Nobody wants to open a bag of rice and see tiny bugs crawling around inside. Rice weevils are some of the most annoying pantry pests that can invade your home. These small, dark beetles might only be about the size of a grain of rice, but they can cause big problems.
Female rice weevils can lay around 300 eggs over their lifetime, which means a small problem can quickly turn into a major headache. The good news is that learning how to get rid of rice weevils doesn’t have to be complicated when you use methods that really work.
This guide covers some proven techniques for how to get rid of rice weevils from your pantry. You’ll learn natural methods, temperature tricks, and when you might need professional help. Getting rid of rice weevils is totally possible, and most importantly, you’ll learn how to keep them from coming back.
1. Throw Out All Infected Food Right Away
The first and most important step is getting rid of every single item that has weevils. This might hurt your wallet, but it’s the only way to stop the problem from getting worse.
The best method to get rid of rice weevils from your home and potential infestations in your pantry is tossing out all your stored dried food products. Here’s what you need to do:
Get rid of everything that’s infected:
- Throw away any rice, flour, or grains with visible bugs
- Check every single package in your pantry
- Take infected items outside to your bigger trashcan to reduce the risk of weevils spreading
- Don’t try to save contaminated food by picking out the bugs
Check items that look okay too: Many people make the mistake of only throwing out obviously infected items. Throw away all infected products and toss any boxes found in your pantry, even if their contents are sealed. Weevils often live inside cardboard boxes and can easily jump to new dry food products.
Why this step is so important: Because of their small size, you can’t accurately pick them out of infested items. Plus, if you don’t eliminate their ranks, the weevils will continue to feast on the items in your pantry.
It might feel wasteful, but trying to save infected food will just make your problem worse. Better to start fresh than deal with weevils for months.
2. Clean Your Pantry Like Your Life Depends on It
After removing all the infected food, it’s time for a deep clean. This step kills any hidden weevils and removes the eggs you can’t see.
Empty everything first: Take out every single item from your pantry, even things that look fine. You need to get to every corner and crack where weevils might be hiding.
Vacuum thoroughly: Take everything out of the pantry and thoroughly vacuum the shelves, including the cracks and crevices where weevils may hide. You’ll want to dispose of the vacuum bag or dump the vacuum contents outside.
Use your vacuum’s brush attachment to get into tight spaces. Pay special attention to:
- Shelf corners
- Where shelves meet the wall
- Any cracks in the wood or wall
- The floor and baseboards
Clean with the right solutions: Wipe the shelves with hot soapy water or a disinfecting spray then wipe again with white vinegar, which is known to kill weevils.
Try this simple vinegar solution:
- Mix equal parts water and white vinegar in a spray bottle
- Spray all surfaces and let it sit for a few minutes
- Wipe clean with a damp cloth
Why vinegar works: Vinegar also helps to clean up and remove scent trails of any leftover food particles that weevils and other insects might feed on.
Don’t skip this step! A thorough cleaning now saves you from problems later.
3. Use Food Safe Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous earth (DE) is like tiny glass particles that are safe for humans but deadly to bugs. It’s one of the best natural approaches for how to get rid of rice weevils without using harsh chemicals.
What makes it so effective: Food-grade diatomaceous earth is safe for use around food storage areas and doesn’t pose health risks when used correctly. Unlike chemical pesticides, DE doesn’t leave harmful residues.
Research shows that diatomaceous earth produces 100% mortality in rice weevils when applied at proper concentrations.
How to use it:
- Buy only food-grade diatomaceous earth (never use pool-grade)
- Sprinkle a light layer in pantry corners or around shelves
- Dust it into cracks and crevices
- Make sure the powder sits for one or two days before you vacuum the powder from the kitchen
How it kills weevils: Food-grade diatomaceous earth exterminates weevils by piecing and drying out the exoskeletons. When weevils walk through it, the tiny particles damage their outer shell and they dry out.
Safety note: Using around kids and pets is safe. However, it does not mean they should have easy access to the powder. Keep it away from small children and don’t let pets eat it.
4. Freeze the Bugs to Death
Freezing is one of the fastest and most effective ways to kill rice weevils in food you want to keep. The cold temperatures kill adults, larvae, and eggs.
How cold and how long: Freezing at 0 degrees F for 3 days will kill all stages of weevils in the grain. Your home freezer should be cold enough for this method.
For extra safety: Freeze grains or dry goods for a minimum of four days to kill any larvae or eggs. Some people even freeze items for a full week to be absolutely sure.
Step by step freezing:
- Put food items in freezer bags or airtight containers
- Freeze your bag of rice for at least 4 days to kill the adult bugs and possibly their eggs
- Let items thaw completely at room temperature
- Scatter the rice grains in a flat tray to dry out and air any moisture from the freezer
- Put the rice grains on a sifter or a sieve to separate any weevils
- Store in airtight containers
Important tip: If you freeze your bag of rice for 4 days and then you take it out and leave it out, any eggs that were not killed from freezing could still hatch and infest your rice. That’s why proper storage after freezing is so important.
This method works great for rice, flour, pasta, and other dry goods you want to save.
5. Heat Them Up Until They Die
Heat is another temperature method that kills weevils quickly. This works especially well for smaller amounts of grain or rice.
The magic temperature: Heating grain to 140 degrees F for 15 minutes will kill all stages of weevils in the grain. Your oven can easily reach this temperature.
Oven method step by step:
- Heat the oven to 60 degrees Celsius (about 140°F)
- Rinse the grain thoroughly. Place it into a strainer and then hold it under clean running water
- Lay the grains out on your baking sheet, leave it in your oven for fifteen minutes, and let it cool before putting it in a storage container
- Make sure everything cools completely before storing
Microwave option: Pop the dry food in the Microwave for five minutes in a high-temperature setting. This works for smaller amounts.
Why heat works: As worms and eggs contain more moisture than the grains, they’ll heat up (and die) much faster than the grains.
When not to use this method: Larger quantities may require disposal or professional fumigation. Heat treatment works best for small batches you can fit in your oven.
6. Put Bay Leaves Everywhere
Bay leaves are like kryptonite to rice weevils. These common cooking herbs have a smell that weevils absolutely hate, making them a popular choice for people learning how to get rid of rice weevils naturally.
Why bay leaves work so well: Everyone from beetles to weevils, moths, cockroaches, ants, and flies is said to hate the herb’s fragrance. The aroma released by the bay leaves act as a natural way to get rid of rice weevils and many other kitchen bugs.
Where to put them:
- The leaves can be placed in containers of flour, rice, and other dry goods, or taped inside cupboards and shelves
- You can even place the leaves into small socks (such as vegetables or thistle socks) and then directly into the containers with your grains, oats, cereals, and rice
- Scatter them on pantry shelves
- Tape them inside cabinet doors
How many to use: Use bay leaves both inside your flour, rice, grain, and cereal containers. And use them around your pantry, drawers, and cabinets. You want to distribute the scent as far and wide throughout your entire kitchen and food storage areas as possible.
Real world results: We can confirm that our grains have been virtually pest-free ever since we started slipping bay leaves into canisters, cupboards, and boxes.
Will they change the taste: Because of its mild flavor and smell, you won’t have to worry about food tasting like bay leaves afterward.
Buy bay leaves in bulk since you’ll want to use a lot of them. Replace them every few months when they lose their smell.
7. Try Other Natural Smell Repellents
Bay leaves aren’t the only natural option. Several other common herbs and spices also keep rice weevils away.
Cloves pack a punch: Ground black pepper is toxic to rice weevils thanks to an active ingredient called piperine. Cloves can be easily acquired and typically work for those who face infestation for the first time. Just sprinkle cloves around your pantry area and cupboard shelves.
You can also add a few whole cloves to your containers while storing flour and other grain products for a natural weevil repellent.
Garlic works too: Garlic’s pungent aroma repels rice weevils from your grain naturally. Take a few fresh garlic cloves, peel them, chop them in half, and set them around your pantry to protect against bugs.
Some people put chopped garlic in small cloth bags and hang them in the pantry.
Other herbs that help: Use cloves, rosemary, onion, and peppercorn around your kitchen or food storage areas. Rosemary adds a delightful flavor to your dishes, and its strong scent also acts as a natural deterrent for rice weevils and other bugs.
Make combo bags: You can use a thistle sock and fill it up with a combination of any of these herbs to make a powerful and natural weevil repellent. Make a few socks and place them around your kitchen grains, oats, and cereals.
Keep in mind: While these natural repellents work well for prevention, they might not be strong enough to stop a heavy infestation on their own.
8. Use Professional Bug Sprays When Natural Methods Aren’t Enough
Sometimes natural methods aren’t strong enough, especially for bad infestations. Professional-grade insecticides can knock out stubborn weevil problems when other methods for how to get rid of rice weevils haven’t worked.
The most recommended product: Novacide Aerosol to kill adult rice weevils and halt the development of eggs and larvae. The best part about Novacide is its residual effect, as it can remain effective for up to 7 months.
How to apply it safely:
- Remove all food from the area first
- Apply a light mist of Novacide in short bursts in the crevices of your emptied pantry shelves where the shelving meets the wall
- Spray along the baseboards and flooring of your pantry, kitchen, carpeting, and the baseboards of the areas adjacent to your kitchen
- Let everything dry completely before putting food back
Other professional options:
- Bithor SC for treating larger areas
- Evergreen Pyrethrin can be sprayed or misted over the product and will knock out any pest found
For heavy infestations: For significant infestations of rice weevils, it may be wise to treat regularly with Novacide every two weeks until you do not see any more rice weevil activity.
Safety first: While many of these insecticides are non-toxic, it’s smart to keep children and pets away from the pantry temporarily while the fumes disperse.
Always read and follow the label directions exactly. When in doubt, call a professional.
9. Set Traps to Catch Stragglers
Even after cleaning and treating, some weevils might still be hiding. Traps help catch these stragglers and let you know if the problem is coming back.
Sticky traps work well: These traps can eliminate weevils by luring and trapping them to the sticky layer of the trap. Place traps where there are high activities of weevils such as the cabinets or pantry.
Pheromone traps are even better: Pro-Pest Pantry Moth and Beetle Traps to capture any straggler weevils. These traps use special scents that attract weevils.
Where to put traps:
- Inside pantry cabinets
- On pantry shelves
- Near where you found the most weevils
- In corners where weevils like to hide
Long term monitoring: You can use Pro-Pest Pantry Traps throughout the year to monitor and stop adult rice weevils from infesting in the first place.
Check traps regularly: Look at your traps every week. If you keep catching weevils, you might need to repeat some of your treatment steps.
Traps won’t solve a big infestation on their own, but they’re great for cleanup and prevention.
10. Store Food in the Right Containers
The containers you use to store food can make or break your weevil prevention plan. The wrong containers let weevils in, while the right ones keep them out for good.
Best container materials: These containers can be glass or metal with tight lids that are bug-proof. Glass and metal are ideal, but thick plastic also works.
Containers to avoid: Don’t leave your rice and other grains in the cardboard or thin plastic packages these pests come in. Weevils are determined pests that can chew through cardboard and some plastics, so these materials aren’t ideal for longer-term storage.
Even Ziploc bags aren’t strong enough. Glass or hard plastic containers (like tupperware) are impenetrable, Ziploc style bags may not be.
What makes a good container:
- Completely airtight seal
- Thick walls that weevils can’t chew through
- Clear sides so you can see inside
- Easy to clean
Storage tips:
- Get in the habit of taking out the food products from their original packaging and putting them into tight-fitting plastic containers
- Clean any unaffected items such as cans or containers before returning them to the pantry
- Label everything with dates
- Inspect your dry goods for weevils, and then give them a good once-over the next time you use them
Why this works: By doing this, you can prevent future infestations and isolate a possible infestation to just one product if a package is already contaminated.
Good containers are worth the investment. They’ll save you money and frustration in the long run.
11. Check Everything Before You Buy and Store
Prevention is way easier than dealing with an infestation. A few simple habits can keep weevils from ever getting into your home.
Before you buy: Inspect dry goods before purchasing for open or torn packaging. Inspect the packages for possible tears, holes, or punctures. Many times, these packages will already have an infestation inside.
Look for:
- Tiny holes in packages
- Torn or damaged packaging
- Fine powder or dust inside packages
- Any signs of bugs
When you get home: Freeze dry goods for a minimum of four days to kill any larvae or eggs before storing them. This kills any bugs or eggs you might have missed.
Smart shopping habits:
- Try to get in the habit of buying just a week’s worth of food supplies to avoid overstocking your pantry
- Buy dry goods in smaller quantities if possible, to prevent storing them for too long
- Get rid of old food regularly
Storage environment: Maintain a cool, dry environment in food storage areas, and consider using bay leaves or cloves in stored grains as natural repellents.
Why this matters: This way, you will prevent having food products stored for months on end, which can open up the possibility of an infestation, especially if they are left undisturbed in the dark.
Remember, almost all the rice they’ve ever consumed had bug eggs in it, but proper storage prevents them from hatching.
12. Know When to Call Professional Pest Control
Sometimes the problem is too big to handle on your own. Knowing when to call in the pros can save you time, money, and a lot of frustration.
When to make the call:
- Sometimes, rice weevil infestations can get out of control. In these instances, professional pest control services may be the only way to get rid of them
- You’ve tried multiple methods and still see weevils
- Larger quantities may require disposal or professional fumigation
- The infestation keeps coming back
What pros can do that you can’t: Fumigation or spray with specific professional-use-only insecticide are the most effective treatments for severe cases.
Professional services include:
- A licensed pest control professional will inspect your home to confirm whether you have a rice weevil problem. They’ll assess the severity of the infestation and determine the best course of action
- In some cases, pest control companies might recommend chemical treatments. Insecticides and fumigation can kill weevils
- After treatment, pest control professionals might recommend follow-up inspections to ensure the problem is completely resolved
Benefits of professional treatment: Professional treatments allow for the products and equipment to be used again after the process is completed, saving time and additional costs.
You stay in control: In other cases, they might suggest non-chemical solutions to stop future infestations. You are in full control and can choose the best path forward for your family.
Don’t feel bad about calling professionals. Some infestations are just too tough for DIY methods.
Final Thoughts: Your Rice Weevil Battle Plan
Getting rid of rice weevils takes patience, but it’s totally doable. The key is acting fast and being thorough.
Your step-by-step plan:
- Act immediately – Throw out infected food and clean everything
- Choose your weapons – Pick natural methods, temperature treatments, or professional sprays
- Set up defenses – Use proper containers and monitoring traps
- Stay vigilant – Keep checking and maintain good storage habits
Remember this important fact: It might take one or two weevil life cycles to completely rid your pantry of the tiny household pests. Don’t give up if you see a few stragglers after treatment.
The bottom line: Rice weevils are annoying, but they’re not permanent residents. With the right approach, you can kick them out and keep them out. Choose the methods that work for your situation, be consistent, and you’ll have a pest-free pantry again.
Most people find that combining 2-3 methods works better than relying on just one. Start with the basics (throw out infected food and clean thoroughly), then add natural repellents or temperature treatments as needed.
Good luck with your weevil battle! Your rice will thank you later.
