There are now more than 34,000 pest control services scattered throughout the United States alone.
On the one hand, that is a powerful indicator that people get a lot of value out of pest control help. On the other hand, people might not need to hire professional services to help them as often. This is especially true if they know how to get rid of grain beetles and other bugs.
Although some infestations are so difficult that they require professional help, it is worth trying some strategies at home first. What can you do to get rid of grain beetles in your pantry? Read on to learn about the tips that can help you manage your grain beetle infestation on your own!
Take Care of Open Food in Your Pantry
If you have sawtooth grain beetles in your pantry, they are there for a specific reason. If you can find that reason and get rid of it, it will get much easier to get rid of other Florida pests as well.
Start by looking through your pantry for any sources of food that might attract pests. In most cases, it will be too late to try to save this food, so you will simply need to get rid of it.
Once you have beetles in your pantry for one food item, there is a good chance that they will have found others to infest as well. Go through each item in your pantry and throw out any of them that show signs of infestation.
You might find some items that seem like they might attract beetles. For example, an open container of flour can be very attractive to beetles. Even if you don’t find any beetles in such food items when you look at them, there’s a good chance that beetles have been in and around them before.
As a result, you may also need to throw out any food in your pantry that has been open and available for pests to explore. As you throw away these items, consider taking them all the way outside right away. If you leave them in your kitchen trash can, you might find beetles crawling out of your trash later to infest nearby areas of your home.
Clean up Signs of Pantry Bugs
Once you are done getting rid of contaminated food items, you will need to give your pantry a thorough cleaning. The longer beetles stay in your pantry, the more they will leave traces behind that make it appealing to other beetles. These can include things like droppings.
To reach every crevice of your pantry, remove everything in it. Then, sweep or wipe away any invisible objects. You may find that vacuuming is more effective for reaching certain parts of your pantry.
With the visible contaminants removed, move on to taking care of the invisible ones. You can start by washing the area thoroughly with warm water and soap. After that, you can use disinfectant or a water and vinegar solution to help clean up bacteria and anything else left behind.
Consider Freezing or Heating Food After a Pantry Infestation
In some cases, you will get rid of all the adult beetles in your pantry only to discover new ones being born as time goes by. Your food products that look free of beetles might contain larvae or eggs that will lead to more beetles in the future.
The good news is that you may not have to throw away everything in your pantry to eliminate any larvae or eggs that might be present. Instead, you can place some of your food items in your freezer for four or five days.
At that point, even if they contain eggs or larvae, they will be dead. Depending on the food items in question, you might also be able to heat some of them up to get rid of eggs or larvae left behind.
Get Rid of Beetles With Bay Leaves
Even getting rid of all of this may not be enough to keep other beetles from coming back to your pantry. However, it can be simpler than you might think to repel potential invaders.
Many beetles and other pests hate the smell of bay leaves. Scattering some bay leaves around your pantry and adding them to your food product containers can be a powerful way to make sure that no beetles come back.
Try Pest Control Tools at Home
Of course, bay leaves alone may not be enough to deter determined invaders. You can also try using pest traps and other insect-repellent tools to make your pantry even less hospitable for beetles.
Make a Habit of Cleaning Your Pantry
Once all of this is done, your pantry will still be more vulnerable to another infestation for the next few months. Make a point of cleaning it again every month or so to make sure that it is not attracting new pests. The good news is that cleaning your pantry will be much easier after your first deep clean.
Consider Finding Pest Control Services
As frustrating as it can be, all of this work may not be enough to deal with a sufficiently bad infestation. If all else fails, you will need to find quality pest control services that can take care of your infestation for you. You might want to look at reviews online to help you decide which pest control business near you is the right option.
Speaking with professional pest control experts can also help you come up with other ideas for taking care of your infestation.
Know How to Get Rid of Grain Beetles
Getting rid of grain beetles can seem impossible if you try to come up with your own pest control techniques on the spot. However, learning how to get rid of grain beetles using the techniques that others have discovered can make the whole process much easier. At the same time, you might find that you need professional assistance for a difficult infestation situation.
To find out more about how you can enjoy quality pest control help, get in touch with us at All “U” Need Pest Control at any time!