but it only took me a few tries to nail it. I didn't love the look of leaving this fly trap on display in my kitchen or near my houseplants. If you try this one, I’d recommend using a mason jar or glass with a smaller mouth.

It depends what type of fly you’re attempting to trap! Fruit flies are attracted to sweet, fermented scents like apple cider vinegar, wine, beer, and overripe fruit (bananas, peaches, and melons are great). Houseflies prefer stronger-smelling foods, like honey, syrup, and scraps of rotting fruit. The key? A few drops of liquid dish soap to trap the flies and prevent them from leaving the trap.

Flies are attracted to strong odors, like food, sugary drinks, and garbage. Overripe fruit, dirty dishes, overflowing trash cans, rotting houseplants, and damp drains can quickly draw flies inside. The pests are drawn to heat and moisture, often seeking out warm areas to lay eggs. Outdoors, the biggest culprits are smelly garbage cans, pet waste, leftover food, moist soil, and standing water in birdbaths or gutters.

Our advice? Remove garbage at least twice a week (and clean dirty bins). Clean our drains, don’t let trash bins overflow, and wipe up spills quickly. Flies also hate the smell of cinnamon and essential oils, such as lavender and lemongrass. Light candles with these scents in places you want to keep flies away.

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Alyssa Gautieri

Senior Gifts Editor

Alyssa Gautieri (she/her) leads Good Housekeeping’s gift guide strategy. She writes and edits commerce content, where she analyzes lifestyle trends, shopping data, and works closely with the Good Housekeeping Institute to recommend top-tested products. Previously, she was the associate lifestyle editor for GH and wrote for publications including ELLE Decor, BobVila.com, and Unique Homes Magazine. When she’s not tracking down buzzy products, you can find her walking her dog, Skye, around Jersey City.