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3 Simple Ways to Keep Rice Free from Pests All Year Round

With this simple trick, you can store rice without worrying about insects.

15 March, 2024

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Rice is the top essential food that every household cannot be without. When rice is stored for a long time, it often becomes moldy or infested with insects. So how do we solve this problem?

Use garlic

Garlic is an essential ingredient in stir-fried dishes, but its usefulness goes beyond that. It can also help preserve rice. Just peel a few cloves of garlic and place them into the rice container, then tightly seal the lid. The characteristic odor of garlic will prevent insects and pests from attacking. Note that you can adjust the amount of garlic cloves depending on the quantity of rice.

Use pepper

Next is pepper – a useful spice in preserving rice because insects are also afraid of its strong spicy taste. Therefore, you can put a certain amount of pepper into a small bag and place it in the rice container. This way, you can prevent pests without worrying about the pepper mixing with the rice, making it difficult to eat.

Use plastic containers

Some people may not like using the above three ingredients because they are afraid that the rice will absorb the odor. In that case, there is another simple method, which is to use plastic containers. However, using plastic containers has its pros and cons. The advantage is that it does not give off any unpleasant odor to the rice, but the disadvantage is that the storage space is small and not convenient for storing large quantities.

Before putting the rice into the plastic container, you need to carefully check whether there is any water residue at the bottom. Otherwise, if there is water, it can make the rice damp and moldy. Once you have ensured that the plastic container is dry, you can fill it with rice and tightly seal the lid. Then, place it in a cool and airy place, making sure there is no dust or insects nearby.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, pepper is another useful spice. Insects dislike the strong, spicy taste, so placing a small bag of pepper in your rice container will help keep pests away without affecting the taste of your rice.

Using plastic containers is a simple and effective method to store rice. However, they have their pros and cons. While they don’t affect the odor of the rice, the storage space is limited, and they may not be convenient for large quantities. Ensure there is no water residue at the bottom of the container before adding rice, seal it tight, and store it in a cool, airy place, free from dust and insects.