Eight Tricks to Preventing Pests in Your Kitchen Pantry

It is never good news when you discover that you have pests in your kitchen pantry. However, there are many relatively simple methods and precautions that will help you keep pests away from that area of your home without using pesticides and other dangerous chemicals. 

Here is a little guide on preventing pantry pests. You’ll also learn about pests native to your Tennessee neighborhood, as well as how organizing your pantry will be key to preventing unwanted visitors.

It is good to know which critters are most prevalent in your area when discussing pantry pests.  Luckily, the University of Tennessee has compiled a list of the most common pests, including:

• Indian Meal Moths  – Small in size, hazel/copper/brown in color. Given that it is a type of moth, it is easily distinguishable from other pests listed in this article. An adept flyer, it is one of the most common food-infesting problems, targeting flour, wheat, and nuts. Therefore, be very quick to check the contents of your kitchen pantry often, as even a few signs can mean grievous implications for your products.
• Confused Flour Beetles – Small in size and reddish-brown in color. Discernible six legs and antennae. The USDA further explains that these beetles mostly target grain products, so stay alert and don’t let the same bags of grain sit around for too long. Be quick to clean up any spilled grain you see.
• Cigarette Beetles are amongst the smallest of the group, ranging from 2 to 3 mm in size, reddish-brown in color. They mainly target tobacco and stored food products.
• Rice Weevils – Tiny in size, ant-like in appearance with a recognizable snout and antennae at the front. These pests tend to target various dried grains such as rice, seeds, and beans. Also recognizable via their defense mechanism, if threatened, they play dead.
• Saw-Toothed Grain Beetles – Tiny in size, brown in color. Discernible six legs and antennae. These pests are mainly found in various dried and dusty goods. They do have wings just like all the other pests on this list, but cannot fly.

1. Keep Your Pantry Clean- Also, keep the kitchen itself as sanitary as possible. Goodness.com warns to stay especially vigilant from any exposed food and other edible substances left uncovered.
2. Clean Up Spills- If you spilled some food on the floor or elsewhere while inside your pantry, it is best to immediately clean it up.
3. Don’t Let Food Go Bad in Your Pantry- Check expiration dates on the food that you buy and the food itself as thoroughly as you can. Some of the most typical pests have a habit of sneaking inside the packages and staying there. 
4. Repair Damage- Make it a habit to look for any cracks or holes in the walls that might serve as entrances into your pantry for pests.
5. Control the Temperature- Make sure your pantry is dry, cool, and dark. It is best to ensure the air temperature is set to a food-storage-safe setting. Also, get rid of any signs of humidity and moisture. Goodness.com notes too that cool temperature settings are essential for “high-risk” products such as nuts and grains. 
6. Check Products Before You Bring Them Home- Avoid putting damaged goods into your pantry. It is likely pests might already be hiding inside of them if you are not careful.
7. Keep Your Pantry Organized-Organizing your pantry safely and reliably can be challenging, but it is paramount for securing it from pests. Sizeable glass, plastic, and other airtight containers are easy and affordable solutions. The plastic ones are perfect for storing pasta, sugar, or flour and keeping them safe from unwelcome moisture and humidity.
8. Use Spices- Keep a couple of bay leaves inside the containers with various dry goods you have stored in your pantry. They have been shown to repel pests successfully.

Plastic and glass containers are a safe and easily attainable option when it comes to organizing your kitchen pantry.  However, each person has a different lifestyle, eating habits, and financial limitations.  Your kitchen pantry will reflect those differences, so it’s important to find reliable solutions that you can implement. 

First, aside from just cleaning it from time to time, Martha Stuart recommends making a habit of editing or rearranging your pantry, structuring the products in a way that makes them easy for you to find, and removing everything you do not want or use anymore.

Don’t forget about expiration dates and adopt the same logic grocery stores use: slightly older items go in the front and are to be used/sold first. It may be useful to sacrifice the aesthetic pleasure of naming the contents of the products stored in jars and containers for the sake of just writing the product’s expiration date, so it is clearly visible.



Many people think that baking ingredients can remain fresh and high in quality for years. However, the healthy and sanitary option is to replace them after one year, preferably earlier, according to Martha Stewart. Apart from a possible infestation, the main reason is that the oils in some of them can become spoiled over time.

With a little work, you can stay ahead of a potentially big pest problem. By utilizing the tips outlined above, and implementing steps such as tossing out expired food, rotating inventory, and maintaining proper food storage temperatures, will decrease your chances of pantry pests finding their way into your snacks, baking supplies, and other foods.

• https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_agexdise/
• https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/StoredGrainInsectsReference2017.pdf
• https://www.goodness.com.au/blog/natural-pest-control-in-the-pantry/
• https://www.marthastewart.com/1513065/how-clean-organize-your-pantry