Pests in the kitchen: This is how you get rid of moths, flour beetles etc

Are there creepy crawlies in your kitchen? Bugs in the kitchen are not only disgusting, they can also be harmful to your health. According to theAOKThe pests' remains can cause allergies, skin irritations or even intestinal problems!

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It is all the more important that the pests are not given a chance to spread. We'll tell you how you can quickly get rid of pests in the kitchen and what you can do to prevent the infestation.

Why do I have pests in the kitchen?

Do you have pests in the kitchen? This isn't necessarily because you don't maintain hygiene in your kitchen. Pests love warm, humid environments, ideally with dark corners - such as cupboards - in which they can hide. What if there are still enough leftover food to dust off? Utopia for the creepy crawlies.

The animals particularly like to nest in full storage cupboards. Grains, baking ingredients and even spices are populated there. But you'll notice an infestation pretty quickly if you look out for these warning signs:

• Dead insects
• in Kotspur
• Remains of shells or insect skin
• The spinning thread
• Changed consistency of food

This pest is typical for kitchens

Before you deal with the pest, it can be helpful to find out what you are actually dealing with. These insects are particularly common in kitchens in autumn:

• mainly affects fruit, juice or sweet leftover food. They can fly and reproduce quickly. The females lay up to 500 eggs.
  
• Mealworms and flour beetlesare mainly found in flour products and baked goods. This makes the flour musty and lumpy.
  
• in MehlmilThey especially like dry foods, such as muesli, flour, semolina or pearl barley. Infected goods can also be recognized by a sweet, acrid smell. In this case, do not eat the food under any circumstances, otherwise it can lead to skin rashes, asthma, intestinal diseases and allergies.
  
• As the name suggests, they nest primarily in bread. There they cause small holes.
  
• food mothsare extremely stubborn. They thrive in almost all food supplies. The “cobwebs” they leave behind are characteristic. They reproduce faster the warmer their environment is. That's why they like to come to our homes during the cold season.
  
• The door rust mothbelong to the pantry moth family. The caterpillars feed on dried fruit, but also on grains and grain products, cocoa, nuts, spices, yeast, etc. The rear part of their wings is a darker copper-red color.
  
• are small silver insects that can be found especially in damp places. Carbohydrates and sugar are their main food sources.
  
• are also classic kitchen pests. They are attracted to bread and sugary foods.
  
• andCockroaches– yes, they also exist in Germany! – eat everything. They often need to be professionally removed.

Identify main infestation

Once you have discovered insects and other pests in the kitchen, you should act quickly so that the annoying crawlers don't spread any further. Take a close look at all food packaging and, if necessary, pour the supplies onto a light surface. This way you can discover the infestation even faster.

Also check skirting boards, cupboard cracks and other dark corners in your kitchen - this is where animals particularly like to hide. A flashlight can help with this.

Fight pests in the kitchen

Once you've identified the origin of the creepy crawlies, it's time to start the offensive:

• Dispose of all contaminated food and then take the garbage out of the apartment immediately.
• Clean the cabinets with a vacuum cleaner and wipe with hot soapy water.
• Vinegar water is also a popular home remedy. Dilute with water and scrub!
• Small brushes or cotton swabs are useful for tight spaces and hard-to-reach corners.
• To kill the eggs, you can heat the cupboards with a hair dryer.

It is better not to use chemical agents

Many people would prefer to use chemicals straight away to get rid of pests in the kitchen. TheFederal Institute for Risk AssessmentHowever, recommends that the treatment be left to “well-trained professionals with appropriate expertise”.

The reason: The products are dangerous to the health of not only insects but also people. You should be careful with it, especially in the kitchen.

Home remedies for pests in the kitchen

There are a number of home remedies that help against pests in the kitchen:

Vinegaris one of the most popular and at the same time most effective home remedies when it comes to combating pests in the kitchen. You should use a mixture of vinegar essence and water to wipe out all drawers, cupboards and shelves. Simply add a generous splash to the lukewarm cleaning water.

Alternatively, you can clean the kitchen and all cupboards and interior surfaces with vinegar cleaner. You should clean infected storage containers in the dishwasher using the cooking program.

Againstfood mothsparasitic wasps (you can get it here on Amazon*) proven to be effective. The wasps feed on the moths' eggs and die as soon as they can no longer find food. In other words: when all the eggs have been eaten.

AntsYou can easily fight it with lavender, eucalyptus or tea tree oil. The smell confuses the animals. Alternatively, double-sided adhesive tape, baking powder and bait (here).Buy on Amazon*) proven.

A classic remedy againstfruit fliesOn the other hand, it is a bowl of vinegar water or juice mixed with a drop of dishwashing liquid. The dishwashing liquid dissolves the surface tension and the flies sink into the water.

This is how you prevent pests in the kitchen

Of course, it's best if you don't have to get rid of the annoying critters at all. You can take these measures to prevent an infestation:

• Ventilate the pantries and wipe them regularly.
• You should store food in a cool and dry place.
• Pack all open food in tightly sealable glass boxes.
• Check your supplies regularly.
• Don't store too much food and especially consume fruit promptly.
• Closed trash containers help keep insects away.
• Make sure that joints and cracks are well sealed so that animals cannot hide in them.
• Don't leave leftover food out overnight.
• An insect screen in front of the window offers additional protection against pests.