Yes—seal entry points, dry out moisture, trim vegetation, adjust nighttime lights, and use traps or barriers to keep earwigs from settling indoors.
What Actually Keeps Earwigs Out Of A House
Earwigs slip inside for water, cover, and the glow of porch lights. Stop those three lures and you cut visits fast. Start outside, then harden the shell of the building. Inside, remove stragglers and dry hidden niches. The playbook below stays simple, repeatable, and friendly to kids and pets.
Here’s the short list that works across regions: seal gaps at ground level, keep the foundation zone dry, swap bright white bulbs for warm tones, thin mulch near walls, and place quick traps where you see night traffic. Guides from the University of Minnesota Extension also note simple indoor cleanup like vacuuming and spot sealing at doors and windows.
Common Entry Points And Fast Fixes
| Where | Action | Pro Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Door thresholds | Install tight door sweeps; set proper saddle thresholds | Light test: no glow under the door at night |
| Window screens | Patch tears; fit screens snugly | Add screen spline where frames feel loose |
| Siding–foundation seam | Seal gaps with exterior-grade caulk | Run a bead along long hairline cracks |
| Utility penetrations | Foam or seal around pipes and cables | Use pest-rated escutcheon covers where needed |
| Crawlspace vents | Repair screens; add fine mesh | Keep louvers free of debris |
| Weep holes or brick gaps | Use vented covers that allow drainage | Never block water paths |
| Garage door seal | Replace worn bottom gasket | Check for daylight from inside |
| Basement windows | Re-seat wells; add tight covers | Brush out leaves and hold soil back |
| Floor drains | Fit strainers; keep traps wet where required | Dry areas need mechanical covers |
Moisture Control That Earwigs Hate
Outside Water
Moist ground near walls is an earwig magnet. Move water away and the crowd thins. Grade soil so it slopes from the foundation, clear gutters, and extend downspouts to splash blocks or piping. Fix drippy spigots and irrigation leaks. Water plants early so beds dry by night.
Indoor Humidity
Indoors, vent showers, run a dehumidifier in damp rooms, and repair seepage fast. Lift cardboard boxes onto shelves and leave a little air gap off cool walls. Dry zones turn a once busy route into an empty lane.
Light Management And Nighttime Habits
Swap Bulbs
Many species fly or crawl toward bright light. Swap cool white bulbs for yellow or amber tones outside. Mount lights away from door faces and aim them down. Keep blinds closed near porch lights at dusk.
Aim And Timing
If you like a well-lit entry, place a small trap just beyond the glow line to intercept wanderers. Turn off unneeded lights by midnight during peak season.
Landscaping Moves Near The Foundation
Mulch Line
Dense cover against the wall gives earwigs shade and moisture by day. Pull mulch back 12–18 inches from the foundation or switch to a narrow border of rock. Keep mulch thin, not piled deep.
Shrubs And Wood
Prune shrubs so air circulates, and raise wood piles on racks far from doors. Store leaf bags, planters, and spare lumber off the ground. Clean clogged gutters so spillover doesn’t soak the perimeter.
Traps And Barriers That Work
Newspaper Rolls
Trapping cuts numbers without mess. Roll a strip of newspaper, dampen it, and tuck it near beds or along a shaded wall at dusk. Shake the roll into soapy water at sunrise. Short pieces of hose or bamboo work the same way. The UC IPM earwig guide lists these traps and shows daily routines that knock down pressure.
Oil Cans
A shallow can with a thin layer of vegetable oil draws earwigs overnight. Set the lip at soil level and clean it daily. Place units near downspout splash zones or beneath porch lights.
Sticky Cards
For inside use, lay sticky cards along baseboards behind boxes or appliances. Cards show traffic hot spots and help you measure progress week by week.
Keeping Earwigs Out Of The Home: Step-By-Step Plan
- Walk the foundation at night with a flashlight and note entry spots and damp pockets.
- Seal gaps at doors, windows, and utility lines the next day.
- Pull mulch back from walls and lay a narrow gravel border.
- Clean gutters and add downspout extensions.
- Swap porch bulbs to yellow or warm LED and reduce all-night lighting.
- Place newspaper rolls or oil cans at dusk for one week and dump each morning.
- Vent bathrooms and laundry rooms; set a dehumidifier to 50% in basements.
- Vacuum any earwigs you see indoors and empty the canister outside.
- Repeat the night check after seven days; close any new gaps you find.
- Base actions on IPM principles so prevention does most of the work.
Moisture And Habitat Checklist
| Spot | What To Do | How Often |
|---|---|---|
| Gutters and downspouts | Clear debris; extend discharge 6–10 feet | Monthly in rainy months |
| Soil grade at foundation | Maintain gentle slope away from walls | Seasonal check |
| Irrigation timing | Water at dawn; avoid nightly soaking | Each watering change |
| Hose bibs and spigots | Fix drips; add splash blocks | Quarterly |
| Basement or crawlspace | Run dehumidifier; improve airflow | Continuous as needed |
| Bathroom and laundry | Use exhaust fans; vent to outdoors | Daily use |
| Mulch depth | Keep thin; switch to stone border near walls | Spring and fall |
| Wood piles and clutter | Store off ground and away from doors | Ongoing |
When Sprays Make Sense
Perimeter Only
Many indoor sprays kill what you see, then the next wave crawls in from outdoors. That is why exclusion and dryness come first. If numbers stay high at the edge of the building after repairs, a limited perimeter treatment on soil or lower walls can help.
Label Steps
Pick products that list earwigs on the label. Follow all safety steps and keep kids and pets away until the area is dry. Skip foggers and wide indoor treatments for this insect. The goal is a dry, sealed, low-light perimeter that needs few products at all.
Room-By-Room Tactics That Pay Off
Basement And Laundry
Set the dehumidifier to 50%. Add a small fan to move air through still corners. Raise storage on shelves so cardboard stays dry. Place sticky cards behind machines and near floor-wall joints to map traffic.
Kitchen
Seal the gap around plumbing under the sink. Add a strainer to floor drains. Wipe up night spills and run the dishwasher before bed so puddles don’t sit. Keep compost bins sealed and empty them often.
Bath
Run the fan during and after showers. Caulk gaps along baseboards where splashes collect. Hang towels to dry fully so the room doesn’t stay damp.
Garage And Entry
Replace the bottom seal on the garage door if light shows through. Lift cardboard off the slab. Keep a broom handy to sweep out leaves that blow in and trap moisture.
Common Mistakes That Invite Earwigs
Mulch Against Siding
Deep mulch piled against walls holds water and hides insects by day. Pull it back and use a narrow stone strip as a dry buffer.
All-Night Porch Lights
Bright bulbs pull insects from the yard. Switch to warm tones and set a timer so the light shuts off after visitors head inside.
Heavy Evening Watering
Soaked beds at dusk create perfect night cover. Water at dawn so the surface dries before night activity ramps up.
Foggers Indoors
Space sprays leave residue without fixing entry or moisture. Keep the focus on sealing, drying, and targeted trapping.
Earwig Myths, Facts, And Safe Cleanup
Myths
The old tale about earwigs laying eggs in ears is just that. They don’t spread disease, and the pinch is mild. Most that wander inside die off in dry rooms within days.
Garden Role
They do feed on soft plants and fruit, yet they also clean up aphids and mites outside. So the plan targets numbers near doors and windows and keeps the garden balance intact.
Cleanup
Indoors, a vacuum is the fastest tool. Empty the bag or canister outside and rinse it. Wipe baseboards so dust doesn’t shelter small insects that earwigs hunt.
Quick Reference: 10-Minute Weekly Routine
- Kick on the porch light at dusk and scan for activity lines.
- Test door sweeps with the light test and re-seat as needed.
- Brush debris from window wells and stair drains.
- Shake out traps and reset fresh ones.
- Check the dehumidifier bucket and drain line.
- Confirm downspouts still reach the splash block or pipe.
- Pull stray mulch back from any spots that crept in.
- Log trap counts so you can see trends.
Seasonal Timing And What To Expect
Expect more activity after warm rains and during hot dry spells. Summer nights pull them toward light and water. Fall sends a few to doors as outdoor cover thins. With the fixes above, counts drop week by week. Traps help you see the trend so you can tune watering and sealing as seasons shift.
Signs Your Strategy Works
You find fewer earwigs in rolls or cans. Porch steps look cleaner at midnight. Seedlings no longer show fresh chewing. You start to spot spiders reclaiming the corners, which means the food supply dipped.
Keep the weekly routine, tune watering, and re-seal where seasons shift the building. Small moves add up, and you keep the house clear without heavy chemistry.