About 15 years ago I had problem with critters in the pantry. Yuck! I
*hate* bugs in the house!
My mom and grandmother had always put dried bay leaves in the pantry to
keep the bugs away, so after clearing out all of the infested products and
washing the shelves with disinfectant, I put two or three bay leaves on
each shelf. Also, I put a bay leaf in every dry product (rice, oats, flour,
dried beans, etc.) and put several bay leaves around the spice rack that I
keep in the pantry. I keep my stone-ground cornmeal and rye flour in the
freezer, not in the pantry. I put dried fruit in the freezer for a couple
of days before storing it in the pantry. We use pecans, walnuts, and
almonds straight from the orchard, so I store them in the freezer instead
of the pantry.
I change the bay leaves after they have faded from green to a
light-green/brown color.
I haven't had a problem with critters since I started taking these
precautions, so I'm a believer in the bay leaves and the freezer!
Hope this helps,
Bethann
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Bethann D. Merriam Senior Technical Editor
(408) 371-8834 Cisco Systems, Inc.
Have regular hours for work and play; make each day both
useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth
of time by employing it well.
---Louisa May Alcott
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