How to Get Rid of Pantry Bugs

You open your kitchen cabinet to grab some flour, and there they are: Tiny bugs crawling around your food. It's not a fun surprise, but don't worry. Pantry bugs are a common problem that is easy to solve.

In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to get rid of pantry pests and keep them from coming back. Let's get your kitchen bug-free again!

What Are Pantry Bugs and Where Do They Come From?

Pantry bugs are small insects that love to live in your dry foods. The most common types include:

• Weevils
• Pantry moths (including Indian meal moths)
• Flour beetles
• Tiny ants

Pantry pests often come home with you from the store, hiding as tiny eggs you can’t see in food packages you’ve purchased. They can also sneak into your pantry through small cracks or open containers. Once they find a reliable food source such as flour, cereal, rice, or pasta, they settle in and begin to multiply.

The good news is that these bugs won't hurt you if you accidentally eat one. They're not dangerous to people or pets, but they can ruin your food and make a mess in your kitchen.

Signs You Have Pantry Pests in Your Kitchen

Before you learn how to get rid of bugs in the kitchen, let’s talk about the signs that you have them in the first place. Some of the most obvious signs include:

• Live bugs crawling around inside your cupboards, on your shelves, or on your kitchen counter
• Small flying moths near your pantry or around your kitchen lights at night
• Tiny holes in bags or boxes of food
• Thin webbing inside containers of flour, cereal, and grains
• Small worms or larvae crawling in your food
• Tiny cocoons stuck to the sides of containers and shelves

The sooner you learn how to remove insects from kitchen spaces, the easier it will be to get your pantry back to normal.

How to Get Rid of Pantry Bugs: A Step-by-Step Guide

Flour bugs, also called flour beetles and weevils, are some of the most common pantry pests. Unlike the name suggests, they don’t just live in your flour. They can also be found in bags of rice, pasta, cereal, oatmeal, and even birdseed if you keep it in your kitchen.

Getting rid of pantry bugs takes some work, but following these steps will help you win the battle against these pests.

Step 1: Empty Your Pantry Completely

Take out every box, bag, and container from your pantry and cupboards. Put everything on your kitchen counter or table.

Step 2: Throw Away Infested Food

Look carefully at each food item, checking inside packages for bugs, larvae, or webbing. If you find any signs of pests, put them in a sealed plastic bag and throw them away in your outdoor garbage can. One helpful trick is to freeze any food you're not sure about. If a package looks fine but you want to be extra careful, put it in your freezer for at least four days. The cold temperature will kill any eggs or bugs that might be hiding inside. After freezing, you can transfer the food to a clean, airtight container.

Step 3: Deep Clean Shelves and Corners

Now that your pantry is empty, it's time for a deep clean. Wipe down every shelf with warm, soapy water, paying special attention to corners, cracks, and the spots where shelves meet the walls.

Step 4: Vacuum Cracks and Crevices

Use your vacuum cleaner with a hose attachment to vacuum the pantry floor and reach into small cracks and crevices. This helps remove any hidden eggs or larvae.

Step 5: Wipe Down with Vinegar or Mild Cleaner

After everything is clean and dry, wipe down all surfaces one more time with white vinegar or a mild cleaning spray to make sure any remaining pests or eggs are gone. Let everything dry completely before putting food back.

Preventing Pantry Bugs from Coming Back

Getting rid of pantry bugs is one thing, but making sure they don’t come back is another. Taking steps toward prevention is much easier than dealing with another infestation.

Follow these steps to prevent flying insects and pantry bugs from invading your kitchen in the first place:

• Store your dry foods in airtight containers made of glass, hard plastic, or metal.
• Always inspect packages before buying them.
• Check dates and choose the freshest products possible.
• Rotate your pantry items regularly and discard dry goods you’ve had for a while.

Bugs are attracted to crumbs and moisture, so a clean pantry is your best defense. Keep it clean and dry at all times, wiping up any spills right away and sweeping and vacuuming regularly.

You can also use pantry pest traps to monitor for any new bug activity. These traps can catch problems early before they get out of control.

Why Catchmaster® Is a Smart Choice for Pantry Pest Control

When you want to have a pest-free pantry, having the right tools makes all the difference. Catchmaster offers simple, effective, and non-toxic solutions for pantry pest control that work with your cleaning efforts.

Just place them on your pantry shelves or in your cupboards, and they go to work right away. They help you catch any bugs you might have missed during cleaning and also serve as an early warning system. If you start seeing bugs on the traps, it's time to check your food again.

The best part? Our traps are completely non-toxic, which means they're safe to use around your food, your family, and your pets.

Ready to protect your pantry? Explore our line of practical products and become a Catchmaster today!