How to get rid of pantry moths
If you see a small moth flying about near your pantry, or something wriggling on your flour, chances are you have a whole load of pantry moths living with you.
This doesn’t mean that it’s because you keep your kitchen too messy. In fact, most pantry moths come into our homes from food that we buy at the supermarket.
They tend to live in packets of flour, rice or cereal, and usually make their way in when the packs are not properly sealed.
A pantry moth can live anywhere from 30 to 300 days, depending on the conditions. Lots of food and warm weather helps them to live longer. While the adult moths only live for one to two weeks, the female moth can lay 400 eggs in that short time so you may feel as though they never go away.
So if you want to get rid of them for good, read on.
Step 1
First you need to identify the critters. You’ll either see a small moth about 2cm in size, or little white maggots wriggling in your packets. You might also seem some fine silky webs on the corners of your food packets.
Step 2
Remove everything from your pantry and check inside it. Bin anything that is suspect, especially dry foods and flours. Even if it looks OK the eggs may be hiding inside.
Step 3
Do a thorough cleaning of your pantry cupboard, cleaning all of the shelves. Use hot soapy water and antibacterial spray. Check in corners as this might be where small larvae are hiding in cocoons.
Step 4
Wash all of the containers that you use to hold dry goods. Use very hot water and dry well before refilling.
Step 5
You can buy traps from the supermarket that contain sticky pheromones to trap any further insects. This way you will see if you have been reinfested, and you can start the process again. Another tip to keep the bugs away is to tie up a bunch of fresh bay leaves in the pantry.
Have you had an infestation at your house? Share your story and let us know how you got rid of them.
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The simple trick to organise plastic bags
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