How to Get Rid of House Centipedes

Knowing how to get rid of house centipedes should be one of the general knowledge that most homeowners know. After all, centipedes are included as common house pests, like spiders, cockroaches, or silverfish. But do homeowners want their presence in the house? Of course not! Not only the appearance is pretty terrifying and frightening, having one crawling on your body isn’t exactly a fun thing. But before you learn about how to get rid of house centipedes naturally, it doesn’t hurt to know their basic facts and their habits.

 

Understanding Centipedes

House centipedes like to live in damp and dark places. When they are entering your house, it means that they are looking for food and shelter. If your house is full of insects, it would be viewed as a potential and ideal hunting ground as the house centipedes eat those insects. In fact, you should be aware of your surrounding if there is centipedes’ infestation in your house. You may want to consider the possibility of other insects’ infestation.

Centipedes aren’t all bad because they actually help controlling other pests – and their population. However, not everyone is ecstatic with the idea of having the crawling pests wandering around their house. They do have menacing appearance, which makes them more threatening than what they actually are. Unlike rats or cockroaches or even bees, centipedes are generally harmless. They have venom, but they aren’t poisonous.

If you suspect your house of being infested by these pests, you should check the places with water issue history, such as the basement or under the sinks. Centipedes like humid and dark areas as they also need water source for their lives. They can be pretty difficult to see, but try inspecting those humid areas at night. Check the kitchen and bathroom, as well as the basement where humidity is generally the highest.

What causes centipedes in the house? Basically, if they find your house to have the ideal environment as their breeding ground – it is humid and dark with many hidden spots, it always has continuous water source, and it has a continuous food source – then they will likely set up their nest in your house.

 

How to Get Rid of House Centipedes

How to Get Rid of House Centipedes

How to Get Rid of House Centipedes

 

Crush Them

Centipedes usually hide. But they finally on the move, it is rare for them to move in a large group. You can always crush them with your boots or your gloved hands. If you happen to have a floor brush, simply brush the centipede and it will die instantly.

 

Screen Them

Centipedes may come from the outdoor (to the indoor) through small crevices, holes, and cracks. After all, they are pretty small with flattened body. If you have a small and narrow gap under the door or on the windows, then they may use the entry points to gain access to your house. That’s why it is advisable to install double-layer screen on the windows, doors, and air vents. By installing the screen, you minimize their possibility to get into the house. If there are cracks on the walls, use caulks or event cement to provide permanent seal and closure.

 

Sticky Papers

You can use sticky papers for traps. Just place them in corners and dark areas, along the floorboards. The sticky papers won’t only capture the centipedes, but also other possible insects. From there, you can learn about the types of infestation that may happen inside your house. The sticky papers are relatively easy to use – and they are inexpensive too. Just peel off the cover and you are good to go. sticky papers generally have two sticky sides, and both of them have the cover too. But if you only want to use one side, then just peel off one side of the cover. Be careful as these papers can be super sticky. If you aren’t careful, they can be caught up in your clothes and even your hair. You don’t want it to happen, seriously.

 

Remove the Clutters

You need to declutter. If you have piles of boxes or you like to throw your stuff on the floor, centipedes (as well as other insects) would view them as ideal hiding places. Remove old boxes away. Discard or burn them. Remove stuff from the floor.

 

Use Diatomaceous Earth

When compared to pesticides, Diatomaceous Earth is relatively safe. They are coming in powdered form which is actually sharp. The powdered stuff can break and tear the insect’s outer shell that makes the insect dehydrate. When centipedes walk on them, the insects would feel as if they were walking on glass shreds, so it is quite painful. Just sprinkle the powder on affected area and the possible hiding spots. Make sure to vacuum the area and then sprinkle a fresh one twice a week.

 

Use Dehumidifier

Remember that centipedes like humid places? Then you can use dehumidifier to make the air inside the house a bit dry. Centipedes hate it when the air is dry and not humid. So, if you place the dehumidifier around the house, you basically know how to get rid of house centipedes without breaking a sweat. Make sure to install air vents in bathrooms so it won’t be humid. Check for plumbing or pipe leaks.

 

Remove the Insects

Centipedes eat other insects, so when you are able to remove the insects, they basically cut off their food source. If centipedes can’t find food easily in your house, then they won’t find your place comfortable or ideal.

 

Vacuum Them

One way on how to get rid of house centipedes is to use the vacuum cleaner – whether the regular one or the portable one. Whenever you see the centipede, simply suck the little fellow. Not all homeowners want to crush the insect. Vacuuming the centipedes is also ideal when you see several centipedes crawling on the floor or the wall. Once you don’t see any of them anymore, you can take the vacuum outside and then remove the centipedes. Don’t forget to wear gloves when you remove them because they may bite you, thinking that they are threatened or within a grave danger. Another benefit of the vacuum is the fact that you can remove the insect from hard-to-reach spots.

 

How to Kill Centipede Using Pesticides Products

How to Kill Centipede Using Pesticides Products

How to Kill Centipede Using Pesticides Products

 

Not all pesticides are harmful. Despite their chemical contents, some products can be relatively safe – provided that you use them in a correct manner and you use them following the given directions. Some products can be quite safe, containing natural substances. But still, you should keep them away from kids and pets.

 

Pesticide Spray

Some pesticide sprays can be used to treat the infestation issue, as well as killing the insects quite efficiently. When you spray them on potential breeding spots, you can also prevent the insects from making nests in your house. However, most insecticide sprays contain chemical substances that can be dangerous for humans, pets, and kids. You can also choose products that contain natural substances (such as peppermint or tea tree) although they are quite costly – at least costlier than the regular pesticide sprays. If you do use the sprays, make sure to follow the directions. Don’t be a Know-It-All.

 

Pesticide Granules

You can use the granules and spread them around the house. Spread them on the corners and dark spots, including basement and bathroom, as well as places such as window sills and doors. But when you use the granules, make sure that your pets or kids won’t be able to reach the granules easily. Don’t forget to wear gloves when you spread the granules and always wash your hands thoroughly (be advisable to wash your hands twice or three times) after handling the granules. Read: How to Get Rid of Centipedes from Your Property

 

Natural Ways To Get Rid of Centipedes

Natural Ways To Get Rid of Centipedes

Natural Ways To Get Rid of Centipedes

 

Want to know the natural centipede repellent that works pretty effective and is also safe for everyday application? Try essential oils. This is one of the natural ways to kill centipedes, it also safe for your kids and pets.

 

Mint

It is a great killer or repellent for house centipedes. In fact, such essential oil is often used in various methods on how to get rid of house centipedes. And if you have any insect infestation issue, mint can be your best option because it is pretty potent to fight against the problem. You can dilute the mint oil with water and then pour it in the spray bottle. Spray it on places that you suspect are being infested by the pests.

You can also soak several cotton balls in the mint solution and then scatter them on the affected areas. If you happen to see the insects, simply spray it. The mint oil can kill it right away. Other centipedes may avoid the sprayed area. Try to combine the cotton balls application and the spray. Consider having the plants around the house too.

 

Tea Tree

Tea tree is one of the natural ways to get rid of centipedes. Just like the mint, you can prepare a solution with tea tree oil and the water. Simply spray areas, such as window sills, the gap of the door, and other places to prevent them from coming. Only a small amount (of the oil) would be enough to create your own personal scent barrier. You can also have the plants. Read Also: House Centipede Vs Silverfish Difference

 

Vanilla

It may seem odd to you, considering that vanilla smells great. However, centipedes have super strong smell senses and they find vanilla to be overwhelming. You can either mix the water and vanilla and then put it in the spray bottle, or you can soak the cotton balls in the mixture. If you choose the latter, don’t forget to replace them once every 2 to 3 days, so they will remain effective to deal with the infestation. It would also be a great idea to have vanilla plants around the house, or within small pots on the window sills or close to the door.

 

Peppermint

Centipedes also hate the smell. How to get rid of house centipedes? Just like the previous steps, you need to mix the essential oil with water. If you want to, you can also have the plants. It’s like having a double layer of scent barrier – on the outside with the plants and on the inside with the spray or the cotton balls. The essential oils will also make sure that your house smells nice – but not so much for the centipedes.

There you have it; some of the alternatives to fight off the crawling insects. You simply need to choose one among the various methods on how to get rid of house centipedes effectively.

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