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I was just finishing up feeding my son dinner when I opened up the pantry to get some crackers out for him. I rearranged a few things on my sons food shelf and picked up a microwavable pasta bowl and it had maggots all over it!!!! I FREAKED out and threw it away. How in he world did maggots get in my pantry? Nothing was opened in there? What should I do now? Should I bleach my pantry or anything? I’m afraid everything on the shelf is dirty now!!!
Check any food that was not sealed and toss anything that looks to have been infested. Wash down any cans or bottles with a wet soapy rag. Vacuum all the little buggers out first though and then empty the bag/canister to prevent reinfestation. He may have put a half eaten something on the shelf and that is what started the cycle. Just be glad you caught it.
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It sounds like you have pantry moths, which can strongly resemble maggots in certain stages. They come home from the grocery store in infested cardboard boxes. They are not uncommon and you can get rid of them. Having them doesn’t mean you are a dirty person.
First, you need to empty your pantry. Inspect all the items you take out. Throw away anything old or that’s been opened for a while and you haven’t used. Pantry moths particularly love grain products, so pay special attention to those.
Second, clean out your pantry. I used hot water with a little dish soap, you can add a drop of bleach if you want. Make sure you wipe the shelves and the sides of the pantry really well.
Third, put a couple bowls of vinegar on different shelves overnight and shut the door. They do not like vinegar and this should finish driving them out. When you open your pantry in the morning, look for any signs of them to clean up.
Put all your grain goods (flour, pasta, rice, etc.), in resealable containers with tight fitting lids. This should avoid the problem in the future. It is possible to get rid of them.