The other day, I spent five minutes amid a circling halo of fruit flies, searching my hanging basket for the culprit. It turned out to be a rotting baby potato hidden amongst the fresh ones.

Here are six ways to keep them away. Fruit flies aren't a fan of clean surfaces, so make sure to wipe away crumbs ... The mist will kill them, and they can then be wiped away with a damp cloth.

Read more: Keep Bugs Out of Your Kitchen With These Common Houseplants Thankfully, there are ways to kick fruit ... the counter will also make it harder for the fruit flies to find them.