House Centipede How to Get Rid of Them

Updated on April 26, 2008
Y.S. asks from Chicago, IL
8 answers

Hello moms, I have these creepy looking bugs crawling up the pipes and coming into my house mostly through the bath tub pipes or sink pipes. Every once in a while I find them running around the bath tub, so I assume they come in through the pipes. They are really ugly, have a long body, lots of long legs and are really creepy. I just found them online and they are called House Centipede. I've had them at different places that I've lived, so I know that they are all over the place and seem to always come in through the pipes.
Does anyone know how to get rid of them?
Thank you
I took a picture of one, you can see it at: http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/DupageCountyParentOnline...=

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C.

answers from Chicago on

I also think they sound like silverfish. I have them also. They are very hard to get rid of. Terminex has been able to take care of them for me.

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N.K.

answers from Chicago on

OMG, I hate centipedes...I can't even click on your picture because it will keep me up all night!! I've been working on getting rid of them for years! I'm pretty sure they don't come up the drain pipes. They really like to live inside brick walls (among the pipes) and other walls too. I think they go into the bathtub and get stuck there because they can't climb up the slick sides. I know this because if I leave my shower curtain hanging inside the tub, they can get out. Ick, I hate thinking about this. Here's a list of things that has greatly reduced centipedes in our condo. First, we closed all the gaps in our floors and walls, especially in the bathroom and kitchen. We caulked around the back of the toilet, the toilet pipes, sink pipes, drain pipes and radiator pipes. I installed round metal things around each radiator pipe where it enters the wood floor to eliminate gaps. I replaced and sealed the plumbing access panel leading to the bathtub pipes. Having the entire condo painted seemed to help a lot too. When we installed new quarter round trim around our base boards, I noticed fewer centipedes. Eliminating any gaps in your window screens and windows will prevent them from coming in from the outside. My partner kills them. When I am home alone, I have to do it, which makes me scream. They can live for 6 years and grow to more than 6 inches long. If you keep killing the big ones, it seems to reduce the population. They say that if you eliminate mulch from the base of your house, it helps but we don't have any mulch at the base of our house. Centipedes seem to love old brick buildings. Best of luck. icky icky icky

K.Z.

answers from Chicago on

When we lived in Hawaii we used to live with them, and they were poisonous. The one thing that we found that would keep them at bay was to poor a bottle of bleach down the drains once a month. hope this helps. other than that have someone come and spray around your house foundation.

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A.L.

answers from Chicago on

They are silverfish and are attracted to damp areas, so they are common in bathrooms, kitchens, or laundry areas. You can use Borax in little containers around the area, but be very careful not to use this if you have pets or small children who may touch it.

Otherwise they are harmless, just very very creepy and fast.

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L.B.

answers from Chicago on

I think they are silverfish and I just discovered 3 in my bathtub over the weekend! I have been on the internet today looking how to get rid of them! I know the Boric Acid is suggested, just not sure about using that with dogs and a 2 year old...looking for more responses as well! I think I am going to pour bleach down the drains tonight....YUCK!

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B.S.

answers from Rockford on

Just put house centipede in the search engine & you will get a lot of info, but here's a web site that says that they are attracted to damp areas. It doesn't sound to me to be a silverfish. We've had these in the first house we owned, but since then we have not had them. OUr first house was quite old & damp. We used to call them "leggy bugs" & we would fight over who had to dispose of them.
Boy, it just creeped me out to see the photo of them. I think I need to go lie down.

Here's a web site that explains them a little bit. http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/iiin/housece.html

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T.D.

answers from Chicago on

Well Yvette,
I hope that these are the same black almost look like an oversized roach bug.

I put first some BAKING SODA in the drains and then POURED VINAGAR IN THE DRAIN the vinagar will FOAM UP!

Only one of the baths was partly did and the bugs was really in that room so i also put MOTHBALLS in there.

If you have a pet you can NOT use the mothballs it mess with the pets immune system.

OR

Line your floors with (BLUE)- BORIC ACID from ace hardware
BUT SINCE YOU HAVE KIDS YOU HAVE TO MAKE THAT CALL.

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