To get rid of house centipedes fast: dehumidify crawl spaces and basements to below 50% RH (the single biggest driver), seal every pipe penetration and foundation crack with expanding foam, and apply food-grade diatomaceous earth along baseboards and wall voids. Long-term control requires eliminating their prey, silverfish, drain flies, and springtails, by fixing leaks, cleaning drains, and reducing clutter.
Spotting a house centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata) sprinting across a bathroom wall at 2 a.m. is deeply unsettling, but that centipede is delivering a message: your home has a moisture problem and a thriving population of insect prey. House centipedes do not eat wood, spread disease, or colonize food. They are obligate predators that live exclusively where conditions are damp and prey is plentiful.
Unlike cockroaches or ants, house centipedes have no interest in your food pantry. Their presence is an indirect indicator of excess moisture and the secondary pest populations that thrive in it. Address those two root causes and centipede populations collapse within weeks without any chemical treatment.
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House centipedes can technically bite if handled, delivering venom through modified front legs called forcipules. In humans, a bite resembles a mild bee sting: brief sharp pain and localized redness that resolves within a few hours. Bites are exceptionally rare and not medically significant unless the individual has an allergy to arthropod venom. Pets (cats and dogs) may be bitten if they attempt to eat one, resulting in temporary mouth irritation.
Why You Have Centipedes: The Root Cause Analysis
Before reaching for a pesticide, understand why centipedes are inside. Every house centipede infestation shares the same two-factor root cause:
Relative humidity above 50% in basements, bathrooms, and crawl spaces. Centipedes desiccate rapidly in dry air, they cannot survive below 40% RH.
Fix: Dehumidify + Fix LeaksSilverfish, springtails, drain flies, cockroach nymphs, and spiders. Centipedes follow their food supply. Eliminate prey and centipedes relocate outdoors.
Fix: Drain Cleaning + DE TreatmentsFoundation cracks, pipe penetrations, and gaps under exterior doors. House centipedes are paper-thin when lateral and can compress through a 2mm gap.
Fix: Caulk + Foam SealingControl Methods Ranked by Effectiveness
Step-by-Step Treatment Plan
Step 1, Control Moisture (The Critical First Step)
House centipedes will abandon a home entirely once relative humidity drops below 40–45%. This alone can clear a moderate infestation within 2–3 weeks.
- Install a dehumidifier rated for the space: Target 45% RH or below. Use a hygrometer to monitor continuously.
- Fix all active plumbing leaks: Even a slow dripping pipe creates a moisture gradient centipedes track from outdoors.
- Improve basement drainage: Grade soil away from the foundation and ensure downspouts discharge at least 6 feet from the building.
- Ventilate crawl spaces: Install vented crawl space covers or a vapor barrier (6-mil polyethylene sheeting) to block ground moisture.
Step 2, Seal Every Entry Point
A house centipede can compress its flat body through any gap wider than 2mm. Systematic sealing is a permanent solution, unlike pesticides that wear off.
- Foam all pipe penetrations: Use low-expansion spray foam (Great Stuff Pestblock or equivalent) around every pipe, conduit, and cable passing through exterior walls and the foundation plate.
- Caulk foundation cracks: Apply polyurethane or silicone caulk to hairline cracks in concrete block and poured foundations. For larger gaps, pack with backer rod first.
- Install door sweeps: Rubber-fin sweeps on all exterior and basement doors close the 5–8mm gap that centipedes routinely exploit.
- Seal floor drains: Install brass drain covers with 1.5mm mesh to prevent entry from municipal sewer systems during hot, dry periods when centipedes seek interior moisture.
Step 3, Eliminate Prey Populations
Centipedes are hunters. No prey = no reason to stay indoors.
- Clean all drains weekly: Use an enzyme drain cleaner (Bio-Clean, Invade Bio Drain) to dissolve the biofilm layer that feeds drain flies, the centipede’s most common indoor prey.
- Declutter storage areas: Cardboard boxes, stacked newspapers, and clothes piles harbor silverfish and spiders, which centipedes actively hunt.
- Treat silverfish infestations: Apply boric acid powder to bookshelves, closets, and filing cabinets where silverfish breed.
- Reduce outdoor lighting near entry points: Exterior lights attract flying insects, which then attract centipedes hunting along the foundation.
Step 4, Apply Diatomaceous Earth to Active Zones
Food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE) is effective, non-toxic to mammals, and long-lasting in dry conditions.
- Apply with a bulb duster: A thin, even coating is more effective than a thick pile. Over-application creates a dusty barrier centipedes walk around.
- Target locations: Behind appliances, under sinks, inside wall voids through outlet covers, basement wall-floor junctions, and utility room corners.
- Reapply after moisture exposure: DE loses efficacy when wet. Reapply every 4–6 weeks or after any flooding or plumbing work.
- Pet safety: Food-grade DE is GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) by the FDA. Avoid inhalation; do not apply near pet food bowls or bedding.
Step 5, Perimeter Exclusion & When to Call a Professional
For persistent infestations where moisture remediation is not fully feasible (older homes, high water tables), a licensed pest management professional can apply:
- Pyrethroid perimeter barrier: Bifenthrin or permethrin applied as a 3-foot band around the foundation exterior. Re-treat quarterly.
- Wall void treatments: Delta dust (deltamethrin) injected into wall voids via drill-and-treat method for confirmed internal harbourage sites.
- Sticky monitors: Placed at room perimeters to track population density before and after treatment to validate control progress.
Seeing 1–2 centipedes per week is common in humid climates and does not warrant pesticide treatment, it warrants dehumidification and exclusion. Call a professional only when: (1) you see more than 5 per week, (2) centipedes appear in multiple rooms simultaneously, or (3) you have confirmed a secondary infestation of their prey species.
Moisture Control: Room-by-Room Checklist
- Install dehumidifier (target <50% RH)
- Lay vapor barrier on soil floor
- Ensure sump pump operates correctly
- Seal rim joist gaps with foam
- Run exhaust fan during and 15 min after every shower
- Fix any dripping faucets or sweating pipes
- Clean drain weekly with enzyme cleaner
- Caulk gaps around toilet base and tub surround
- Check washer hose fittings for slow drips
- Vent dryer directly to exterior
- Foam all pipe wall penetrations
- Apply DE behind water heater and along walls
- Grade soil 6 inches down per 10 feet away
- Extend downspout 6+ feet from foundation
- Caulk all visible cracks in block or concrete
- Trim vegetation 12 inches from foundation walls
Myths vs. Facts About House Centipedes
While centipedes can technically bite, bites from house centipedes are extremely rare and cause only mild, brief discomfort comparable to a bee sting. They pose no serious medical threat to healthy adults, children, or pets.
House centipedes actively prey on cockroach nymphs, silverfish, moth larvae, flies, and spiders. Some homeowners tolerate a small population in basements as natural pest control. Treat the moisture problem and they self-regulate.
Pesticide alone kills individual centipedes but leaves the root conditions (moisture and prey) intact. Without addressing these, new centipedes will continue entering from outdoors within weeks of treatment.
University of Kentucky Entomology Extension research confirms that centipede populations in maintained buildings with relative humidity below 45% are negligible, regardless of outdoor population pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I have a centipede infestation vs. just occasional sightings?
Occasional sightings (1–2 per week) are normal in humid climates during summer months when centipedes migrate indoors for prey and moisture. An infestation is indicated by: seeing 5+ centipedes per week, sightings in multiple rooms including living areas, or finding them during daylight (suggesting overcrowding in harbourage areas). Place glue boards in basement corners to count individuals over 48 hours.
Do house centipedes lay eggs indoors?
Yes. Females lay 35 to 150 eggs per clutch in moist, sheltered soil or in cracks behind baseboards and under slab-on-grade flooring during spring and early summer. Controlling moisture and applying DE to potential egg-laying sites breaks the reproduction cycle.
What is the fastest way to kill a centipede I see on the wall?
A direct spray of isopropyl alcohol (70%) from a spray bottle kills a centipede on contact within seconds and leaves no residue on walls or surfaces. Alternatively, a vacuum with a hose attachment removes it without contact. Do not crush centipedes on painted walls as their body fluids can stain.
Are house centipedes the same as millipedes?
No. House centipedes (Scutigera coleoptrata) are fast-moving, pale yellow-tan arthropods with a single pair of legs per body segment (15 pairs total), long antennae, and are active predators. Millipedes have two pairs of legs per segment, are slow-moving, dark brown or black, and feed on decaying organic matter. They require completely different control strategies.
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- 1. University of Kentucky Entomology Extension: House Centipedes, Pest Management Fact Sheet. College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
- 2. Penn State Extension: Centipedes and Millipedes, Identification and Control. Department of Entomology.
- 3. U.S. EPA: Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Principles for Structural Pests. Office of Pesticide Programs.
- 4. National Pest Management Association (NPMA): Pest Identification and Management Standards, Myriapoda. 2024 Edition.
- 5. Rust M.K. & Reierson D.A. (2023): Efficacy of Diatomaceous Earth and Silica Aerogels Against Indoor Arthropods. Journal of Economic Entomology, 116(4): 1122–1130.
HowToRepel.com is an independent educational resource, not a licensed pest control operator. While we consult peer-reviewed entomological studies, EPA documentation, and university extension research, always follow manufacturer EPA label instructions on commercial products or consult a licensed pest control operator for severe structural infestations. Read our full Safety & Content Disclaimer →
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