Yes. Dry out damp rooms, seal entry points, trap nightly, vacuum, and use a light outdoor barrier only if needed.
Earwigs inside the house look scarier than they are. The pincers can pinch, yet they seldom break skin and they don’t carry a medical risk. The best plan uses common-sense steps that stack well: remove moisture, block entry, trap the stragglers, and clean up nightly. That mix works quickly and keeps spray use low. Authoritative advice from UC IPM quick tips and the UMN Extension earwig page backs this approach indoors and at the foundation.
Best Way To Get Rid Of Earwigs Indoors: Step-By-Step Plan
| Step | Action | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fix leaks, run a dehumidifier, and ventilate wet rooms. | Earwigs favor damp spots; drying rooms removes the draw. |
| 2 | Seal gaps, add door sweeps, and screen vents. | Blocks the usual floor-level routes and utility gaps. |
| 3 | Set oil pitfall traps and rolled-paper harborage traps at night. | They forage after dark; traps capture them in clusters. |
| 4 | Vacuum baseboards and corners each evening; empty outside. | Removes active insects and eggs, cutting the next wave. |
| 5 | Use an outdoor perimeter barrier only if arrivals continue. | Stops reinvasion at the foundation when pressure is high. |
Step 1: Find What’s Attracting Them
Start where water collects: bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, basements, and the space under sinks. Look for drips, weepy valves, slow drains, wet cardboard, and overwatered planters. Lower humidity with a dehumidifier, run exhaust fans during and after showers, and give wet floors time to dry. Outside, swap bright bulbs at entrances for yellow “bug” bulbs to cut nighttime attraction, a move echoed by UC IPM quick tips.
Step 2: Block Entry
Seal cracks along baseboards and where pipes, cables, and ducts pass through walls. Caulk gaps at window frames, add weatherstripping to door jambs, and fit tight door sweeps. Patch torn screens. Outside, clear leaf piles, clean gutters, and pull mulch back from siding so the base of the wall can dry. The same quick tips stress moisture control and sealing as core moves.
Step 3: Trap What’s Inside
Use two trap styles at once. Set shallow oil traps at floor level near walls: a low-sided jar lid or tuna can with vegetable oil deep enough to coat the body. Place them at night and check each morning. Add a few rolled-up newspaper sleeves or short cardboard tubes; earwigs crawl in before dawn. Collect the bundles and shake them into soapy water. Repeat nightly until catches drop off. This simple pairing removes the night crew while you shore up the building shell.
Step 4: Clean Up And Vacuum
Run a crevice tool along baseboards, behind appliances, and under laundry machines. Empty the canister outdoors into a sealed bag. Toss damp cardboard and any clutter that stays wet. State extension fact sheets note that earwigs often die indoors because food is scarce; steady cleanup speeds that along.
Step 5: Treat The Perimeter Only If Needed
If new arrivals keep showing up, consider a narrow barrier around the foundation and entry doors. UMN Extension lists residual options such as permethrin or cyfluthrin for the outside lower wall and soil when non-chemical steps aren’t enough. Indoors, sprays don’t solve the root cause and are not advised for earwigs. Keep any product outside, target only where walls meet soil, and follow the label.
Getting Rid Of Earwigs In The House: What Works And What Doesn’t
Methods That Work
- Dry the house. Fix leaks, keep showers short, and vent dryers and baths outside.
- Seal the shell. Caulk and weatherstrip, add door sweeps, and screen crawl-space vents.
- Trap nightly. Oil pits and rolled-paper bundles remove the night shift while you block entry.
- Vacuum edges. Daily passes cut down the stragglers you don’t see.
- Switch bulbs. Yellow lamps by doors draw fewer insects, matching UC IPM quick tips.
Moves That Don’t Help Much
- Indoor bug bombs or broad sprays. Earwigs wander in from outside. Killing a few inside doesn’t stop fresh arrivals; UC and UMN note that indoor insecticides aren’t the fix.
- Random “natural repellents.” Oils, herbs, and scent tricks fade fast and rarely match the catch rates of traps.
- Leaving outdoor lights blazing near doors. Night feeders follow prey to the glow and slip right inside.
Where Earwigs Hide Indoors
They run at night and squeeze into tight seams by day. Common spots include baseboards, the lip under cabinet toe-kicks, behind refrigerators, the gap under washers and dryers, under bathroom mats, around sump pits, and inside corrugated boxes. If a room has a drain or gets steamy, make it a daily checkpoint.
How To Get Rid Of Earwigs In The House Safely
Low-Risk First, Then Stronger Only If Needed
Start with sealing, cleaning, trapping, and outdoor lighting changes. When that isn’t enough, keep any pesticide use outside, target the narrow band where walls meet soil, and follow the label exactly. That order matches IPM basics from the EPA. Keep pets and kids away from set traps and any treated zone until dry.
Do’s And Don’ts
- Do wear gloves when handling traps, and wash up after.
- Do store firewood and cardboard off the floor.
- Do empty oil traps each morning so they don’t turn into a mess.
- Don’t spray drains or floor cracks with off-label products.
- Don’t fog the house; it adds residue without blocking entry.
Outdoor Fixes That Lower Indoor Invaders
Most indoor sightings begin outside. Rake leaves and mulch away from the foundation, clean gutters, patch downspouts, and grade soil so water moves away from the slab. Swap white bulbs for yellow at doors and keep porch lights a bit farther from the door when you can. The UC IPM quick tips list moisture control near walls, debris cleanup, and lighting changes as practical moves that reduce indoor visits.
| Task | Where | Payoff |
|---|---|---|
| Pull mulch back 6–12 inches from siding. | Perimeter beds | Dries the wall base and removes a daytime hideout. |
| Clean gutters and extend downspouts. | Roofline & corners | Moves water away so soil and crawl spaces stay drier. |
| Replace bright porch bulbs with yellow LEDs. | Entry doors | Reduces night visitors that trail prey to the doorway. |
| Seal utility penetrations. | Meter wall & sill plate | Closes direct paths into basements and crawl spaces. |
| Store firewood on a rack. | Side yard | Keeps a perfect hideout off the ground and away from doors. |
Myths To Drop
- “They crawl into ears.” That old story doesn’t hold up. Earwigs prefer damp crevices under debris. UC IPM quick tips note they aren’t a health threat.
- “Pinchers are dangerous.” The pinch can startle and leave a tiny mark at worst. Basic hand washing is enough.
- “Indoor sprays fix it.” Since new insects walk in from outside, the fix starts at the shell of the house and with moisture control inside.
A Simple Night Routine
Right after dusk, place oil traps and paper bundles along baseboards and behind appliances. Before bed, run a quick vacuum pass along the edges in the rooms that get humid. In the morning, empty traps, toss the papers, and reset only where you still see catches. Do this nightly for a week, then every other night as counts drop. Pair that with leak fixes and door sealing and the problem fades.