4 Effortless Tips for Preventing Pests in the Kitchen Pantry


Lisa Rivera • Jan 19, 2022
4 Effortless Tips for Preventing Pests in the Kitchen Pantry

Preventing pests in the kitchen pantry is a matter of understanding why critters are attracted to the area in the first place, then taking steps to make it less attractive.

The kitchen pantry is an essential part of your home, as it stores a majority of your food items and cooking ingredients. To keep its contents from going bad, it's purposely positioned out of direct sunlight. Both of these factors can make it prone to an attack.

There are some simple practices you can follow to prevent pests from targeting your pantry, such as:

  • Inspecting all items before stocking them
  • Setting regular cleaning schedules
  • Switching to resealable airtight containers
  • Using insect-repelling herbs

Keep reading to learn more about the common pests you might find in the pantry as well as how to keep them far, far away.


Common Preventable Pests In the Pantry

Moths

Planet Natural Research Center names the Indianmeal Moth as one of the most troublesome pantry pests. It, like most moths, is attracted to cereal products, whole grains, dried fruits, pet foods, and other dry goods.

Cockroaches

Roaches multiply quickly and are very resilient, making them very difficult to manage. They are attracted to the smell of rotted food and trash, and they'll also make their home among cardboard boxes.

Ants

There are two major types of ants that infest homes: those that are attracted to sugar and those that are attracted to protein. When any type of ant finds a source of food, it will leave a scent trail, causing more ants of its colony to appear.

Beetles and Weevils

There are a lot of different kinds of beetles and weevils that can infest your food stock—and when they do, you'll have to consider the entire batch spoiled. The most common types of beetles and weevils are attracted to grains, flour, and most other dry goods. Many species are capable of making holes in your packages, allowing them to burrow in and infest your food.

Rodents

Mice and rats are major pests that multiply rapidly and can cause serious property damage. They gnaw through almost anything just to get to a food source. If you have rodents in your pantry, then you’ve got a major infestation on your hands.


Practices to Prevent Pests in Your Kitchen Pantry

Given what these pests are attracted to, it’s quite simple to see how to prevent them from finding your food stock—make your food inaccessible to them! That said, here are four practices that will keep your kitchen pantry safe from pests:

Inspect Items Before Stocking

When you get home from a shopping trip, you may be tempted to simply toss everything in your pantry. After all, it's supposed to be brand new.

Unfortunately, this is not always the case—sometimes, you’ll get an item with frayed packaging, a dent on its side, or a torn opening. You may even get items that are already infested with insects.

A simple visual inspection can already save you a lot of trouble. Avoid packed items with torn or otherwise damaged packaging. Such products may have pest eggs inside them, and bringing them into your pantry will put your other items at risk as well.

Switch to Resealable Airtight Containers

Packed items are generally sealed tight to prevent them from going bad or getting infested—but when you’ve already opened them, they’re at the mercy of the elements. Besides that, the average packaging material can still be penetrated by more aggressive pests.

To prevent that, you should invest in resealable airtight containers. These will seal an item fully, keeping inside the smells that might attract insects while also prolonging its freshness. Such containers are also more durable than most plastic and paper packaging, further preventing more pests from gnawing their way into your food.

Set a Cleaning Schedule

A majority of pests are attracted to the scent of food—and the smell becomes even more pungent when it rots. The simple act of cleaning up right after you make a mess can reduce your risk of attracting pests.

Beyond simply cleaning surfaces, however, setting a regular cleaning schedule to clear out your pantry is a must as well. Doing so won’t just erase scent trails and clear out food debris but it also gives you a prime opportunity to rearrange your pantry and toss out the unused and expired goods. Expired food items aren’t just dangerous to you—these are also highly attractive for pests like cockroaches or even rodents.

If you're a bit lost on how to accomplish this task, check out this quick guide on organizing a messy kitchen pantry. This will keep everything neat and tidy while also limiting the waste of forgotten food items.

Use Insect-Repelling Herbs

As stated, odors are what attract most pests, so another method is to replace that “attractive” smell with something repulsive to pests.

Some herbs are natural pest repellants that can also leave your pantry smelling great! Try sprinkling the area with basil, bay leaves, lavender, mint, and rosemary.


Conclusion

When it comes to insects, preventing an infestation is much easier than eradicating one. By following the simple practices stated above, you’ll be able to prevent pests in the pantry, saving yourself money, time, and stress.

Sources:

CONTACT INFO

Mailing Address

22 S Newberry Way, 

Nampa, ID 83651

Showroom

1229 N Midland Blvd.

Nampa, ID 83651

(By Appointment Only)

Phone

(208) 203-7171

SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION

Contact us, and we will come out and discuss your project free of charge.

Schedule Consultation
Share by: