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Housekeeping

Find cleaning advice from other Mumsnetters on our Housekeeping forum.

Weevils (I think)

19 replies

Icelollycraving · 20/12/2011 21:21

Ok,so I saw a few tiny little bugs on the work surface at the weekend so looked in my cupboards. I assume they were weevils as in flour,sugar etc but had also got into other cupboards. I have stripped each cupboard/drawer/shelf etc & bleached. I have washed everything & obviously chucked infected stuff & anything I wasn't sure of. I have put bay leaves in the cupboards & made room in freezer to store flour etc. I have only found one today.
Has anyone experience of how quickly they go? Anything else I can do,is there anything that repels them? I keep things v clean & tidy but can't do that kind of deep clean too often with a 5 month old baby!

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WhiteChristmasontheSierraMadre · 20/12/2011 21:24

Not much you can do to repel them, except hoover the cupboards out regularly and keep things like flour and sugar in clip lock boxes - keeps the little blighters out.

GrimmaTheNome · 20/12/2011 21:33

You've done the right things to start with. Make sure cereal inner bags done up with clippits too; other foods they like would include pearl barley, rice, lentils. If you don't have enough good boxes, strong plastic bags with clippits will also work.

PigletJohn · 20/12/2011 21:45

bleach is not an insecticide.

You can buy "ant and crawling insect" sprays which you squirt onto hard surfaces (after cleaning). It dries to a film which they pick up on their feet. You have to reapply next time you clean. It is very handy underneath and behind kitchen units, and inside cupboards and on shelves. It will stop the little creatures from clambering out of the flour and walking along to find the biscuits.

I agree about keeping things in biscuit tins or plastic boxes - also very handy to defeat mice.

Icelollycraving · 20/12/2011 21:51

Is that kind of spray safe for work surfaces etc? Everything is now in storage jars & boxes.

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PigletJohn · 20/12/2011 23:29

It isn't intended for work surfaces, as you would be wiping them clean numerous times a day. It is intended for cupboards, shelves and floors.

BiscuitNibbler · 20/12/2011 23:53

I had these recently and it took a couple of weeks with the cupboards empty before I stopped seeing the occasional one wandering out of a crack in the cupboard.

What really annoyed me was that I had my flour etc in plastic storage boxes (cheap ones), but they still got in. I have now chucked them all and spent a small fortune on loads of lock and lock boxes and all seems well.

My cupboards are now very tidy and clinical-looking. I can't stop peering at the flour suspiciously, though.

PigletJohn · 21/12/2011 00:01

healthy meat protein. will be good for you.

Icelollycraving · 23/12/2011 16:48

Little fuckers,I've found 4 today :(
I think I'm becoming a bit obsessed

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PigletJohn · 23/12/2011 16:57

I saw some anti-food-mite product on the shelf at Dyas. I presume it is different from ordinary insect treatments if it is safe around food.

Winkyslink · 23/12/2011 17:07

Is your flour cupboard above your kettle, or somewhere hot? If so, move it away, as it is the heat the activates the weevils. I didnt find any container they couldnt get in or out of, and the little so and sos could even live in chilli powder!
I chucked it all out, and had no reinfestations after moving nearby heat source, good luck!

Icelollycraving · 23/12/2011 17:30

Problem I have is I only have small kitchen & the flat is very warm. I'll try to get that bug spray. I have chucked everything & put new flour in the freezer. I was feeling confident that they had gone until I saw them today. Let's face it there won't ever be one :(

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lisaro · 23/12/2011 17:33

When I had them a couple of months ago I hoovered and bleached. Always look very carefully in the cupboard now every time I open it.

Icelollycraving · 23/12/2011 17:49

I love my bleach & used copious amounts. I thought the kitchen was now super clean but the sight of those little creepy crawlies made me feel a bit :( that I'd spent ages doing it. I'm v houseproud so it feels a bit grim.

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PigletJohn · 23/12/2011 20:10

I had another look in Dyas, the food cupboard stuff is a pheromone trap.

I would still use the "crawling insect" spray on the floor, walls and shelves though.

I'm sure the weevils are quite happy crawling around in a clean cupboard!

Icelollycraving · 24/12/2011 09:23

Sent dh off to get some industrial strength spray,he thought I was imagining them until I called him this morning to see a cluster of them in the cupboard. So he will be zapping whilst I'm out getting my hair & pedicure done very important business :o

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AngelsfromtherealmsofgloryDog · 24/12/2011 23:27

Depending on which sort you have, they often like moisture - so they think nice clean damp shelves are great. Drying shelves with a hairdryer after cleaning helps.

We had loads but haven't spotted any for about 6 months now.

TopazMortmain · 24/12/2011 23:55

Sad I had these and in the end Kilner jars were the only things that worked. Buggers cannot get in them. Bought loads cheap (on sale) and store everything in them, from pasta to cereal to stock to lentils.

I really really hate weevils.

Icelollycraving · 13/01/2012 21:16

Ok,followed all the advice & they are back :(
I've bought a different ant & creepy crawly bug spray & been blitzing. I think it's from another flat maybe.
I did see a type of trap that goes in cupboards but all links are from US.
Any success stories please,I'm feeling really fed up of the little critters.

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Icelollycraving · 08/02/2012 05:46

Well fingers crossed,they have finally gone. I found the odd one in other rooms which freaked me out a bit. I put down Antstop traps all over,the ant & crawling bug spray in cupboards/cracks etc & one of the pheromone traps. Bought 2 dozen kilner jars from Lakeland so my cupboards look so organised!
Haven't seen one for a week now so hoping they have finally buggered off!

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