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Millipedes crawling through your home is unsettling. These many-legged arthropods typically enter during wet weather, seeking shelter in basements, bathrooms, and crawl spaces. While they don’t bite or cause structural damage, their presence in large numbers creates a nuisance and signals moisture problems that could attract worse pests.
This guide covers 8 proven methods to eliminate millipedes from your home and prevent their return. You’ll learn natural deterrents, chemical treatments, and environmental controls that address both the symptoms and root causes of millipede invasions.
1. Vacuum with Shop Vac
A shop vac provides immediate millipede removal without crushing them and releasing their defensive secretions. The powerful suction captures both live millipedes and their dead bodies from baseboards, corners, and floor cracks.
Empty the canister outdoors immediately after vacuuming. Millipedes can survive inside the canister and crawl back out. For ongoing infestations, vacuum daily until you see no new millipedes for three consecutive days.
Shop vacs work better than standard vacuums because millipedes’ hard exoskeletons can clog regular vacuum hoses and bags.
2. Apply Diatomaceous Earth Barriers
Food-grade diatomaceous earth kills millipedes through physical action rather than chemical poisoning. The microscopic sharp edges of fossilized diatoms cut through millipedes’ waxy exoskeleton, causing fatal dehydration.
Apply a thin line of diatomaceous earth around basement perimeters, along foundation walls, and near entry points. The powder remains effective until it gets wet, so reapply after cleaning or in damp areas.
Wear a dust mask during application. While food-grade diatomaceous earth is non-toxic, the fine particles irritate lungs if inhaled.
3. Spray Liquid Insecticides on Foundation
Liquid residual insecticides create a chemical barrier that kills millipedes on contact and continues working for weeks. Products containing bifenthrin, deltamethrin, or permethrin work effectively against millipedes.
Spray a 3-foot band around your home’s entire foundation, focusing on areas where the siding meets the ground. Also treat around door frames, window wells, and basement windows. Reapply every 4-6 weeks during peak millipede season (spring and fall).
Read label directions carefully. Some formulations shouldn’t be applied directly to porous surfaces or within certain distances of water sources.
4. Spread Insecticide Granules Around Exterior
Granular insecticides provide longer-lasting outdoor protection than liquid sprays. The granules release active ingredients slowly as they break down from moisture and rain.
Create a 5-10 foot barrier around your home’s perimeter, paying special attention to areas with heavy vegetation, mulch beds, and leaf litter where millipedes breed. Water the granules lightly after application to activate them and prevent them from blowing away.
Granular treatments last 2-3 months under normal conditions. Reapply after heavy rainfall or if you see millipede activity returning.
5. Use Essential Oils as Natural Deterrent
Tea tree oil and peppermint oil repel millipedes without toxic chemicals. Mix 10-15 drops of essential oil per cup of water in a spray bottle. Add a small squirt of dish soap to help the oil mix with water.
Spray the solution along baseboards, around doors and windows, and in corners where millipedes hide. The strong scent disrupts their ability to navigate and drives them away from treated areas.
Reapply every 3-4 days. Essential oils evaporate quickly and lose effectiveness. This method works best as a preventive measure rather than for active infestations.
6. Deploy Cayenne Pepper Spray
Cayenne pepper creates a burning sensation that millipedes avoid. Mix 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper powder with 1 quart of water and a few drops of dish soap. Let it steep for 24 hours, then strain and transfer to a spray bottle.
Spray the mixture around entry points, along the foundation, and in areas where you’ve seen millipede activity. The capsaicin irritates their sensory organs and creates an effective barrier.
Keep pets and children away from treated areas until the spray dries. Cayenne can irritate eyes and skin if touched while wet.
7. Control Moisture and Humidity
Millipedes require high humidity to survive. Reducing moisture in your home makes it uninhabitable for them. Run dehumidifiers in basements and crawl spaces, maintaining humidity below 50%.
Fix leaking pipes, improve drainage around your foundation, and ensure gutters direct water at least 6 feet away from your home. Remove standing water from basement window wells and repair any foundation cracks that allow water seepage.
Installing a vapor barrier in crawl spaces dramatically reduces humidity and eliminates millipede habitat. This single improvement often solves chronic millipede problems where other methods fail.
8. Seal Entry Points and Remove Outdoor Habitat
Millipedes enter through tiny gaps around doors, windows, utility line penetrations, and foundation cracks. Seal these openings with weatherstripping, caulk, or expanding foam.
Outside, move firewood, leaf piles, and organic mulch at least 2 feet away from your foundation. Replace organic mulch near your home with gravel or rocks. Trim vegetation so it doesn’t touch your siding, creating bridges for millipedes to climb.
Clean out gutters regularly. Decomposing leaves in gutters create ideal millipede habitat directly above your home’s entry points.
Conclusion
Eliminating millipedes requires addressing both the insects themselves and the conditions that attract them. Start with immediate removal methods like vacuuming, then establish chemical or natural barriers around your home’s perimeter. Finally, control moisture and modify habitat to prevent future invasions.
Most millipede problems resolve within 2-3 weeks when you combine multiple methods. If you still see large numbers after a month of treatment, inspect for water damage or drainage problems that may require professional attention.