What is the point in being frugal, finding all kinds of great buys and buying in bulk if you are going to waste it or lose it all?It is that time of year again when bugs like to venture into the house. Some hitch a ride on food, especially food from "natural" and bulk stores. I have had them enter my pantry in cereal boxes, granola from the bulk containers and other whole grain products.
Two years in a row I lost everything in my pantry while I was away on vacation and one year I lost it while home. All this since moving to Texas!
I have learned some things to protect those frugal savings as well as the other pantry items. To prevent or get rid of the bugs:
First, Remove everything from your pantry. Everything!
Now, wash it all down with some vinegar water or cleaner and then the vinegar. Let dry and air out and fully dry.
Get some food grade diatomous earth and sprinkle it on the back of the shelves and the floor. It is not anything that will harm you but will keep out the bugs. Since doing this I have not had them back.
Before putting anything in the pantry, check it good. New boxes of cereal have come in with the tell tale "web" inside the "airtight" package.
Then, freeze your whole grains, rice, corn meal etc. This will keep them from getting infested.
I then took all my other things and put them in well sealed air tight containers. Now, this is not a guarantee as these bugs are persistent!
I ended up with the bugs from my granola from Central Market. This is a big place that sells a lot of that type of bulk food, yet it had bugs. They were not there when I brought it home, but I put it in the pantry and a few days later there they were. Since they were in a good container they had not spread at that point, but I have never gone to that store again!
I love frugal finds and bulk stores are a favorite for my husband and I. But I hate losing my frugal finds and then making them an expensive .
For more frugal ideas, go to Biblical Womanhood!
I have learned some things to protect those frugal savings as well as the other pantry items. To prevent or get rid of the bugs:
First, Remove everything from your pantry. Everything!
Now, wash it all down with some vinegar water or cleaner and then the vinegar. Let dry and air out and fully dry.
Get some food grade diatomous earth and sprinkle it on the back of the shelves and the floor. It is not anything that will harm you but will keep out the bugs. Since doing this I have not had them back.
Before putting anything in the pantry, check it good. New boxes of cereal have come in with the tell tale "web" inside the "airtight" package.
Then, freeze your whole grains, rice, corn meal etc. This will keep them from getting infested.
I then took all my other things and put them in well sealed air tight containers. Now, this is not a guarantee as these bugs are persistent!
I ended up with the bugs from my granola from Central Market. This is a big place that sells a lot of that type of bulk food, yet it had bugs. They were not there when I brought it home, but I put it in the pantry and a few days later there they were. Since they were in a good container they had not spread at that point, but I have never gone to that store again!
I love frugal finds and bulk stores are a favorite for my husband and I. But I hate losing my frugal finds and then making them an expensive .
For more frugal ideas, go to Biblical Womanhood!
0 comments:
Post a Comment