How to Safeguard Your Kitchen Pantry From Pests

Your kitchen pantry plays a vital function at the heart of your home to safely store food, beverages, and other supplies for your family’s daily nutritional needs. Unfortunately, this area can also be a mecca for unwanted pests. The most common types of pantry bugs are beetles, fruit flies, ants, roaches, grain mites, and weevils. Although these pests are not harmful, it can be quite unsettling to know that they are roaming around in your pantry.

The following tips can help keep your family’s food safe from critters and give you peace of mind.

• Clean up food crumbs, spills, and other sticky messes right away
• Inspect food packaging for damages
• Store foods like flour, grains & cereals in airtight containers
• Keep your pantry organized
• Monitor your pantry’s temperature and humidity levels
• Remove any rotten or moldy food to combat invisible pests
• Repair cracked windows or walls
• Have a regular pantry cleaning schedule

Read on to learn more about how to keep your pantry free from unwanted pests.

Your pantry may have a mix of dishware, cookware, beverages, perishable, and non-perishable food items. Make sure that any dish or cookware has been thoroughly washed and is free from caked-on residue that may have been left behind by the dishwasher. 

Also, try to clean up messes as soon as they happen. Bugs such as ants have a keen sense of smell and can detect sugar quickly. Sweep or vacuum up any traces of food crumbs, using a damp cloth with mild detergent or vinegar and water, wipe down any beverage or sticky syrupy spills on the spot.

Thoroughly inspect packaged food items at the grocery store for damages before purchasing. You don’t want to accidentally bring home an already infested product.

At home, check that any food stored in plastic bags or cardboard boxes is free from punctures, holes, or other imperfections. These packaging defects can not only spoil food quicker but also allow entry for bugs. 

Cardboard, paper containers, and even plastic cereal or potato chip bags are not the best choices for a bug-free pantry. When possible, store foods in plastic or glass containers with tight-fitting lids such as a mason jar. These types of containers can help keep food fresher over time as well as deter insects from invading your food supply.

Humans are not the only ones with a sweet tooth. According to Today I’m Home, the primary reason insects are attracted to sugar is that it is a “calorie-dense food that is a good source of energy.”  Make sure you seal sweeteners and other sugary foods like breakfast cereal in airtight containers.

One of the best ways to keep your kitchen pantry free from pests is to keep it organized. A well-coordinated pantry is not only visually appealing but it can also help you keep track of your food supply so you know what to use first, what’s about to expire, and prevent you from overbuying goods. 

Organizing your pantry is a lot easier than you think. You don’t have to waste an entire weekend taking on this project. Instead, start small by working on one section each day. Try organizing shelved items by type or size or whatever works best for your family.

If you spot a bug-infested food item in your pantry, dispose of it immediately! You may want to consider getting rid of other opened food items in your pantry as well. There’s a good chance your surrounding food could become a potential feeding spot for pests.

Try keeping your kitchen pantry at a cooler temperature range to deter bugs. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics maintaining an indoor temperature of no more than 70 degrees will help maintain the quality of your food and decrease the likelihood that pests will venture into that area.

Grain mites can range from light brown to almost clear in appearance. At only 0.3mm or an eighth of an inch in length, they can be difficult to see with the naked eye. Homeguides.sfgate.com notes that they love warm, humid places and are commonly found in pancake mixes, other flour-based mixes, and cereals.

Be mindful that open doors and windows can let bugs into your house. A kitchen pantry that has cracks or holes in the wall can provide a lair or nesting area for insects. If your pantry has a window, inspect its seal for gaps that can be an entry point for pests.

Like body hygiene, your kitchen pantry’s hygiene is important and should be regularly tended to. To keep pests at bay, make sure your pantry gets routine cleanings. Create a schedule to help you stay on track. Here is an example of a pantry cleaning task list that you can use on a weekly, monthly, yearly or seasonal basis:

• Weekly 
•  Check the status of perishable items and what needs to be used first 
• Monthly 
• Search for expired foods 
• Wipe down shelves and mop or vacuum floors 
• 6 months to 1 year 
• Inspect the purity of non-perishable items and make sure bags or boxes of food do not have holes.
• Perform a thorough cleaning of shelves and floors
• Make sure any wall cracks are filled and windows are sealed

There are several ways to prevent pests in your kitchen pantry. The recurring theme to keep critters at bay is cleanliness and organization. Keeping your pantry tidy and in order can not only help save money on food damages, but it can provide peace of mind knowing that your family’s food is safe.

Sources

• https://www.todayimhome.com/post/why-are-ants-attracted-to-sugar
• https://www.eatright.org/homefoodsafety/four-steps/refrigerate/food-storage-safety-tips-for-the-cupboard