http://jackpineradicals.com/groups/diy-home-improvement/forum/topic/gross-topic-need-help/This thread's a little aged, and one might assume it's been posted before, but I don't think so; I think something
similar with it's been posted before.
Anyway, the chronically-helpless primitive, the elderly primitive who persists in voting for her machine politicians in Massachusetts even though they're responsible for many of the problems she has.
Paper Roses (98 posts) September 28, 2016 at 7:02 am
Gross topic, need help.
I have been all over the internet and cannot find a solution to this part of my problem.
Last week I found some type of grain weevil in my dry food pantry.)The look like fleas, just a little larger) Following advice on-line and after talking to an exterminator, I have removed everything from all my cupboards, threw away all packaged food, washed, sprayed vacuumed everything. Dishes, pots and pans,–everything. I wiped down about 50 cans of food….I cannot put anything back, I have to repeat this process several times. I must now put any non-canned food in plastic snap top containers. I have spoken with several people who have had this happen. Two of them told me I have to take the labels off the cans ,Yikes
Anyone ever have an awful infestation like this? I was told by the exterminator that this is getting to be an epidemic in some areas. Packaged and dry food from the grocery store are brought in, sit there and the disgusting things climb out of boxes. They also can eat thru plastic and cello bags.
I am at my wits end. I have to be careful what I use, have some non-toxic bug spray and will be putting down the “Pantry Pest Traps†when I am sure the job is done. My poor kitty is locked upstairs and is very mad at me!
This could take weeks! I really have to admit to this but hope you may have some advice.
I guess what I would love to know most is the can-label situation. I can’t imaging sitting outside, pulling off about 50 labels and marking them. I have already thrown away a fortune worth of foodstuff and all my spices.
djean111 (1508 posts) (Reply to original post) September 28, 2016 at 7:09 am
1. The insects eat the glue. No getting around that.
I learned – I live in Florida – to keep all opened boxes in the refrigerator or freezer. Anything not opened – I pretty much try and refrigerate, too – there will always be some sort of eggs or larva in food, FDA-approved, and the trick is to keep things cold so they cannot hatch. I learned that paper grocery bags are likely to have bugs in them, too. When I lived in Bloomington, Il, I learned that the hard way. At the time, K-Mart had a pretty good grocery store, but they were notorious for sending German roaches home with you.
Refrigerate, freeze, plastic and glass containers. Spices in the refrigerator. Tedious, but effective.
liberalbeforeitwaspopular (52 posts) (Reply to original post) September 28, 2016 at 7:11 am
2. It sounds like you have done a lot of work already!
So don’t quit now and have a chance of reinfeststation! I would definitely take the labels off the cans and mark them. I have had pantry problems like that before. It is a pain, but once under control just keep your foods in either mason jars, tupperwear type containers, or Christmas tins. My son worked in grocery store for years and he says the articles that are always a problem at the store were pet foods and bulk nuts. He thinks they spread from them. So be sure you put your cat’s food in a sealed container also! Good luck, at least your cabinets etc. will have the fall cleaning done!
Rocco (167 posts) (Reply to original post) September 28, 2016 at 7:24 am
3. My idea may seem gross BUT
It may be something that we have to live with, as others in the rest of the world are living with it as well.
Learn to eat the insects! They are a delicacy in many cultures. They have much more protein, and provide many folks with their meals in other parts of the world.
So just learn to live with them, and eat your bugs and like it!
ConcernedCanuk (587 posts) (Reply to original post) September 28, 2016 at 7:46 am
4. On the labelling cans issue . . .
First off, I’m gonna assume that the 50 cans or so are not all different.
Living in the boonies, and sometimes snowed in for months on end – I have hundreds of cans of canned food –
Anyways – separate them in boxes, say “soups†for one – then just mark them with a marker – M for mushroom, T for tomato, CN for chicken noodle and so on. If you have a shelved pantry, as do I – just label the shelf.
For meats – H for Ham – S for salmon – you get it
night (48 posts) (Reply to original post) October 3, 2016 at 8:20 am
5. throw them all out
Life is too short, unless you are down to your last dime. Besides the impossible work, you seem likely to miss some.
Ever since I lived in an apartment that got mice, all my food stuffs not in cans or jars are kept in the refrigerator.
What did the exterminator do, is your kitchen/house now free of these bugs?
