How to Get Rid of Pantry Bugs: Step-by-Step Guide

After finding a beetle or two in the bag of flour in your pantry, your first thought is likely how do I get rid of pantry bugs? Depending on the pest and the size of the problem, you can likely take care of the issue yourself. Once you identify the pantry invader, you use these tips to banish the kitchen bugs and keep your space clean.

Why Are There Bugs in My Pantry?

Bugs love pantry foods because it’s a source of nutrition and a safe spot, warmer than the outdoors, and perfect for curling up to nap or lay eggs. And once they start searching indoors, insects excel at tracking down food sources, especially starches like flour, cereals, crackers, and other snacks. Others will happily feast on dried fruits, nuts, open sweets or sugars, even long-term storage items like uncooked rice and beans. Unexpected sources like teas and spices can also draw in annoying pests.

Common Pantry Bugs

Stay vigilant for signs of these bugs frequently found in pantries and cupboards:

• Indian meal moths 

• Meal moths/Mealworms 

• Sawtoothed grain beetles 

• Flour beetles

• Warehouse beetles 

• Cabinet beetles 

• Granary weevils 

• Rice weevils 

• Maize weevils 

• Bean weevils 

• Lesser grain borers

Signs of Bugs in Your Pantry

Until you see your first crawling bug in the sugar or box of linguine, you may not know insects have found a way inside. Even worse, many can sneak their way into your pantry in the product bags and boxes from the store. Look for these telltale signs of a pantry bug infestation:

• Visibly found in or near food

• Bugs on kitchen counters or window sills

• Small moths fluttering in your kitchen 

• Small bugs or caterpillars (a growth stage for moth pests) crawling on your walls near the pantry

• Remnants of silk webbing near your food.

From egg to adult, these species may linger in your pantry goods. They can also spread out from one contaminated source to infest other foods you may be keeping. That’s why it’s important to handle the problem swiftly with our steps below.

How to Get Rid of Pantry Bugs With At-Home Solutions

Fortunately pantry pests, although unpleasant, tend to stay localized in one spot. They’re here for the food and aren’t interested in colonizing your house like fast-breeding termites or cockroaches. A thorough DIY project is often enough to get rid of them: Follow our steps below for how to get rid of pantry bugs.

1. Remove Everything From Your Pantry

It’s not easy to tell where bugs are hiding. Clear off your counters, then take everything (even non-food items) out of your pantry for inspection.

2. Throw Away Infested Pantry Goods

Inspect each item from your pantry and check for signs of moths, caterpillars, tiny beetles, and other common pests. Take your time and look at everything, not just open packages or bags. If you find any evidence of bugs, throw the package and its contents away.

If you don’t see any bugs but want (and need) reassurance, pour the food onto a baking sheet and use a flashlight to check for more pests to confirm only one item was infected. Use the flashlight to examine other items that you were storing in the pantry aside from food sources.

3. Vacuum Pantry Shelves

Use a handheld vacuum or the brush attachment of a traditional vacuum cleaner to deep clean your pantry shelves. Be sure to suck up any dead bugs, crumbs, and dirt, and pay special attention to the corners and crevices of the shelving.

4. Wash Pantry Shelves

Wash all of your pantry’s surfaces with dish soap and warm water. Don’t use any harmful chemicals like bleach, ammonia, or pesticides. They can’t prevent future pest infestations, plus they can be dangerous if mixed with your food. You should also wash off and wipe down any food storage containers during this step.

Then, mix equal parts distilled vinegar and water and use that solution to further clean the shelves. This solution will kill any residue from dead bugs and deter others from coming back.

5. Take Out the Trash and Clean the Can

Once your pantry shelves are clean, turn your focus to the infested trash. Take out infested items and trash immediately, tying them in sealed trash bags. Then, wash your kitchen trash can thoroughly following the same steps as the pantry shelves, including using the vinegar solution.

6. Store Pantry Goods in Protected Containers

Stop reusing bags with clips and cardboard tabs. Switch to plastic bins you can fully seal, and zipper-lock bags that pests can’t get into (or out of). With goods transitioned to protected containers, you’re ready to restock your pantry.

How to Keep Pests From Returning to Your Pantry

Photo: StefaNikolic / E+ / Getty Images

Once is bad enough: If you want to avoid throwing out more pantry foods and keep your kitchen clean, it’s important to stop pantry bugs from returning. A few kitchen-cleaning habits will help if you’re wary of a sequel to your infestation.

1. Inspect Pantry Goods You Bring Home From the Store

Sadly, many bugs hitchhike from goods bought in the store, which is difficult to control. At the store, use transparent plastic and other methods to examine goods before purchasing. At home, carefully look at any foods you open, including raw foods like potatoes that are destined for your pantry. Watch produce for bugs—they may happily migrate to your pantry after a ride on your fruit.

2. Clean Up Crumbs and Spills Daily

Small bits of food attract bugs that set up shop in your pantry. Keep the pantry and your kitchen clean, especially after meal prep, by wiping down your kitchen counters and other high-traffic surfaces.

3. Buy Smaller Quantities of Pantry Staples

Buying in bulk is tempting, but long-term bulk foods are also a tempting target for hungry bugs. Consider switching to smaller quantities for some pantry goods, like sugar and flour. That way, you use them up quickly without leaving food for long periods to attract pests.

4. Inspect for Cracks or Holes Letting Pests In

If bugs aren’t coming from the store, they’re getting into your home through another method. Inspect your home for cracks, holes, and other spaces, especially around your pantry. Patch and caulk any visible cracks, even gaps around electrical outlets or baseboards.

5. Keep Doors and Windows Screened in the Summer

A cool breeze is important, but keeping insects away from your kitchen is too. Moths and beetles infamously come inside during the cool summer evenings or similar times. Keep your screens closed to prevent problems.

6. Put Down Bug Traps

There are pesticide alternatives to keep eager bugs away. For example, pantry-friendly glue traps don’t use pesticides but can trap insects on their way to your pantry foods. These may be a good idea if you get a natural influx of hungry pests during the summertime and want to keep your goods safe.

While it may be tempting to use pest control treatments like boric acid or Diatomaceous earth, neither belong in your pantry next to foods you plan on eating. These chemicals can be dangerous if ingested, so avoid using them as pantry pest control.

DIY vs. Hiring a Pro

A pantry infestation is one of the more DIY-friendly pest problems. If you follow the steps above and don’t mind throwing away some goods, you can banish the bugs. But sometimes that’s not enough. If your pantry keeps hosting new waves of bugs or you’re experiencing a major infestation, it’s time to hire a local pest control company.

Professional pest control companies can inspect your house, find out where bugs are getting in, and identify the species in question. They may recommend more comprehensive measures, like using a bug bomb in your kitchen or other aggressive tactics, that only professionals should attempt.

Pest control costs for pantry bug removal service will vary depending on the size, severity, and location. However, a smaller problem won’t likely be hard on your wallet. Costs for the average job is between $200 and $600, but pantry projects are likely on the lower end unless some kind of fumigation is necessary.