How to Get Rid of Pantry Bugs: A Comprehensive Guide

Insects invaded your pantry? While pests in your kitchen are an irritating (and stomach-churning) sight to behold, the good news is that you can remedy the issue easily with a few simple methods. To learn how to get rid of pantry bugs (and keep them from coming back), follow these tips.

Why Do I Have Pantry Bugs in My Home?

Pantries and cupboards are ideal hiding spots for all kinds of bugs, including beetles, weevils, and moths. That’s because these places contain a variety of nutritious food sources—like flour, rice, cereal, nuts, dried fruits, sugars, herbs, and spices. Pantries are also safer and warmer than the outdoors, so they’re perfect for pests to curl up, nap, or lay eggs.

Some of the most common pantry bugs (also known as cabinet bugs) include:

• Indian meal moths 

• Sawtoothed grain beetles 

• Drugstore beetles

• Flour beetles

• Rice weevils

• Maize weevils

• Bean weevils

How to Identify Pantry Bugs

So, where do pantry bugs come from? If these pests are crawling or flying around your kitchen, it isn’t necessarily because your home is dirty. In fact, the bugs will sometimes hitchhike home with you in the packaged products you buy from the store. As a result, you might not even realize you have an infestation until you spot a pantry bug crawling through a bag of flour or a box of cereal.

Here are some telltale signs of a kitchen bug problem:

• Visible bugs in or near food

• Pests on window sills or kitchen counters

• Tiny moths flying around your kitchen

• Small bugs or caterpillars near your pantry

• Silk webbing around your food

How to Get Rid of Pantry Bugs

To clear up a pantry bug infestation, it’s safest to throw away the affected food items and thoroughly clean your pantry. However, there are a couple of alternatives for food items that haven’t been directly contaminated with bugs.

Throw Away the Contaminated Food

This is the most effective and only sure way to get rid of pantry bugs. If you see bugs inside any of the food items in your pantry, here are the steps to follow:

1. Remove everything from your pantry, including non-food items.

2. Inspect inside and around each item, looking for beetles, moths, caterpillars, and other pests.

3. If you find any bugs, throw away the entire package.

4. Vacuum the pantry shelves with a handheld vacuum or brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner. Pay extra attention to any corners and crevices where pests could be hiding.

5. Clean your pantry shelves with dish soap and warm water. Don’t use bleach, ammonia, pesticides, or other harsh chemicals, which could be dangerous if mixed with your food. (Plus, they won’t prevent future pest infestations.)

6. Use the dish soap and warm water to clean any food storage containers.

7. Combine equal parts water and distilled vinegar and use this solution to clean the shelves again. This should remove any leftover bug residue and prevent pests from returning.

8. Tie the trash bag with the infested items and throw it away in your outdoor garbage can.

9. Wash your kitchen trash the same way you cleaned your pantry shelves (including with the vinegar solution).

10. Place your food items into containers you can fully seal, like plastic bins and zipper-lock bags.

11. Restock your pantry.

Freeze the Food

If you have an infestation of pantry bugs but have some food that appears uninfested, you can freeze it to be safe and kill any potential larvae that you may not be able to see. Here’s how:

1. Put the food in durable, sealable plastic bags. 

2. Place the bags in the freezer. It should be set to (or below) 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Freeze the bags for at least four days.

4. While the bags are in the freezer, clean your pantry following the steps outlined above.

5. Inspect the bags for bugs after freezing. If you see bugs, you should throw the food out.

Heat the Food

Depending on the type of food, you may be able to heat it up to eliminate contamination risk as long as there are no bugs—dead or alive—visible inside the food. However, you should consider this as a last resort because this method can affect food you need to cook later (like rice or beans). The process is simple:

1. Spread the contaminated food on a cookie sheet or shallow dish.

2. Put the cookie sheet or dish into the oven at 130 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 30 minutes.

3. In the meantime, clean the pantry according to the steps listed above.

4. Check the food for dead bugs. If you find any, throw the food out.

How to Prevent Pantry Bugs

After going through the hassle of throwing out your contaminated food and cleaning your pantry, the last thing you want is another infestation. These tips can help prevent the bugs from returning.

1. Inspect Store-Bought Goods

It isn’t always easy to figure out if there are bugs in items you buy from the store, but it’s worth examining all packaging before making a purchase. Check again when you get home, paying careful attention to produce. Fruits and vegetables are known to harbor bugs, which can easily migrate to your pantry-bound items.

2. Keep Your Kitchen Clean

Food particles can attract bugs, so keeping your kitchen clean is essential for preventing bugs from setting up shop in your pantry (again). This means wiping up spills and clearing away crumbs right away.

3. Don’t Buy More Food Than You Need

While bulk-buying can be a good way to save money, storing large quantities of dry goods can also lure pests into your pantry. If possible, try to purchase certain pantry staples—like sugar and flour—in smaller quantities. Always store your food in air-tight containers. 

4. Look for Cracks and Holes Around Your Home

Bugs can enter your house through cracks, holes, and other openings—especially in the area around your pantry. If you notice any gaps in this area, seal them with caulk (or a caulk alternative, like sealant tape).

5. Close Doors and Windows

Fresh air might feel great, but leaving your doors and windows open can encourage pests to come into your home. To reduce this risk, call a local window pro or screen door pro to install screens on all of your doors and windows. 

6. Use Bug Traps

You don’t need to use pesticides to kill pantry bugs. Instead, you can set up a glue trap inside your pantry to lure pests away from your food. These traps can be particularly helpful if you notice that your home tends to attract a lot of bugs during the summer.

Keep in mind: There are many popular pest control products on the market, including boric acid and diatomaceous earth. However, these types of treatments shouldn’t go in your pantry because they contain chemicals that can be dangerous if consumed or inhaled.

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro

Banishing bugs from your pantry is one of the more DIY-friendly pest problems to resolve. However, if you have a severe infestation or you’ve tried the steps outlined above but the bugs keep coming back, you should recruit a local exterminator.

If you hire a pro, your extermination costs will depend on the size and severity of the problem. But let’s say you’re dealing with a small problem (like most pantry bug infestations). In that case, your pest control costs would likely range from $100 to $500.