Placing a few dried bay leaves in kitchen cupboards could help deter common pantry pests such as weevils, beetles and moths, according to DIY expert Glen Peskett from Saxton Blades Multi Tools. The herb, which costs around 90p, is often already in the kitchen and can make cupboards less appealing to pests due to its strong scent.
How bay leaves work against pantry pests
Peskett explains that bay leaves are frequently suggested as a natural way of making cupboards less appealing to certain pantry pests because of their strong scent. “They are cheap, easy to use and you probably already have some in the kitchen, so they can be a simple thing to try alongside good food storage habits,” he says.
It is not about covering the entire cupboard in bay leaves, but placing a few strategically around dry food storage areas can be an easy preventative measure. Dried bay leaves can simply be placed in the corners of kitchen cupboards, around food storage areas or near containers holding dry ingredients.
Where to place them and what to avoid
The main thing is to keep them somewhere they will not accidentally get mixed into food, while making sure they are replaced when they lose their scent. It is also worth remembering that pantry pests can sometimes come home with you in food packaging, so spotting them does not necessarily mean your kitchen is dirty or unhygienic.
“Bay leaves are more of an extra precaution than a fix if you already have pests,” Peskett adds. “If you’ve spotted insects or larvae in your food, the best thing to do is go through your dry goods and get rid of anything that looks affected. Then give the cupboard a really good clean before putting everything back. I’d also recommend moving opened packets into sealed containers, as it makes it much harder for pests to get into your food or spread around the cupboard.”
A few bay leaves are not going to guarantee you never see a pantry pest, but they are a cheap and easy thing to try alongside keeping food sealed and giving your cupboards a regular clean.
