More than a few crumbs could be lurking in the darkest, deepest recesses of your pantry. Or, you could have bigger problems hiding behind all the canned goods and bags of flour, like pantry moths and weevils. That’s why it’s a good idea to give your pantry a deep clean on a regular basis. Keep your pantry sanitary and pests at bay by following our recommended schedule for deep cleaning your pantry.

How Often Should You Deep Clean Your Pantry?

Deep clean your pantry at least twice a year. This may be adequate in smaller households where the pantry isn’t full of half-opened cereal boxes, spilled bread crumbs, and torn bags from all those baking projects. If you have a high-traffic pantry, aim for cleaning it every three months, or once during each season of the year.

What You Need

• Hand vacuum or vacuum cleaner
• Wash cloth or sponge
• Dish detergent
• Warm water
• Optional: bucket

How To Deep Clean Your Pantry

Step 1: Remove Everything

Start by removing everything from your pantry shelves and placing it in boxes or bins. It’s the only way to discover all the messes that could be hiding behind your pantry staples.

Step 2: Vacuum

You’ll need to pull out the hand vacuum or a vacuum hose attachment to suck up all the crumbs from your pantry before cleaning your shelves.

Step 3: Clean The Shelves

Use a sponge or wash cloth dipped in warm, soapy water to wipe off shelves. If you have a big job to undertake, you may want to use a bucket here. Dried-on spills may require light scrubbing to remove.

Step 4: Examine Boxes And Bags Before Replacing

Examine boxes and bags for signs of pests, and throw them out if you see any webbing or caterpillars. Also toss expired goods—while many shelf-stable items don’t actually go bad, they won’t be as fresh and may not taste great in your cooking. Finally, check packages for holes and tears and place anything that could spill in a sealed container. If you do discover pantry pests, it’s a good idea to seal up all baking goods, nuts, and cereals.

Step 5: Reorganize Your Pantry

Now’s your chance to reorganize. Decide how you want to group items together, and place packages that tend to spill in bins. Make sure you put the oldest items in front so they get used first.

Other Tips To Keep A Pantry Clean

• Lining pantry shelves or using bins will make it easier to keep your pantry clean.
• Give pantry shelves a quick wipe every week or anytime you see a spill.
• Place older items in the front of the pantry so they’re more likely to get used before they expire.
• Don’t overstock your pantry with items you aren’t likely to use within six months.