Nobody wants to see a many-legged centipede scurrying across their floor at night. These creepy crawlers love damp, dark spaces and often find their way into homes looking for food, moisture, and shelter. While centipedes actually help by eating other pests like cockroaches and spiders, most people prefer to keep these lightning-fast creatures outside where they belong.
Centipedes sneak into homes through tiny cracks and crevices, seeking out humid environments and hunting grounds full of other insects. Once they find a cozy spot, they can live comfortably indoors. The good news? Learning how to get rid of centipedes doesn’t have to be complicated when you use proven methods that range from simple natural solutions to professional treatments.
This guide covers 15 effective ways to eliminate centipedes from your home and keep them from coming back. Whether you prefer natural methods or need stronger solutions, you’ll find an approach that works for your situation and shows you exactly how to get rid of centipedes for good.
1. Use Essential Oil Repellents
Essential oils are one of the easiest and safest ways to repel centipedes. These oils work because centipedes have a heightened sense of smell, and certain scents completely overwhelm them.
Peppermint oil is the top choice for centipede control. Mix 25 drops of peppermint essential oil with 2 cups of water in a spray bottle. Shake well before each use and spray around baseboards, door frames, window sills, and any dark corners where you’ve seen centipedes. The strong menthol scent creates an invisible barrier that centipedes won’t cross.
Tea tree oil is another powerful option that’s actually toxic to centipedes. Combine 6 ounces of water with 25 drops of tea tree essential oil in a spray bottle for a concentrated treatment. This mixture works especially well around entry points and in damp areas like basements.
For areas where spraying isn’t practical, try the cotton ball method. Soak cotton balls in undiluted essential oil and place them in problem areas like closets, under sinks, or behind appliances. Replace the cotton balls every three days to keep the scent strong.
Other effective oils include eucalyptus, lavender, and cedar oil. You can also use essential oil diffusers to spread the scent throughout larger rooms, creating an environment that centipedes will avoid.
2. Apply Diatomaceous Earth Around Your Home
Diatomaceous earth is a natural powder made from fossilized algae that’s deadly to centipedes but completely safe for humans and pets when you use the food-grade type.
The powder works like microscopic glass shards that cut through the centipede’s exoskeleton. When centipedes walk through diatomaceous earth, the tiny sharp edges damage their protective coating, causing them to dry out and die within a few days.
Buy food-grade diatomaceous earth from a hardware store or online. Never use pool-grade DE indoors as it’s chemically treated and dangerous. Wear a dust mask during application to avoid breathing in the fine powder.
Sprinkle a thin layer in areas where centipedes travel, focusing on cracks, crevices, baseboards, and entry points. A little goes a long way, so don’t over-apply. Too much powder can actually make it less effective.
Diatomaceous earth only works when it’s dry, so reapply after cleaning or if the area gets wet. The powder loses its effectiveness when damp, so keep treated areas as dry as possible for best results.
3. Install and Run Dehumidifiers
Centipedes need moisture to survive, so reducing humidity in your home is one of the most effective long-term solutions for how to get rid of centipedes permanently. These creatures thrive in environments with high humidity and will quickly leave areas that become too dry for their comfort.
Keep indoor humidity below 50% for optimal centipede control. You can check your current humidity levels with a simple gauge from any hardware store. Most people are surprised to learn how humid their basements and crawl spaces actually are.
Basements are the most important areas for dehumidification since they’re naturally damp and provide ideal centipede habitat. Place a quality dehumidifier in your basement and run it consistently during humid seasons, typically spring and summer.
Other prime locations for dehumidifiers include bathrooms without good ventilation, laundry rooms, crawl spaces, and any room that feels damp or develops condensation on windows. In very humid climates, you might need to run dehumidifiers year-round.
The additional benefits of lower humidity include preventing mold growth, reducing musty odors, and making your home less attractive to other moisture-loving pests like silverfish and cockroaches.
4. Seal All Entry Points and Create Physical Barriers
Centipedes can squeeze through surprisingly small gaps, making entry point sealing crucial for keeping them out permanently. Think of this as building a fortress around your home to prevent invasions.
Start by conducting a thorough inspection of your home’s exterior and interior. Look for cracks in your foundation, gaps around windows and doors, and spaces where pipes and wires enter your home. Pay special attention to basement windows, foundation walls, and door thresholds as these are common centipede highways.
Use caulk to fill hairline cracks and small gaps. For larger openings around pipes and wires, expanding foam works better because it fills irregular spaces completely. Install weather stripping around doors and windows that don’t seal tightly, and add door sweeps to create a seal at the bottom of exterior doors.
Don’t forget about utility areas where centipedes often enter undetected. Seal around air conditioning units, electrical boxes, and any place where utilities penetrate your home’s exterior. Cover vents with fine mesh screens that allow air flow but keep bugs out.
This method requires some upfront time investment but pays off tremendously. Once you block their access routes into your home, centipedes will have to find somewhere else to live.
5. Set Up Sticky Traps for Monitoring and Control
Sticky traps are an excellent way to catch centipedes without using chemicals. These specially designed boards use strong adhesive that traps centipedes the moment they step on them.
Place sticky traps in dark corners where centipedes hide, along baseboards in basements, near entry points like doors and windows, and behind furniture and appliances. The traps work immediately without any bait and many come with patterns printed on the adhesive that attract insects.
Space your traps about 10 to 15 feet apart for good coverage throughout problem areas. Check them weekly and replace them when they’re full of bugs or every 90 days, whichever comes first.
These traps serve double duty by catching other insects that centipedes hunt, effectively removing their food source. You might catch spiders, cockroaches, silverfish, and other pests that make your home attractive to centipedes.
Sticky traps are completely safe around children and pets, making them perfect for families. They also help you monitor centipede activity levels and identify the most problematic areas of your home.
6. Use Boric Acid Treatment for Problem Areas
Boric acid is a natural mineral that’s toxic to centipedes but relatively safe for humans when used properly. This white powder disrupts centipede nervous systems and damages their exoskeletons.
Buy boric acid powder from a hardware store or online and use a plastic squeeze bottle for precise application. Apply thin lines along baseboards, around entry points, and in cracks and crevices where centipedes travel.
When centipedes walk through or accidentally ingest boric acid, it interferes with their metabolism and causes dehydration. The process takes a few days but provides excellent control of centipede populations.
Focus your applications on areas where children and pets can’t access the powder. Avoid using boric acid where food is prepared and store the powder in a secure location away from curious hands.
Use boric acid sparingly since a little bit goes a long way. Over-application can actually reduce effectiveness and create unnecessary safety concerns.
7. Eliminate Food Sources by Controlling Other Insects
Centipedes are predators that hunt other bugs, so removing their food supply makes your home much less attractive. If centipedes can’t find anything to eat, they’ll move on to better hunting grounds.
Common centipede prey includes cockroaches, silverfish, spiders, flies, ants, and termites. Focus on eliminating these insects through regular cleaning, proper food storage, and targeted treatments for specific pest problems.
Keep your home clean and crumb-free to reduce insects that attract centipedes. Store food in sealed containers, vacuum regularly to remove insects and their eggs, and don’t let dirty dishes pile up.
Address any moisture problems that attract other bugs since many insects need water just like centipedes do. Fix leaky pipes, improve ventilation in damp areas, and eliminate standing water around your home.
Create an insect-free perimeter around your home’s exterior by treating the areas where bugs typically approach your house. When centipedes can’t find their preferred prey, they’ll search for food elsewhere.
8. Improve Ventilation and Fix All Moisture Issues
Proper ventilation and moisture control create an environment that centipedes find uninhabitable. These creatures require humid conditions to survive and will quickly leave areas that become too dry.
Identify and fix all moisture sources in your home including leaky pipes under sinks, dripping faucets, basement seepage, and poor bathroom ventilation. Even minor leaks create attractive habitats for centipedes and their prey.
Install exhaust fans in bathrooms, kitchens, basements, and crawl spaces to move humid air outside. Use existing fans more consistently and make sure they’re properly vented to the exterior rather than just moving air around inside.
Address drainage problems around your home’s exterior including clogged gutters, downspouts that don’t direct water away from your foundation, and areas where water pools near your house. Poor exterior drainage often leads to basement moisture problems.
Consider installing a sump pump in problematic basements or crawl spaces where water intrusion is a recurring issue. Professional waterproofing might be necessary for severe moisture problems.
9. Remove Outdoor Attractants and Modify Your Landscape
Your yard might be providing perfect centipede habitat without you realizing it. Simple changes to your outdoor space can dramatically reduce the number of centipedes approaching your home.
Move piles of organic materials away from your house including leaf piles, grass clippings, firewood stacks, lumber, building materials, and compost piles. Store firewood at least 20 feet from your home’s foundation since these materials provide ideal centipede shelter.
Create a dry zone around your home’s perimeter by keeping mulch at least 2 feet away from your foundation. Consider using rock or gravel instead of organic mulch in areas immediately next to your house.
Trim bushes and plants so they don’t touch your home’s exterior walls. Centipedes use vegetation as highways to reach entry points, so creating gaps between plants and your house breaks these connections.
Maintain your landscaping by raking leaves regularly, removing dead plants and debris promptly, and keeping your lawn trimmed short. These simple maintenance tasks eliminate centipede hiding spots and make your property less attractive to them.
10. Vacuum Regularly in Problem Areas
Regular vacuuming is a simple but highly effective way to remove centipedes, their eggs, and the debris that attracts them. This method provides immediate results and disrupts centipede activity patterns.
Focus your vacuuming efforts on areas where you’ve seen centipedes including all carpeted areas (especially in basements), along baseboards and corners, under furniture and appliances, and in closets and storage spaces.
Vacuum at least once a week in normal areas but increase frequency to daily cleaning in spots where you’ve spotted centipedes. This aggressive approach quickly reduces populations and removes the scent trails centipedes leave behind.
When you vacuum up a live centipede, empty the vacuum bag or canister into a sealed plastic bag and dispose of it immediately. This prevents any live centipedes from escaping back into your home.
Regular vacuuming also removes other insects that centipedes hunt, making your home less attractive to them overall. The physical disruption also destroys centipede hiding spots and makes them seek shelter elsewhere.
11. Apply Chemical Insecticides for Severe Infestations
When natural methods aren’t providing adequate control, chemical insecticides can deliver fast, effective results against large centipede populations. This approach to how to get rid of centipedes works especially well for severe infestations that resist other treatments.
Residual sprays containing bifenthrin or cypermethrin work well around entry points, baseboards, and potential hiding spots. These chemicals disrupt centipede nervous systems and provide protection for several months after application.
Create a protective barrier around your home’s exterior by applying insecticides in a 3 to 10-foot band around your foundation. Focus on areas where centipedes might approach your house including under decks, around utility connections, and near landscaped areas.
Crack and crevice aerosols can reach areas where liquid sprays can’t penetrate. Use these products around door frames, window sills, and small gaps where centipedes might hide or enter.
Always read and follow label instructions exactly for both safety and effectiveness. Keep children and pets away from treated areas until the product dries completely, and consider having professionals apply stronger chemicals if you’re uncomfortable doing it yourself.
12. Use Granular Treatments for Exterior Protection
Granular insecticides create a long-lasting protective barrier around your home’s exterior that’s highly effective against centipedes approaching from outside. This method represents one of the most reliable approaches for how to get rid of centipedes in the long term.
These small crystals fall into cracks and crevices and under landscaping materials where centipedes hide during the day. When centipedes contact the granules, they absorb the active ingredients and die quickly.
Apply granular treatments around your home’s foundation, in flower beds and landscaped areas, under mulch and decorative rocks, and along walkways and patios. The granules work better than sprays during windy or rainy conditions because they don’t drift or wash away easily.
One application typically covers about 2,000 square feet and provides protection for up to three months. Apply granules when rain isn’t expected for 24 hours, then water lightly to activate the product.
The granules continue working as centipedes and other insects walk through treated areas, making this an excellent long-term solution for exterior centipede control.
13. Try Natural Plant Repellents in Strategic Locations
Certain plants naturally repel centipedes and can be incorporated into your landscaping as part of your control strategy. These living barriers smell pleasant to people but send centipedes searching for more suitable habitat.
Peppermint is the most effective plant repellent for centipedes. Plant it around your home’s foundation, near entry points, or in containers on your porch or patio. Since mint spreads quickly, consider keeping it in pots to prevent it from taking over your garden.
Other effective repellent plants include lavender, eucalyptus, cayenne pepper plants, and other herbs in the mint family. These plants not only repel centipedes but also provide fresh ingredients for cooking and pleasant aromatherapy benefits.
Place potted repellent plants near windows, doors, and other entry points to create natural barriers that centipedes want to avoid. This method works especially well when combined with other control strategies.
Keep your repellent plants healthy and aromatic for best results. Well-maintained plants produce stronger scents that are more effective at deterring centipedes and other unwanted insects.
14. Declutter and Organize to Eliminate Hiding Spots
Centipedes love cluttered areas because they provide countless hiding spots during daylight hours. Reducing clutter makes your home much less attractive and forces centipedes to seek shelter elsewhere.
Focus your decluttering efforts on prime centipede habitat including basements, crawl spaces, storage rooms, closets, and areas around water heaters and furnaces. These spaces often accumulate items that create perfect centipede hiding spots.
Store items in sealed plastic containers instead of cardboard boxes which can harbor insects and provide centipede food sources. Keep storage areas well-lit and organized with clear pathways for easy inspection.
Remove outdoor clutter that provides centipede habitat including brush piles, debris around your yard, old plant pots and containers, and garden tools left lying around. Keep your outdoor spaces clean and well-maintained.
Make decluttering a regular habit rather than a one-time project. A few minutes of organizing each week prevents the buildup of centipede-friendly hiding spots and makes other control methods more effective.
15. Call Professional Pest Control for Persistent Problems
Sometimes centipede problems require professional expertise, especially if you’re dealing with large populations or recurring infestations that resist DIY efforts. Getting rid of centipedes can be challenging without the right tools and experience.
Consider calling professionals if you’re seeing centipedes daily despite your control efforts, if natural methods haven’t worked after several weeks, or if centipedes keep returning no matter what you try. Professional exterminators have access to commercial-grade treatments and the experience to solve challenging situations.
Professional centipede control typically includes identifying specific entry points you might have missed, applying treatments not available to homeowners, creating comprehensive management plans, and providing ongoing monitoring and maintenance.
When choosing a pest control company, look for licensed and insured businesses with good customer reviews and community reputations. Ask about eco-friendly treatment options if you prefer to avoid harsh chemicals around your family.
Many companies provide service guarantees and will return for follow-up visits to ensure the problem is completely resolved. Quarterly maintenance programs can prevent centipede problems before they start, which is especially valuable in areas with persistent centipede populations.
Putting It All Together for Long-Term Success
Getting rid of centipedes usually requires combining multiple methods rather than relying on just one approach. Start with the basics like moisture control and entry point sealing, then add specific treatments based on your situation.
Begin your centipede control program by starting a dehumidifier in damp areas, applying essential oil spray around entry points, setting up sticky traps where you’ve seen activity, and sealing obvious cracks and gaps. Remove outdoor debris and moisture sources that attract centipedes to your property.
The key to permanent centipede control is maintaining a dry, clean environment and staying vigilant about potential entry points. Regular inspections and maintenance prevent future problems and catch new issues before they become serious infestations. Mastering how to get rid of centipedes means understanding that prevention is just as important as elimination.
Remember that centipedes are actually beneficial creatures that help control other household pests, but that doesn’t mean you have to share your living space with them. With patience and the right combination of methods, you can create a centipede-free environment where you’ll feel comfortable and secure.
