Download ArticleThe best natural and chemical options for getting rid of centipedes
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This article was co-authored by Wilson Christner and by How.com.vn staff writer, Amber Crain. Wilson Christner is a Pest Management Professional and Co-Owner of Whitmore Pest & Wildlife Control. With over 14 years of experience, Wilson offers comprehensive services to address immediate pest issues, while also providing valuable recommendations and solutions for habitat improvements and exclusion techniques, particularly for wildlife and rodent-related problems. Wilson holds a wood-destroying organism, outdoor vertebrate, and residential/commercial pest control Qualified Supervisor certification from the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Wilson is also a red card certified wildland firefighter and was honored as the firefighter of the year in 2017.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
This article has been viewed 1,388,600 times.
House centipedes are generally harmless, but spotting these many-legged creepy-crawlies in your home can be cringe-inducing—it's understandable if you don't want them as guests. In this article, we'll explain exactly how to get rid of centipedes in and around your home, and we'll also provide useful prevention tips so they'll never return. If you're ready to get a leg up on your centipede problem and give these creatures the boot once and for all, read on!
Things You Should Know
- Put sticky traps in the corners and crevices of your home to catch centipedes and the insects that centipedes feed on.
- Spray a chemical insecticide that contains pyrethroids around baseboards, windows, crevices, doors, and the outdoor perimeter of your home.
- For a natural solution, sprinkle diatomaceous earth or boric acid across your home's entry points and exterior.
Steps
Set up sticky traps in your home's corners and crevices. Sticky traps are effective at catching centipedes, and they'll also capture other insects in your home that the centipedes are feasting on. Centipedes will definitely be less interested in hanging out at your house if you eliminate their food source.[1]- Don't forget to check your sticky traps regularly and dispose of the insects.
- Sticky traps can also alert you to heavy traffic areas. If one of your sticky traps turns out to be really popular, you can focus your efforts there.
- Sticky traps work best for smaller centipedes. Larger centipedes may walk over sticky traps and escape by simply leaving behind a few of their legs.
Spray chemical insecticides around baseboards, windows, and doors. To kill centipedes on contact, look for synthetic insecticides that contain pyrethroids (cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, cypermethrin, permethrin or tralomethrin). Apply the insecticide spray along points of entry like baseboards, cracks, crevices, doors, and windows to create a barrier of protection.[2]- Apply a barrier of insecticide around the exterior of your home, as well, to prevent new centipedes from coming in.
- Remember that chemical pesticides are poisonous! Read and follow the product's directions carefully, and keep these chemicals away from kids and pets.
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Use diatomaceous earth or boric acid if you prefer non-toxic options. Natural dusts like boric acid and food grade diatomaceous earth kill centipedes and work well for continual centipede control. Sprinkle the dust at points of entry (baseboards, cracks, crevices, doors, and windows).[3]- Sprinkle the dust around the exterior perimeter of your home, too, so new centipedes can't make it indoors. If they happen to make it inside, they should be dead or near death by the time you find them. Just wipe or vacuum them up when you see them.
Repel centipedes naturally with essential oils like cedar and peppermint. Add 20-50 drops of your chosen essential oil to a spray bottle. Then, fill the bottle the rest of the way with water and screw on the nozzle. Saturate entry points and any other areas where you've spotted centipedes with the mixture.[4]- As a bonus, the essential oils will make your home smell lovely.
- If you're dealing with just a handful of centipedes, spray them with undiluted vinegar to kill them on the spot.[5]
Hire a professional exterminator to knock out tough infestations. If you've tried everything to get rid of the centipedes and you're still seeing them around your home, it may be time to hire an exterminator. Exterminators crawl your home for potential entrance points, locate and destroy centipede eggs, and spray with effective commercial pesticides to get rid of centipedes for good.
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Get rid of other pests in your home. Centipedes feast on spiders and other types of small insects that are common in and around residential spaces. Eliminating their food source is a great way to keep centipedes from coming back (and starve out any that are still hanging around). To prevent pests:[6]- Store food in airtight containers and clean up any food spills right away.
- Remove household clutter like stacks of newspapers, magazines, and cardboard (which pests love to munch on).
- Get rid of any organic debris, like leaf litter, around your home and always use trash cans with tight-fitting lids.
Reduce moisture indoors and keep your home dry. Centipedes are attracted to moist environments and need moisture to survive; without it, they'll dry out and die. Use a dehumidifier inside your home to get rid of moisture in the air and repair any indoor water leaks that you have.[7]- Run the exhaust fan in your bathroom when you're taking a shower to minimize moisture and humidity.
- Place packets of silica in the dampest places of your home. Silica is an absorbent that wicks away moisture from the air and ground.
- Close or block off your sink and tub drains, if possible.
Remove organic material around your home's exterior. Place firewood, mulch, tarpaulins, and compost bins away from the perimeter of the house and as far away as possible. Move or dispose of compost, leaves, wood, and any other organic debris in your yard. Trim any shrubbery back at least 1–2 ft (30–61 cm) from the sides of your home.[8]- Clean out the gutters and downspouts around your home, as well. Leaves, branches, and other debris can block the water flow and create the perfect environment for centipedes.
- Cleaning up clutter in damp indoor areas, like basements, can also discourage centipedes from taking up residence there.
Seal cracks and crevices with caulk or expanding foam. Check around your home for cracks in concrete foundation and fill them in with caulk. It also helps to caulk the spaces around doors and windows to eliminate gaps where centipedes get inside.[9]- Apply weatherstripping to discourage centipedes.
- Caulk any holes between the walls in your home, and seal sump pump covers with screen and caulk.
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Community Q&A
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- QuestionCan I smush the centipede with my shoe?
How.com.vn Staff EditorThis answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Staff AnswerHow.com.vn Staff EditorStaff AnswerSure, but then you'll have to clean up the mush! If you need to get rid of a single centipede quickly and you don't want to deal with a mess, vacuum it up with a hose attachment instead. - QuestionHow can I stop centipedes from entering my house?How.com.vn Staff EditorThis answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Staff AnswerHow.com.vn Staff EditorStaff AnswerSpray a chemical insecticide that contains pyrethroids around baseboards, windows, crevices, doors, and the outdoor perimeter of your home. If you prefer a natural solution, sprinkle diatomaceous earth or boric acid across your home's entry points and around the exterior. - QuestionWill Lysol spray kill them if you spray the baseboards or directly on them?How.com.vn Staff EditorThis answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Staff AnswerHow.com.vn Staff EditorStaff AnswerA direct hit of Lysol might slow a centipede down and it could possibly even poison/kill it, but it's really not an effect control measure. If you have a large infestation, try using a synthetic insecticide that contain pyrethroids instead.
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Warnings
- Be careful using pesticides since they're poisonous. Read the instructions carefully and keep them out of reach of children and pets.Thanks
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about pest control, check out our in-depth interview with Wilson Christner.
References
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/house-centipedes
- ↑ https://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/house-centipedes
- ↑ https://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/house-centipedes
- ↑ https://todayshomeowner.com/pest-control/guides/how-to-easily-get-rid-of-house-centipedes/
- ↑ https://thepetenthusiast.com/centipedes-in-basement
- ↑ https://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/house-centipedes
- ↑ https://www.haltonwildlife.ca/6-tips-getting-rid-centipedes/
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glaGUAjX82k&t=115s
- ↑ https://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/house-centipedes
About This Article
Pest Management Professional
This article was co-authored by Wilson Christner and by How.com.vn staff writer, Amber Crain. Wilson Christner is a Pest Management Professional and Co-Owner of Whitmore Pest & Wildlife Control. With over 14 years of experience, Wilson offers comprehensive services to address immediate pest issues, while also providing valuable recommendations and solutions for habitat improvements and exclusion techniques, particularly for wildlife and rodent-related problems. Wilson holds a wood-destroying organism, outdoor vertebrate, and residential/commercial pest control Qualified Supervisor certification from the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Wilson is also a red card certified wildland firefighter and was honored as the firefighter of the year in 2017. This article has been viewed 1,388,600 times.
Co-authors: 31
Updated: July 21, 2023
Views: 1,388,600
Categories: Featured Articles | Pest Control
Article SummaryX
To get rid of centipedes, try sprinkling some cayenne pepper around the entryways to your home, which will deter the centipedes so they don't come inside. You can also try setting up some sticky traps on the floors around your home to catch the centipedes when they walk on them. If the centipedes persist, sprinkle a natural pesticide, like boric acid or diatomaceous earth, over the areas where you usually spot them. For more tips, like how to seal off entrance points to your home so centipedes can't get in, keep reading!
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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,388,600 times.
Reader Success Stories
"This piece did help me because l now know how these Centipedes invaded my home in the first place. There is a crack on the side of my bath tub! They must have gotten into there and made it their abode. I am just going to go and cover every crack in my bathroom and room. I would also make the place as dried out as possible!"..." more
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