Rice weevils are a common problem faced by many people when storing rice at home. These small insects can reproduce quickly and damage the quality of rice. In addition to making rice look dirty, the presence of weevils can also affect the taste and aroma of rice when cooked.
This problem often arises due to improper storage methods . Rice weevils tend to breed in humid and warm environments, as well as in rice that has been stored for a long time. These conditions allow them to grow rapidly, so that in a short time, the entire rice stock can be filled with weevils. As a result, the rice is not only damaged, but also unfit for consumption.
However, rice that is full of weevils does not mean it cannot be consumed. You can still consume it as long as the weevils in the rice are cleaned first. One of the most common ways to get rid of weevils is to dry the rice in the sun. The heat from the sun can make the rice weevils go away or even die.
But another problem is, dead rice weevils usually get trapped in the rice. That way, you still need to pick them out one by one to clean the weevils. For some people, this method tends to be troublesome and takes a lot of time.
Well, to make it more practical, you can imitate the trick shared by Instagram user @rumahdhiba in getting rid of rice weevils. Through one of the videos uploaded, she admitted to only using one drink ingredient to get rid of rice weevils. This drink ingredient can make the weevils go away and the rice is fit for consumption again.
As reported by BrilioFood from Instagram @rumahdhiba on Thursday (5/9), the drink ingredient in question is ground coffee. To be safer, you can use pure ground coffee. So, not coffee that contains sugar or creamer so as not to invite other pests to come.
Instagram/@rumahdhiba
Well, this ground coffee can be directly put into a small plastic. After that, make a small hole using a needle. Only then, put the coffee into the rice that has been placed in a wide container.
Instagram/@rumahdhiba
Immerse the coffee in the rice and let it sit for a few hours. At this stage, the weevils in the rice will leave and come out on their own because of the pungent aroma of the coffee. Rice weevils do not like the aroma of coffee because coffee has a strong and pungent odor that can interfere with the respiratory and sensory systems of the weevils.
Instagram/@rumahdhiba
Basically, small insects such as rice weevils use their sense of smell to find food and breeding grounds, so the pungent aroma of coffee makes them reluctant to approach. The content of natural compounds in coffee, such as caffeine, can also act as a natural repellent for insects. In addition, the aroma of coffee can cover up the smell of rice that usually attracts weevils. If the aroma is disguised, weevils have difficulty finding a comfortable place to breed. This is the reason why many people use coffee grounds as one of the natural methods to repel rice weevils from storage.