Tips to Keep Pantry Pests Away

Jan 19, 2022 | Pest Control

With warm weather here, it’s the perfect time to do some spring cleaning. A great place to start is your kitchen pantry. Pantry pests tend to be less obvious than other common household pests. You might not see or notice them until there’s an infestation or when they leave the food source to fly into other areas of your home.

The good news is that pantry pests don’t cause any structural damage to your home and don’t pose much of a threat to people or pets. However, they can penetrate carboard and plastic, leaving your goods vulnerable to infestations. Once a good source is affected, the pests multiply rapidly and will most likely spread to other food items if not found and controlled immediately.

How to Detect Pantry Pests

You will most likely notice pantry pests when they leave the food source and go to other areas of your home. You might see small beetle-like pests in cabinets or moths flying in the kitchen. If you suspect pantry pests, inspect your dried food immediately, throw out anything infested, and do a thorough cleaning of the entire area.

How to Prevent Pantry Pests

• Properly store food items, including pet food, in tightly sealed containers, preferably with plastic or glass.
• Buy dried foods in quantities that can be used up in 2 to 4 months.
• Use up your older products before your newer ones.
• Keep your pantry clean of food debris.
• Wipe down shelves and floors regularly.
• Thoroughly clean cracks and corners of cupboards and doors with a vacuum cleaner.
• Inspect all packages before buying them or bringing them home.

If you spot any pantry pests, it’s recommended to contact a pest control company so the pests can be properly identified. A pest professional will locate the pests, eliminate them, and provide suggestions on how to prevent a reoccurrence in the future.