Many of us know the frustration of fruit flies. Even leaving a banana out for slightly too long can lead to an infestation of the annoying little bugs that can overtake your kitchen.  

But a woman took to TikTok to share an ingenious and cost-effective hack for battling fruit flies. 

The scoop

In the video, Tressie Amann (@tressie.amann) shows how she used an old, empty spice container, vinegar, and soap to create a trap for the fruit flies. She captioned the video: "Fruit flies got out of hand last night, so I made this quick trap — just apple cider vinegar, a drop of soap, and an empty spice jar."

@tressie.amann Fruit flies got out of hand last night, so I made this quick trap—just apple cider vinegar, a drop of soap, and an empty spice jar. The shaker lid works perfectly—no foil or plastic wrap needed. #kitchenhack #homesteadlife #cozykitchen #simplejoys #fruitflies ♬ original sound - Randy Rogers

How it's helping

Hacks like these are extremely helpful for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, they save homeowners money. Instead of buying costly traps or hiring an exterminator that might use harmful chemicals, people can fight the bugs using what they already have around the house. 

And this is only one of many helpful hacks available on the Internet that offer second lives to your empty spice jars.

One influencer demonstrated how to clean and restore a jar to be used as a toothpick or match holder, a tiny vase, a gut shot, a herb garden, or even a vessel for custom spice mixtures. An amateur gardener also demonstrated that they are the perfect containers to store seeds.

Of course, there are plenty of helpful home hacks that have nothing to do with spice jars. For instance, another TikToker demonstrated that leaving orange peels around the kitchen neutralized strong cooking smells. 

There are many different ways to save money and protect the environment by using items you already have at home in clever ways. Repurposing containers and packaging for different uses in this way keeps items out of our already overcrowded landfills and prevents them from polluting our oceans.

It is always good to know the recycling options in your community. And there are plenty of organizations and companies that will reward you for decluttering and organizing your house while saving money and protecting the environment. 

What everyone's saying

Commenters on the video were impressed by the ingenuity.

Do you worry about the quality of the air inside your home? Yes — often 😬 Yes — but only sometimes 😕 Only when it's bad outside 😮‍💨 No — I never do 😌 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"Using a spice jar is so smart," one said.

Another added: "I do this every time I go away." 

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