Six Methods for Preventing Pests in Your Kitchen Pantry

To protect against kitchen pantry pests, you must know who will most likely make a meal out of your food. Cockroaches are at the top of everyone’s watch list, according to WebMD.com. Not only do these infiltrators damage packages and eat your food, but they also carry diseases that can cause you and your family to become ill.

While mice and cockroaches are the first ones you may think of, they are hardly the only ones to watch out for. Other problem pests include:

• Beetles 
• Indian Meal Moths 
• Fruit flies 
• Ants

These pests are attracted most often to dry cereals, candies, spices, and flour. Ants are often attracted by any crumb left lying around, but they particularly like sweet treats. Moths enjoy dried items such as seeds and grains.  Beetles enjoy cake mixes, chocolates, and cookies. Fruit flies, as the name implies, are attracted to the yeast produced by fermenting fruit.

One of the ways pests can invade your kitchen pantry is through the groceries you buy. When you buy a contaminated bag, you bring those bugs into your home without knowing. They can then quickly invade your pantry before you realize they were there in the first place.

When you are shopping at the store, Chowhound recommends taking a couple extra minutes to inspect packages before putting them in your buggy. Any that look like they may have damage could have pests, so don’t buy them.

When you are adding recent purchases to your pantry, check other items for signs of damage. This could be one of your first indications that pests are roaming free in your kitchen.

Keeping pantry staples in their original packaging may not protect the contents from invading pests. To mitigate this, you might consider decanting the contents into containers. Plastic and glass containers offer additional protection against pests that may have chewed through boxes and bags. They also help trap the smell better, therefore not attracting the vermin that like to help themselves.

When possible, buy food already in plastic or glass containers. Items already packaged like this means you don’t have to change the packaging when you get home.



Foods like cereals, rice, grains, and chips can be transferred into containers when you get them home. Invest in good quality clear containers so you can easily see what is inside. The higher quality containers will keep you from having to replace them often.

Whatever food storage method you choose, make sure the containers are airtight. Even the slightest gap can alert pests to the stores in your home. They can then use this gap to infiltrate your supplies and lead to a potential infestation.

Go through your kitchen pantry regularly to inspect the contents. Inspecting your pantry periodically throughout the year will allow you to see what you have and check for any potential pest problems. The sooner you spot a problem, the sooner you can get it under control.

If you haven’t already invested in storage containers, this might be the time to assess what you need and gather the necessary supplies. If you do already have containers, take the opportunity to check for weaknesses in the seals. Containers that do not form an airtight seal or are beginning to show wear signs should be replaced.

During your inspection, Food52.com suggests gathering all expired food and throwing them out. While most pantry items are ‘non-perishable,’ they can lose their flavor or go bad over time. Expired items could make you sick if you ingest them. The longer they are in your pantry, the more likely they are to attract pests.

Fresh fruit doesn’t necessarily need to be stored in the fridge. Having a bowl for your fruits sitting out or in the pantry is a great way to remind the family to make healthy options. It doesn’t hurt that a bowl of fresh fruits adds to the décor.

While it’s nice to have fresh fruit within reach, you must check it regularly. As fruit breaks down, it begins to ferment. This process attracts pests, mainly fruit flies, into your home. Fruit flies reproduce at a fast rate. It won’t take long for your house to become overwhelmed with flies.



When at all possible, keep your fresh fruit in the refrigerator. Not only does the cooler temperature help keep your food fresh a little longer, but it also prevents flies from getting to them.

The most important way to keep pests out of your kitchen pantry is to keep it clean. Make wiping down the shelves and outside of the containers part of your daily and weekly routine. Sweep the floors regularly to keep crumbs from attracting ants, mice, and other pests. If you have drawers or bins in your pantry, make sure to wipe them out and dispose of any crumbs. Always wash empty containers before next use.

Cleaning your pantry and kitchen goes a long way to keep the pests out and your food untainted. Grit.com explains that during cleaning, you have the perfect opportunity to check containers for damage and to collect all expired packages.



While in your kitchen pantry, it is also an excellent time to check for entry points that pests may find. Mice can squeeze through surprisingly small holes to get to a food source. Ants and fruit flies don’t need a large opening either to make their way inside. Patch any gaps you may find and glue or caulk any cracks to prevent an infestation.

Pests don’t have the run of your kitchen pantry. With proper inspection, storage, and cleaning, you can mitigate the infiltration. Don’t forget to toss any expired food. Overripe fruits should also be tossed before fruit flies become a problem. When possible, store items like fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator. Knowing how pests come into your home and what attracts them can help you make the right prevention choices.

Sources

• https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/ss/slideshow-common-pantry-pests
• https://www.chowhound.com/food-news/199914/how-to-prevent-and-get-rid-of-pantry-bugs-mice-and-other-pests/
• https://food52.com/blog/23754-kitchen-bugs-pantry-pests-prevention-tips
• https://www.grit.com/farm-and-garden/pests/7-tips-for-keeping-bugs-out-of-your-pantry-zb0z1906