Addressing Fruit Flies In The Office

Fruitflies in a sealed lab flask | Allcare Maintenance Services

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Fruit flies in the office are a nuisance that appears out of nowhere. They thrive where people store, prepare, eat and discard food, making kitchens, lunchrooms, and cafeterias favourite hotspots. Infestations can also occur in trash receptacles under workspaces and in hallways. While fruit flies are harmless to humans, their presence can be unsanitary and unpleasant.

Fruit flies, scientifically known as Drosophila Melanogaster, are small insects that thrive around ripe or decaying fruits and vegetables. Attracted by the fermentation process, they have a short life cycle of 8 to 10 days and reproduce rapidly. If not addressed promptly, a plague of fruit flies can appear in the office quite suddenly and out of nowhere.

Prevention

Preventing fruit flies from swarming in your office is the best way to keep this problem at bay, and it comes down to proper storage and disposal of organic waste. Ensure your staff understand the importance of storing fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator or in sealed containers and keeping desks and countertops free of ripe and overripe produce.

Sugary substances also attract fruit flies. Consequently, you should clean up coffee, tea and juice spills immediately. Having tight-fitting lids on trash cans and emptying and disposing of them daily will help prevent food from fermenting. If your staff clean their Tupperware or plates in a sink without cleaning the drain, the organic waste will begin to rot and create a fertile breeding ground for fruit flies.

The strong aroma of basil and mint plants repel fruit flies. If your office lunchroom has bright windows, growing these plants in pots will keep fruit flies at bay while adding a cheerful and pleasant aesthetic to the space.

Finally, inspect doors and windows for gaps or holes that could allow fruit flies to enter and seal them with caulk or weather stripping.

Getting Rid of Fruit Flies in the Office

If you already have an established colony of fruit flies in the office, then you will first have to investigate the source of the problem and remove it. Commercial fruit fly traps effectively capture adult fruit flies, and you should follow the instructions on the packaging for the best results. You can also make your own fruit fly traps by filling a bowl with apple cider vinegar or red wine and a few drops of dish soap. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and poke small holes in the wrap. The vinegar or wine will attract fruit flies, and the soapy solution will trap them.

If a dirty drain is the source of the problem, then clean it thoroughly with a mixture of vinegar and baking soda, followed by a flush of boiling water to get rid of debris and organic material.

Commercial Cleaning Services

Fruit flies in the office are a common problem when you do not have a dedicated person or team in charge of keeping your workplace clean, presentable, organized and sanitized. For over three decades, we have provided affordable commercial cleaning services to offices, ​industrial manufacturing facilities, distribution & warehouse centres, automotive plants, ​pharmaceutical establishments and more. No job is too small or too large for our team.

Our contracts are flexible and optimized for your budget. We assess your facility size, design and finishes to determine the best cleaning and maintenance program for you. Some organizations simply need a cleaning professional once a day to clean washrooms, lunch rooms and common areas, while others require a day porter on-site during operating hours. Our services include windowfloor and carpet cleaningrepairs and maintenance, and specialty cleaning services like industrial-strength degreasing and disinfecting. Best of all, we use eco-friendly products and supplies that are EcoLogo or Green Seal-certified, with cleaning techniques that keep our clients and our workers safe.

If fruit flies are a persistent problem in your office, contact us to speak with an expert.