If you’re looking for advice on how to get rid of centipedes, chances are you’ve seen the proverbial pinworm in your home. However, before you look for a solution to your problem, it’s important to know that while seeing earwigs may turn the hair on the back of your neck, they’re completely harmless to humans.
Having said that, however, if you find earwigs annoying, it’s easy cleaning tips and prevention methods to help you get rid of this pest completely. Here, pest experts recommend how to get rid of earwigs indoors and out.
How to Get Rid of Centipedes – Effective Tips for Quick Success
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Before getting rid of the centipede, John Melchior from Kapture Pest Control (opens in new tab) You are urged to pause and decide if you want to clear your home of pests.While that might seem like an easy answer, he explained that the creature does have its benefits, especially if you want to protect your best houseplants.
“I tell my clients that seeing a centipede at home is not necessarily a reason to panic. These mistakes are beneficial in some ways,” he said. “They eat other insects that feed on plants in the house or garden, and nestle in some perennial flowers to chew on dead bugs and pollen. If you see a centipede in the house, it may have been riding on some cut flowers .
If you decide you want to get rid of centipedes in your home, the following five tips should lead to quick success.
1. Vacuum all earwig activity
According to Megan Wede Complete the right pest solution (opens in new tab)This process starts from your Vacuum cleaner. She recommends checking all affected areas before identifying centipedes and removing all visible activity.
‘Next, you’ll want to organize things. Centipedes love to hide, and they can hide in the strangest objects, household items, and outdoor furniture items. Shake these items to remove any stashed earwigs. Vacuum those earwigs too,” she instructed.
2. Use soap and water solution
An alternative to vacuuming is a simple soap and water solution the real noren (opens in new tab)Technical Manager, Mike Duncan. He recommends making a homemade insecticide with these two ingredients before spraying the liquid on the affected area.
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3. Apply boric acid to infested cracks
Mike Duncan, technical manager at Truly Nolen, suggests that boric acid is equally effective against earwigs. He recommends carefully applying the acid to any cracks where you notice pest activity. ‘The centipede will hide in cracks and crevices where moisture is high. Often, this can be in the gap between the kitchen and bathroom area or baseboard,” he adds.
4. Eliminate excess moisture
After removing centipedes, Megan Wede of Done Right Pest Solutions recommends clearing damp areas around your home to prevent any return.
“Centipedes love damp places, so if you’ve ever had a plumbing leak in a wall void, that’s perfect conditions for a centipede population to grow,” she said. Watch out for any warped or bulging siding, as this means there is water damage in that wall. Be sure to eliminate the source of the stash condition.
5. Set up the dehumidifier
While investing in a new dehumidifier may not eliminate existing earwigs, it will improve the chances that they won’t return.
“If you have a dehumidifier installed, it will dry out some of the moisture, which will help create a disadvantage for earwigs and silverfish in your home,” says Megan Wede of Done Right Pest Solutions. So , if you’re looking for an excuse to pick one of these best dehumidifier In the market, this expert has given you full permission.
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How to get rid of centipedes naturally?
Like many other insects, centipedes don’t like strong odors. Here are some things you can do to help keep them away:
- white vinegar
- peppermint
- Eucalyptus Oil
- rosemary oil
- clove oil
- Lavender Oil
- lemon
- basil
- Cinnamon
What causes so many earwigs?
It’s worth noting that most earwigs prefer to thrive outdoors. However, they are occasionally tempted by indoor humidity.
‘The earwig’s habitat is best outside the house. Their food sources include decaying plant and animal matter. They live in damp areas and tend to hide under leaves and mulch around the house during the day,” said Mike Duncan, Technical Manager at Truly Nolen.
“If they invade the interior of the house, it usually means that the environment has changed. It could be high heat and little or too much rain driving them inward.
Why is there a centipede in my house all of a sudden?
Centipedes will enter your house in search of food and shelter. Often they like to eat decaying plants, many of which live in plants and flowers doing useful work. If they come in, it may be that the conditions outside are unfavorable – maybe it’s very dry and hot – and the conditions inside are more appealing.
