- 1). Examine all the products in the pantry for signs of insects. Insect bodies, body parts and webbing are some possible signs. Destroy all contaminated food. You can either throw the food away or burn it, depending on where you live. You do not want the food sitting outside your house in a garbage bag since the insects can crawl back out. A country burning barrel will quickly eliminate the bugs.
- 2). Remove all remaining items from the pantry and put them in containers with tightly sealing lids. Store these in the fridge or freezer whenever possible. It is best to store food in a cold location until the insect problem is finished.
- 3). Scrub the pantry using hot, soapy water and a scrub brush. Get into all the corners, top shelves, walls and floors. This gets rid of pupae and eggs. Use a vacuum cleaner to reach any difficult corners. Dispose of the vacuum bag.
- 4). Continue cleaning the pantry on a regular basis -- at least weekly -- and storing food in a fridge or freezer. Some insects can go for over a month without food so you need to make sure all the insects have died. When you do start using your pantry as before, make sure you seal all food thoroughly to avoid a new problem.
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