How to Manage Fruit Flies in your Bar

Fruit flies are not a sign of a pest problem, they are a sign of a cleanliness problem. These tiny bugs are attracted to moisture, overripe produce, and fermenting sugars. This means that one of the most common areas for a restaurant to experience a fruit fly outbreak is their bar.

Let’s take a moment to think about different places that fruit flies could be attracted to… Soda nozzles or pour spouts, alcohol spills, open fruit or syrup, damp mops or sponges, sink drains, soaked bar mats, drip trays, trash cans, and the list goes on. This may sound daunting, but the easiest way to get ahead of the problem is through detailed cleaning and properly training your staff on how to clean. Here are some tips and tricks on how to make sure your cleaning regime keeps the fruit flies at bay:

• Make sure everything stays clean and dry

  • Sounds obvious, right? But it’s important to remember that fruit flies can breed in as little as just a moist film of liquid. Walls, floors, mats, tables, chairs, equipment… all of it should be routinely cleaned and wiped down, especially if anything sticky or wet spills!

• Don’t leave liquids out

  • Make sure liquor bottles, syrups, and any other open containers are properly sealed and stored at the end of every day. Wipe down taps and even cover them if possible to ensure clean drip trays overnight. Even ensuring that sinks are rinsed out and dried and that ice wells are clear overnight can help to prevent the breeding of fruit flies!

• Take out the trash

  • Fruit flies are attracted to the smell of decay and fermentation, so it is important to take out organic trash often so that the flies don’t have time to eat and breed. It is also important to wash your trash cans routinely, to make sure than any residue or leaks are cleaned up from the bottom of the can.

Need some extra help staying clean? Fikes of Minnesota is here for you! We offer a variety of products and services to help you stay clean and free of flies!

• Premium Care Service: This is a deep clean for floors and walls that can be done in your bar areas as well as restrooms or even entryways.

• Drain Treatment Service: This is an add-on service for weekly or monthly services where we use an enzymatic compound in your sinks and/or floor drains to clear build-up and odors. We also offer several drain treatment products for sale on our catalog!

• Mat Service: Another add-on service for weekly or monthly services. We offer different restroom mats as well as mats for entryways or bars. With a mat service, we will change out the mats for you, or you can also purchase the mats through our catalog!

• Bar Products & Cleaners

  • Soda Nozzle Defender, Beer Tap Defender, Beverage Tray Defender, Bar Glass Cleaner, Steramine, Pot & Pan Cleaner, Degreaser, Stainless Steel Cleaner

    • All of these and more can be purchased through our catalog!

Whether you just need the products to do it yourself, or you want a little extra help with our routine services, Fikes of Minnesota has your back!

Click Here for Our Catalog!

Sources

Stocks, Jackie. “Fruit Flies at Your Bar – Why You Need to Get Rid of Them and How.” deBugged, 15 July 2019, www.rentokil.co.uk/blog/fruit-flies-at-your-bar-why-you-need-to-get-rid-them-and-how/.

Wood, Harry. “What Causes Fruit Fly Infestations in Restaurants? (2026 UK Guide).” deBugged, 19 May 2026, www.rentokil.co.uk/blog/what-causes-fruit-fly-infestations-in-restaurants-2026-uk-guide/.