When you find tiny brown critters crawling in the flour you meant to use to bake chocolate muffins, or cookies you have been dreaming of, your first reaction might be to call a pest control company. However, the use of pesticides around food storage and preparation areas may not be safe. Fortunately, bugs that feed on flour do not carry diseases and isolated cases are fairly easy to handle.
Tips to Get Rid of the Pantry Bugs
Stored foods are commonly infested due to various reasons. At times, even the products you buy are already contaminated with all sorts of insects, or SPIs (stored-product insects). Besides flour, these are also found in cereals, grains, processed foods, dried fruits and nuts, and spices. Therefore, it is always better to check such items as soon as you open them at home and return them immediately.
Here are some steps that you can take to eliminate these pesky bugs from your pantry for good:
Inspect the Pantry Thoroughly
Make sure that the flour is the only product that is contaminated by inspecting the pantry, kitchen cupboards, and all stored food packages for signs of infestation. Do not overlook unopened packages, as the bugs can chew through cardboard and foil.
Get Rid of the Infested Food
Throw all the infested food in the trash. If you are unsure about a stored product, throw it away anyway. There is no point in risking the reappearance of the bugs.
Secure the Clean Food Items
Transfer all food products that appear to be free from infestation into glass, plastic, or metal containers with tight-fitting lids. This will keep the food safe from future contamination.
Clean the Pantry
Conduct a thorough cleaning of the pantry. First, vacuum the pantry completely and pay special attention to nooks and crannies where flour or other grain-based products might have accumulated. Next, wipe down all the surfaces with soap and water. Alternatively, hire a professional to take care of it for you. You can check out the ServiceMarket website to book a deep cleaning service from a list of reliable cleaning companies.
Examine the Newly Bought Food Items
Most products that become infested with bugs already contain a minor infestation when you buy them from the market. This is because female bugs lay eggs in crop kernels, which sometimes survive the milling process. So, make sure to check everything for possible contamination.
Freeze Them to Death
Store any grain-based products that you buy in the future in the freezer for about a week, before storing it properly. The cold will kill any bugs that might be living in it.
Buy Small Quantities
Buy food in small quantities that you can use within two to three months. Stored products that can be found gathering dust at the back of cabinets are usually a good source of infestation.
Avoid Mixing New with Old
Refrain from mixing new food products with the old. This will keep any infestation that may be present confined to the original source.
Keep the Area Dry
Moisture is one of the main causes of infestation, as it creates an ideal environment for breeding. So, make sure your pantry area and the storage containers are completely dry.
Maintain a Clean Home Environment
Clean up any food spills in your home immediately. You can also hire a regular maid to make sure that everything is always kept spotless and sanitized. This will ensure that there is no food source for any bugs that you might have missed.
Takeaway
After applying these steps, regular inspection and cleaning will keep your home bug-free. If the bugs reappear in the pantry, there is a possibility that the cleaning you did may have been inadequate. Or, you may be dealing with something other than a typical flour bug. In that case, you should hire a professional to take care of the situation. To do that, you can visit the ServiceMarket website and book a licensed and experienced pest control service that will ensure the complete elimination of all sorts of pests and bugs.
