To get rid of earwigs, remove the ones inside by hand, seal the gaps they use and dry out the area around your house. Vacuum or sweep up indoor earwigs; sprays don’t help once they are inside. Outside, clear mulch, leaves and boards where they hide, fix drainage and overwatering, and catch them in oil traps or rolled newspaper set out at dusk. Earwigs are harmless to people, don’t breed indoors and, in gardens, even eat aphids.
| Method | Where | Works? |
|---|---|---|
| Vacuum or sweep up | Indoors | Yes, for the ones already inside |
| Caulk gaps at ground level | Outside walls | Yes, prevents entry |
| Reduce moisture and mulch near the house | Yard | Yes, the main long-term fix |
| Oil can traps | Garden and yard | Yes |
| Rolled newspaper, tubes, cardboard | Garden | Yes; empty into soapy water each morning |
| Spinosad bait | Garden, around foundation | Yes, best option if you need a pesticide |
| Indoor insecticide spray | Indoors | No; not effective once earwigs are inside |
| Essential oils, garlic sprays | Anywhere | No good evidence |
Table of Contents
Why Earwigs Come Into Your House
Earwigs are night-active and spend the day in damp, dark, tight places: under mulch, leaf litter, boards, stones and flower pots. They move indoors mainly in July and August, sometimes in large numbers, especially when the weather turns very wet or very dry. Excess moisture around the house is the biggest draw. See earwig facts and pictures to confirm what you have.
How to Get Rid of Earwigs Indoors
- Vacuum or sweep them up and empty the vacuum or dustpan outside.
- Seal entry points: caulk gaps at ground level around doors, windows, outdoor faucets, vents and the joint where siding meets the foundation. Add door sweeps.
- Dry out damp areas: fix leaks and run a dehumidifier in basements.
- Don’t spray inside. Insecticides aren’t effective once earwigs are indoors. If needed, a residual insecticide labeled for earwigs can be applied around the outside of the foundation to stop them entering.
How to Get Rid of Earwigs Outside and in the Garden
- Clear hiding spots: remove leaf litter, plant debris, boards, bricks and lumber piles near the house, and thin mulch.
- Fix moisture: make sure drainage works and gutters and sprinklers aren’t soaking the foundation. Water deeply but less often so the soil surface stays drier.
- Check at night: earwig damage looks like slug, cutworm or rabbit damage. Look at plants with a flashlight after dark; slugs leave slime trails, earwigs don’t.
- Use bait if needed: spinosad baits are the most effective and environmentally sound option. Scatter them around plants before damage starts or along the foundation.
Earwig Traps That Work
- Oil can trap: sink a tuna or cat food can so its rim is at soil level and add about 1/2 inch of vegetable or fish oil. A drop of bacon grease or fish oil makes it more attractive. Empty and refill as needed.
- Rolled newspaper or cardboard: lay rolled, damp newspaper, short pieces of hose, bamboo tubes or corrugated cardboard near plants just before dark.
- Collect in the morning: shake the earwigs into a bucket of soapy water.
- Repeat daily until you stop catching them. Place traps near shrubs, ground cover and fences.
Should You Get Rid of Earwigs at All?
Not always. Earwigs eat aphids and insect eggs and can help control garden pests. They only need control when they are damaging seedlings, flowers like dahlias, marigolds and zinnias, soft fruit or corn silk, or when large numbers come indoors. They are harmless to people; their pincers can grab but not squeeze hard. See do earwigs bite and earwig in ear: myth vs fact.
Earwig control essentials
- Spinosad earwig and slug bait
- Earwig traps
- Exterior caulk for ground-level gaps
- Basement dehumidifier
As an Amazon Associate, Pestbugs earns from qualifying purchases. Always follow the product label.
FAQ
Vacuum or sweep them up, then stop more getting in: caulk gaps at ground level around doors, windows, faucets, vents and where siding meets the foundation, and reduce moisture around the house. Indoor insecticide sprays don’t help once earwigs are inside.
Moisture. Earwigs hide by day in damp, dark spots such as mulch, leaf litter, boards and stones, and wander indoors mainly in July and August. Wet soil from overwatering or poor drainage, and thick mulch against the house, draw them close.
A shallow can, such as a tuna or cat food can, sunk to soil level with about 1/2 inch of vegetable or fish oil catches many earwigs overnight. Rolled newspaper, bamboo tubes or corrugated cardboard laid out at dusk also work; shake them into soapy water in the morning.
No. Earwigs don’t sting, aren’t poisonous and don’t damage houses or food. Their pincers can grab but can’t squeeze hard. In gardens they eat aphids and insect eggs as well as some plants.
No. Earwigs don’t reproduce indoors, and the ones that get in don’t live long. They come from outside, so the fix is outdoors.
Sources
Related guides
- Types of Centipedes: Common Species With Pictures & Facts
- Boxelder Bugs-Pictures, Facts, Dangers, Life, Food& Look Alikes
- Stink Bug Pictures: What Stink Bugs Look Like (and Look-Alikes)
- How to Get Rid of Crickets in the House (Including Camel Crickets)
- Millipedes in the House: Why They Come In & How to Get Rid of Them
- House Centipede: Pictures, Bites & How to Get Rid of Them