katybee
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,458 
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Post by katybee on Jun 28, 2021 21:38:37 GMT
I was baking a cake this weekend, and when I went to get flour out of my canister on the counter, I saw bugs in it. I remember having bugs in our flour as a kid, but have never had them as an adult. So I went to get my new bag of flour out of my pantry—ACROSS THE KITCHEN—and sure enough—more bugs. So I went and borrowed flour from my SIL across the street. Then I went to measure my sugar out of the canister—and, of course, bugs. And in the pantry sugar. But what really surprised me was the bugs in the baking soda. WHAT? They even like baking soda? I ended up making the cake over at my SIL’s (it was my brother’s B-day cake) and then spent all weekend at the lake.
So now I’m at home and am about to begin the big clean up. I’m just going to assume the bugs are in everything that’s not sealed TIGHT and throwing it out. Then I’ll vacuum and scrub everything down. I read not to use any kind of bug spray. So then what?
I thought my canisters were bug-proof. They are glass jars with a plastic seal. But apparently, they’re not. What kind should I get? Am I going to have to be like those people on TikTok who store everything they buy in air-tight, plastic containers? Rice? Cereal? Pasta?
Any recommendations on where to buy good, but affordable containers?
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Post by twistedscissors on Jun 28, 2021 21:45:11 GMT
Get the green pack of wrigleys gum and put a piece in each cabinet. Change it out every few months.
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Post by Merge on Jun 28, 2021 21:57:15 GMT
Yep they’re in everything that isn’t sealed tight. Your glass canisters should have been fine, but if they’re older, I suppose it’s possible the rubber seal has shrunk a bit and doesn’t close as well as it used it.
After we had the pantry bugs, I invested in the lok and lok containers for my flour, sugar, etc. I don’t bother with cereal and pasta for whatever reason.
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oh yvonne
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Jun 26, 2014 0:45:23 GMT
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Post by oh yvonne on Jun 28, 2021 23:37:39 GMT
I second Lock N Loks. QVC sells a nice variety of pantry sets. The are nice sturdy see through and the lids lock firmly in place. I love them, they work better than my old expensive Tupperware.
I read once that the pantry bugs are attracted to and eat the glue from the boxed packages so I don't keep any cardboard boxes in my pantry. Everything gets dumped into the containers.
Ever since I got that one infestation and I dumped and cleared everything I haven't had any more problems. Good luck, its such a pain.
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Post by nlwilkins on Jun 28, 2021 23:45:09 GMT
Don't forget, the flour or sugar at the grocery store could have them as well. I've even had rice come home from the store with bugs in it. I hate when that happens. When I bring box mixes home, I put the whole box in a plastic zip lock bag. The bugs seem to be able to get into everything. Gradually, I am purchasing those huge gallon canning jars to hold my pantry items.
OH, and everything that could possibly have bugs are placed in my freezer when they come in from the store. They need to stay there are at least two weeks before being opened. Some items I put in zip lock baggies when putting in the freezer to keep them from tearing and spilling.
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Mary Kay Lady
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Post by Mary Kay Lady on Jun 29, 2021 0:08:19 GMT
Insects love grain products. Whenever I purchase a grain product I place it in the freezer for 2-3 days to kill any bugs or eggs. Then I try really hard to forget that there might be bugs in said grain products as I eat them.  |
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Post by karinec on Jun 29, 2021 0:37:00 GMT
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Post by mcjunkin on Jun 29, 2021 0:48:59 GMT
I keep reading this as "panty". I need to put my glasses on I guess.
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Post by littlemama on Jun 29, 2021 1:12:46 GMT
Get the green pack of wrigleys gum and put a piece in each cabinet. Change it out every few months. Whaaaaaaaaaat?  ?? |
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Post by Spongemom Scrappants on Jun 29, 2021 1:39:40 GMT
I had pantry moths once about 15 years ago at a previous house. It was a pain to eradicate them. We threw out a ton of food. I also took all the shelves out because there was webby-like stuff in all the crevices. After a thorough cleaning and starting over with new food all securely packaged, we used peppermint oil on cotton balls for a good while to deter them returning.
I'm sorry you have them. It's just an aggravating thing to deal with!
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Post by hookturnian on Jun 29, 2021 1:43:03 GMT
Do you keep your unopened packages of flour and sugar in plastic containers? If not, then they may be infested before you decant them into your canisters, iyswim. The canisters themselves may be fine.
I keep the little dessicant capsules that come with my meds, and toss them into my canisters if humidity is an issue. (Not a problem where I am right now).
I've heard of people using borax, mint, chillies, or cloves, but I guess it depends on what bugs you have.
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Post by MissBianca on Jun 29, 2021 1:43:53 GMT
We hang black tea bags in the pantry and that helps keep the moths at bay.
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Post by elaine on Jun 29, 2021 1:50:17 GMT
They will find their way into grain products in boxes - even through the wax paper bags within them. So, all cereals, crackers, bread crumbs, baking mixes (brownies, bisquick, pancake mixes, etc.) will all have to go. When I had them in grad school, I even had to toss my spices that came in boxes at the time (sesame seeds, poppy seeds, etc.).
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Post by twistedscissors on Jun 29, 2021 2:39:43 GMT
Get the green pack of wrigleys gum and put a piece in each cabinet. Change it out every few months. Whaaaaaaaaaat? ?? I swear I read it on the internet somewhere, probably here, years ago. It works! I just unwrap the gum and lay a piece in each cabinet, maybe 3-4 in my pantry. |
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Post by hookturnian on Jun 29, 2021 2:54:45 GMT
Whaaaaaaaaaat? ?? I swear I read it on the internet somewhere, probably here, years ago. It works! I just unwrap the gum and lay a piece in each cabinet, maybe 3-4 in my pantry. I wonder if it's because it's mint. |
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jun 29, 2021 4:53:03 GMT
We had them at our old house and it took a long time to figure out they were coming from a really old bag of mostly empty dog treats buried in the bottom of the pet treat bin. Once we dumped the contents into the outside trash and cleaned everything they were gone. So if you have pets be sure to check those kinds of things too.
I use Lock & Lock plastic canisters with snap locks on all sides of the lids and it seems to work pretty well at keeping the bugs out. It took some research to find the ones that were big enough to hold the entire contents of a full bag of flour, sugar, etc. so I wouldn’t be stuck with part of an open bag sitting around. Sistema containers are also a good choice.
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Post by peasapie on Jun 29, 2021 9:35:07 GMT
I put flour and sugar in zip lol bags in my freezer.
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Post by Basket1lady on Jun 29, 2021 12:07:40 GMT
Definitely check the dog for or treats! I’ve gotten them that way more than once and I have never ever stored dog food one peploe food in the same place. (Not because that would be gross but because it’s just never worked out that way. )
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Post by twistedscissors on Jun 29, 2021 12:32:19 GMT
I swear I read it on the internet somewhere, probably here, years ago. It works! I just unwrap the gum and lay a piece in each cabinet, maybe 3-4 in my pantry. I wonder if it's because it's mint. I’m sure it is. |
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Post by Merge on Jun 29, 2021 12:36:04 GMT
Definitely check the dog for or treats! I’ve gotten them that way more than once and I have never ever stored dog food one peploe food in the same place. (Not because that would be gross but because it’s just never worked out that way. ) Yep. It was a big Costco box of dog treats for us. |
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Post by elaine on Jun 29, 2021 13:03:56 GMT
I swear I read it on the internet somewhere, probably here, years ago. It works! I just unwrap the gum and lay a piece in each cabinet, maybe 3-4 in my pantry. I wonder if it's because it's mint. Yes. You could also soak a cotton ball in peppermint oil and put those in the cabinets and get the same effect. |
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iowgirl
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Post by iowgirl on Jun 29, 2021 13:21:36 GMT
I thought my canisters were bug-proof. They are glass jars with a plastic seal. But apparently, they’re not. They probably are impervious to bugs coming in from the outside, but all cereal grain products have weevils. The female weevil lays an egg in the grain. Most are eliminated in the flour milling process, but not all. If your pantry is warm or if the flour is old and the eggs have matured - they hatch...INSIDE your container. This is why you should store flour in a freezer if you are not using it quickly. Yours have just hatched inside your containers. It's nothing new. Your flours and pastas have always had these. Cake mixes, breakfast cereals anything that has flour or grain and isn't fully cooked. It is even safe to still use the flour, just sift it with a fine screen. (Yea - I know - I would toss it too)... but honestly - the weevils are always there, they just didn't hatch out. That is why you bake things and cook things well that contain flour. I keep reading this as "panty". I need to put my glasses on I guess. Panty is much funnier! LOL And those bugs are probably harder to get rid of!  |
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Post by peajays on Jun 29, 2021 13:53:41 GMT
I keep reading this as "panty". I need to put my glasses on I guess. I saw your post…and then scrolled to see spongemom mention her “panty” moths…. |
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SweetieBsMom
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Post by SweetieBsMom on Jun 29, 2021 13:58:28 GMT
Insects love grain products. Whenever I purchase a grain product I place it in the freezer for 2-3 days to kill any bugs or eggs. Then I try really hard to forget that there might be bugs in said grain products as I eat them.  This is what I do too. It's so gross. |
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Post by tallgirl on Jun 29, 2021 14:08:08 GMT
After we had an infestation a few years ago (despite the fact that I put flour etc. in the freezer when I bring it home from the store), I invested in some of those sticky pantry moth traps and leave one on the top shelf of our pantry. They have caught an odd moth here and there and we haven't had an infestation since.
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pinklady
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Post by pinklady on Jun 29, 2021 14:59:13 GMT
I keep reading this as "panty". I need to put my glasses on I guess. hahahaha me too!!! My first thought was yeah that is gross and why share it here! hahahaha! |
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katybee
Drama Llama
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Post by katybee on Jun 29, 2021 15:22:40 GMT
After we had an infestation a few years ago (despite the fact that I put flour etc. in the freezer when I bring it home from the store), I invested in some of those sticky pantry moth traps and leave one on the top shelf of our pantry. They have caught an odd moth here and there and we haven't had an infestation since. I don’t think mine are moths….I think they are weevils. They’re like little black sesame seeds. That move. |
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katybee
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Post by katybee on Jun 29, 2021 15:24:23 GMT
I’ve never had panty bugs, thank you very much! But I did have a bad case of head lice a couple of years ago. Also gross!
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amom23
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Post by amom23 on Jun 29, 2021 15:51:10 GMT
I also recommend the Lock-n-Lock pantry containers from QVC. I have a couple sets that I use for flour, sugar, rice, crackers, etc.
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