The Handy Essential Oil That Keeps Centipedes Out Of Your Home

According to AZ Animals, we share our planet with around 3,000 different species of centipede. As interesting as these critters are, they can make for very annoying pests when they begin to invade your home. If you find yourself succumbing to a freshly launched attack from an army of centipedes, you can deploy a tactic with a handy ingredient: tea tree essential oil. It's one of many ways you can get rid of centipedes. It may take a bit of work, but using specific essential oils to ward off centipedes can work a charm if you utilize them correctly. 

Although tea tree oil is known to kill centipedes, there are less harmful options to use if your only goal is to deter them, such as peppermint and lavender essential oils — a win-win for both parties. This makes essential oils a great anti-centipede tactic to use in your home on a regular basis. Now that you know which options can help to solve your centipede woes, here's how to execute this tactic to eliminate these insects. 

When it comes to eliminating centipedes, tea tree essential oil will be your best friend. All you need to do is dab some on a small piece of material or spray it around the affected area, and the scent should be able to work its magic. For example, you could lightly soak a small piece of cloth or a cotton ball and place them where you've seen centipedes. Alternatively, you could spray tea tree oil around the same area. Just dilute it with water before you begin; mix about 1 cup with 25 drops of oil. However, what if you don't like the scent of tea tree oil or would like to use something more humane? Some other scents you could try include peppermint, lavender, and cinnamon. 

The key to why essential oils are so effective is that these critters have a heightened sense of smell. From a biological standpoint, this is supposed to help them, and it can work in your favor. As a result, the strong smells of concentrated essential oils are too strong. You could even try mixing and matching or trying each scent individually to figure out what works best. Once the centipedes disappear, you know you've done your job right!