The Pantry Staple That Keeps Bugs Out Of Your Flour

One of the peskiest problems you can encounter in your kitchen is bugs getting into your flour. Maybe you've softened butter, brought eggs to room temperature, and have prepared your mixing bowls for your next baking project. But you pour your flour out only to discover tiny, disgusting little bugs, most likely weevils, have invaded your baking materials. While it's not harmful to eat the mini bugs in your flour, it's probably not something you're too keen to do. 

Believe it or not, you may have an effective weevil deterrent in your kitchen right now: Dried bay leaves. People have lots of strong opinions about bay leaves — what they actually do for your soup, what they taste like, if they're worth it to cook with (Giada de Laurentiis thinks so) — but in addition to adding a certain je ne sais quoi to your stew or chili, bay leaves can keep bugs out of your flour. 

According to a fair amount of anecdotal data from everyone from home cooks to pest control companies, throwing a few bay leaves in your flour canister is all you need to do to keep the bugs out. You may want to change them out after a few months to make sure the smell stays fresh and strong. While the aroma is strong for the bugs, the bay leaves don't actually affect the taste of your flour much, if at all. However, if you do happen to be sensitive to the flavor of dried bay leaves in your flour, you can always tape them to the lid of your canister, or put your flour in a bag and put the bag in a canister with bay leaves taped to the sides and bottom. 

It is thought that pantry pests are turned off by the smell of bay leaves, which is quite strong to them. The essential oil eucalyptol, which is present in bay leaves, has been shown to repel insects like mosquitoes. While the scientific evidence of eucalyptol as specifically a weevil deterrent is thin, lots of people seem to think it works.

And it's not just weevils you have to worry about; pantry moths and cockroaches are real problems for many too. Luckily, bay leaves work on all sorts of insect invaders including moths, and they are even said to have an effect on mice! If you struggle with pest problems in your kitchen pantry, sprinkle some bay leaves out and about and see if that helps.

To prevent bugs from invading your pantry items in the first place, always make sure you seal your flour and other food containers tightly. If possible, use plastic or glass canisters with secure lids; weevils can chew their way into cardboard or paper containers. Make sure you keep storage areas clean, too; we have the best tips for cleaning out your pantry and keeping it in tip top condition.