Before cooking a delicious meal for your family, it is important to take the time to look closely at the rice, pasta, or flour that you are about to use to make sure that there are no weevils in it. Weevils are tiny beetles that love to nosh on grains stored in cupboards. The weevils take over a bag of dry grain within a very short period of time. Once the product has been contaminated by the pests, it should not be eaten because it could infect the person ingesting it with E. coli infection. Use the guide below to learn what steps to take to ensure your pantry doesn't get taken over by weevils.

Freeze All Dry Grains Before Storing Them

When you bring home any dry grains from the grocery store, immediately put them in the freezer. Nuts, flour, and even cereal can all be contaminated by weevils. Putting the items in the freezer reduces their temperature to below zero and kills any larvae that may be in the packaging. It is best to freeze the grains overnight just to be sure that every inch of the product has time to reach freezing temperatures.

Store All Grains in Sealed Containers

Take the time to transfer all of your dry grains from the container they came in into sealed containers. You can use glass jars with screw on lids or plastic containers that have push-on lids. You want to be sure that weevils cannot get into the grains and storing them in the bags they came in does not properly protect the food from the pests.

Protect Your Pantry from Weevils

In order to keep weevils from even entering your pantry, place a few strips of spearmint gum on the edges of the pantry near the door. The gum will make your pantry smell great, but also create an overwhelming odor that will keep the weevils at bay.

Get Rid of Existing Weevils

If you go to use a dry grain and see that it looks stringy, that means that weevils have somehow managed to get into your cupboard and are wreaking havoc on it. To get rid of the weevils, throw away any dry grains held in the cabinet where the destroyed product was found. If there are larvae in any of the products, you will not be able to see them with your naked eye and tossing everything in the trash is your best bet. Take the time to scrub the inside of the cabinet with disinfecting wipes to ensure that all eggs are killed. Check all of the other cabinets in your home to see if any products are contaminated by looking for the weevils or a stringy look to the products.

Even though it may seem as though you are wasting a lot of money by throwing out contaminated products, it is important to remember that the safety of your family is more important than a few dollars you could save by not throwing out the products. Be sure to follow the tips provided above, and you should never have to worry about weevils taking over your pantry again. You can check out the site of a pest control company for more information.