Home Maintenance

• One of the easiest remedies for keeping centipedes away is not even a product. It lies in how you maintain your home. Centipedes love cool, moist places such as bathrooms and basements. If your are finding your basement is full of centipedes, consider investing in a dehumidifier to keep moisture levels down.
  
  Keeping all food and garbage containers sealed tightly will help keep your centipede population low as well. Not because centipedes will eat scraps, but because they will eat the other insects that opened containers will attract.
  
  

Diatomaceous Earth

• Diatomaceous earth is a naturally-occurring mechanical insecticide. Diatomaceous earth is the powered fossilized remains of microscopic diatoms. The crushed shells of these diatoms, which are similar to plankton, leave small cuts on an insect's body as it walks over them. Moisture escapes the insect's body from these small cuts, leading to its eventual death.
  
  Sprinkling diatomaceous earth around the perimeter of your home, and anywhere else you often see centipedes will keep the pests at bay.
  
  

Natural Insect Repellents With Mint

• Mint makes a wonderful centipede repellent.Thomas Northcut/Digital Vision/Getty Images
  
  Mint is a wonderful insect repellent/killer. Mint deters nearly every type of bug -- and centipedes are no exception. Many companies are turning to natural insecticides containing mint oil instead of harsh poisons. Not only do these natural insecticides kill on contact, but they also will often keep centipedes from returning for some time. In addition to their effectiveness, natural insecticides containing mint oil are generally safe for use around children and pets.
  
  

Essential Oils

• Essential oils make great nontoxic centipede repellents.Thomas Northcut/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  With extremely sensitive antennae, centipedes have an exceptional sense of smell. This great sense of smell can be used to your advantage in keeping them away. Essential oils, such vanilla and tea tree oil, smell great to us, but are overwhelming to centipedes and other insects. Dabbing a small amount of tea tree oil on window sills and basement doors will create a scent barrier that will keep centipedes away for months.