How to Get Rid of Centipedes

There are more than 2,000 species of centipede in the world, most of which live almost exclusively outdoors. Sometimes, they venture inside, especially during the colder months. Although they are harmless to humans and help kill lots of spiders and insects around the house, their bite does contain venom, and they aren't the most elegant of household guests. If you want to know how to rid your home of centipedes once and for all, here's what to do.

EditSteps

EditKilling the Centipedes

1. Kill them on sight! Their freakishly long legs make them very fast so you'll have to be quick. Centipedes don't usually invade homes in large numbers, so you may be able to get rid of your problem just by stomping on, or bug-spraying, every one you see. Note that if you are afraid to even approach or be near the centipede, even vacuum cleaners won't be useful.
   
   • If you don't want to kill the centipede, you can try to catch it in a jar and release it outside, but this usually leads to a high-pitched scream, a broken jar, and a free centipede.
2. Try setting up sticky traps. Just place them in corners and crevices where centipedes tend to hunt. You may also catch other insects that are sneakily crawling around your home. Know that larger centipedes that walk over sticky or glue traps may escape by simply leaving behind a couple legs. Sticky traps are most effective for smaller centipedes, not larger ones.
   
3. Try an insecticide if none of these natural remedies work. Keep in mind that insecticides are only temporary solutions. Any garden supply store will carry these products. Just make sure to follow the package directions. Even though these products shouldn't kill pets or humans, it's best not to have prolonged contact with them.
   
   • Sticky traps could possibly alert you to heavy traffic areas, allowing you to spray these areas or place more sticky traps. If one of your sticky traps turns out to be really popular and none of your other ones do, chances are the popular one is where you should focus most of your attention.
   • If you want to kill the centipedes, but you don’t want to poison the earth, yourself, or your pets, you can use natural pesticides like boric acid or food grade diatomaceous earth for continual centipede control.
   • Products containing plant-derived pyrethrin will exterminate centipedes on contact, and can be used as a fog or spray.
4. Put down a barrier around your entire home. Whether it's chemical insecticide, natural insecticide, or other, think about creating a moat-like barrier around the outside of your house. Because centipedes originate outside and come inside. When they do, they'll travel into the insecticide barrier. If they happen to make it inside, they should be dead or near death by the time you find them. Try using the organic pesticide containing cyhalothrin, which is used mainly for ants but does double duty for centipedes.
   
5. Look for professional help. If you've tried everything under the sun to help eradicate the creepy-crawly pests, it may be time to pony up and hire an exterminator. Exterminators may crawl your home for potential entrance points, locate and destroy any centipede eggs, and spray parts of your home with effective pesticides. We probably don't want to admit it, but exterminators do a better job of locating the problem and ensuring that it goes away. They're worth the money if you can afford it and are at your wit's end.
   

EditKeeping Centipedes Away for Good

1. Get rid of all other pests in the home. The centipedes will have nothing to eat, and will hopefully die or move in with the neighbors A centipede without food is as good as a dead or soon-to-be-vacating centipede.^[1]
   
2. Keep your home dry. Centipedes dry out and die if they don't stay in a moist environment. Clean up basements, closets, or any other damp areas, and use a dehumidifier.
   
   • Place packets of silica in the dampest places of your home. Silica is an absorbent that wicks away moisture from the air and ground. Look for silica packets in new shoes, for example, or buy some cheaply. Keep them in the dampest places of your home.
3. Remove organic material from the side of your house. Place firewood, mulch, tarpaulins, and compost bins away from the perimeter of the house and as far away as possible. Remove any compost, leaves, wood, and organic debris. Consider getting rid of damp items like compost bins if possible.^[2]
   
4. Close off all entrance points. This will keep the bugs from entering your home in the first place. Seal any cracks in concrete foundations, and caulk spaces around doors and windows.
   
   • Apply weatherstripping to the outside of your house to discourage centipede intrusion.
   • Caulk any holes between walls.
   • Look at gutters and downspouts and clear away away leaves, branches, or other material that may be blocking the water's natural flow down the gutter. This could be a potential home for centipedes.
5. Try cayenne pepper. For a natural way to discourage centipedes from vacationing in your home, try laying down a thin layer of cayenne pepper at entrance points, both outside and inside your home. Dogs and cats should stay away from it, although they won't be seriously hurt if they happen to get a little curious.
   

EditTips

• The only creatures that have to worry about house centipedes are other bugs, since centipedes kill and eat a variety of things you’d probably like to get rid of, like bedbugs, termites, silverfish, spiders, and even cockroaches.
• Centipedes rarely bite people, and sometimes their jaws aren’t even strong enough to pierce human skin in self-defense. If they manage it, a centipede bite will usually resemble a minor bee sting.
• 'Raid' type sprays will kill them fairly quickly if you don't want to get near them.
• Check and keep watch where centipedes could come out from. Block any holes or leaks in pipes or drains.

EditWarnings

• Close any drains to sinks or tubs if possible.
• Be careful using any pesticides. Read the instructions carefully.

EditSources and Citations

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