Get Rid Of Centipedes With A Handy Product You Already Have Around The House

Centipedes are probably one of the grossest bugs you can see racing across your floorboards or creeping across your baseboards. They look like something straight out of a horror movie thanks to their bony legs, which can range between 15 to 177 pairs. It takes a brave person to capture or kill such a creepy-looking pest, and most of us aren't up for it. But if you have no one to take care of the job for you, then sometimes you have to scrounge up all of the courage you have and get rid of it yourself. Luckily, you don't have to run to the hardware store to get any bug spray or traps. Instead, you can use something already sitting in your pantry or medicine cabinet: a bottle of rubbing alcohol.

Almost everyone has this convenient plastic bottle in their house, because not only is it a great disinfectant, but it can also remove paint splatters off floors and permanent marker scribbles off furniture and walls. And now you have another household task you can assign to it: centipede exterminator. Curious about how you can banish these pests with some isopropyl? Here's how to get rid of them once and for all.

You will have to interact with the centipede to use this hack, but don't worry, you won't need to get too close to pull this off. First, you need to choose your rubbing alcohol concentration. They come in differing percentages, ranging anywhere from 70% to 98%. Choose the concentration that is best for your needs. For example, if you're using it indoors and not near plants, it's best to use 98% because the pesticide will be more potent, and you'll be able to kill the centipede faster and more effectively. However, if you plan to use it outside and you might spray down some plants or grass, then it's best to use the 70% concentration so as not to burn the foliage. 

Once you have your isopropyl, mix 1 cup of the alcohol with 1 quart of water. Pour it into a spray bottle, and shake the mixture to mix it thoroughly. Twist the nozzle on the spray bottle from mist to stream, which will blast the centipede with a concentrated stream of alcohol, making it more effective. You might have to spray the bug several times before it dies, but it will handle your problem once and for all. If you have a significant centipede issue in your house, consider having a bottle pre-made and sitting in several rooms, so you can use it whenever you spot one.