Finding an earwig crawling across your bathroom, kitchen or bedroom floor can be unpleasant, especially when you see the insect's distinctive pincers.
Fortunately, earwigs are generally harmless to people.
They normally live outdoors and don't usually establish permanent indoor infestations. When they repeatedly appear inside a home, the best solution is usually to determine why they're coming inside and how they're getting in.
That means prevention is often more useful than repeatedly spraying insects after they enter.
Here are 12 practical ways to reduce earwigs around your home and help keep them outside.
Why Are Earwigs Coming Into My House?
Earwigs prefer sheltered environments that tend to be:
- dark
- cool
- moist.
Outdoors they commonly hide underneath mulch, leaves, stones, boards, flowerpots and other protected objects.
They may move indoors when conditions outside become particularly:
- hot
- dry
- cold.
They can enter through small cracks and openings around the building.
The occasional earwig indoors doesn't necessarily mean that you have an infestation.
However, repeatedly finding them inside suggests it's worth investigating moisture, outdoor hiding places and possible entry points.
1. Reduce Excess Moisture Around Your Home
Moisture management is one of the most useful steps in earwig prevention.
Check around your property for:
- leaking outdoor taps
- dripping pipes
- poorly draining gutters
- damaged downspouts
- standing water
- excessive irrigation
- persistently damp areas beside the foundation.
Repair leaks and improve drainage where practical.
Water should ideally drain away from the building rather than accumulating immediately beside it.
Earwigs need moisture, so reducing persistently damp conditions can make the area surrounding your home less attractive to them.
2. Deal With Damp Areas Indoors
If earwigs repeatedly appear in:
- basements
- bathrooms
- laundry rooms
- utility rooms
- crawl spaces,
check whether excess moisture is contributing to the problem.
Address leaking pipes and other sources of unnecessary dampness.
Improving ventilation may help in some locations.
A dehumidifier can also help reduce excessive indoor humidity where appropriate, although it won't solve a leaking pipe or structural water problem.
Fix the source of moisture whenever possible.
3. Keep Mulch Away From Entry Points
Mulch is valuable in gardens.
It can conserve soil moisture, suppress weeds and provide other benefits.
So you do not need to remove all the mulch from your garden simply because earwigs exist.
However, thick, moist organic mulch immediately beside doors, foundations and other possible entry points can provide excellent daytime shelter.
Where earwigs are repeatedly entering a building, consider reducing especially favourable hiding places immediately beside the structure.
The goal is not to create a completely bare garden.
It's to reduce the moist, protected habitat directly around likely entry points.
4. Clear Leaves and Garden Debris Near the House
Earwigs hide underneath organic debris during the day.
Regularly remove unnecessary accumulations of:
- fallen leaves
- weeds
- dead vegetation
- cardboard
- discarded boards
- garden rubbish.
Pay particular attention to areas directly beside the building.
Removing hiding places makes the immediate surroundings less attractive to earwigs.
5. Move Firewood Away From the Building
Firewood provides plenty of dark spaces where insects can shelter.
If possible, avoid stacking firewood directly against exterior walls or beside doors.
Store it appropriately away from the structure while keeping local fire-safety requirements in mind.
Before carrying logs indoors, inspect them for insects.
Earwigs and other small creatures can be accidentally transported inside with firewood.
6. Check Gutters and Drainage
Blocked gutters filled with leaves and organic debris can create moist shelter for insects.
Inspect gutters and downspouts periodically.
Remove accumulated debris and make sure water is directed appropriately away from the building.
Good drainage doesn't only help with pest prevention—it can also help protect the building from moisture problems.
7. Seal Cracks and Gaps
Physical exclusion is one of the most important ways to keep outdoor pests from entering a home.
Inspect the exterior for openings around:
- doors
- windows
- foundations
- utility pipes
- cables
- vents
- other penetrations through exterior walls.
Seal appropriate gaps using materials suitable for the location.
Repair damaged window and door screens.
Weather-stripping or door sweeps may help close gaps around exterior doors.
Don't block openings that are necessary for safe ventilation or drainage.
If you're unsure whether an opening should be sealed, obtain appropriate building advice first.
8. Trim Excessively Dense Vegetation Near the House
Dense vegetation can create shade, shelter and moisture.
Where earwigs are a persistent problem, consider trimming vegetation that:
- presses against exterior walls
- creates continuously damp areas
- blocks airflow around the building.
You don't need to remove healthy landscaping unnecessarily.
The aim is simply to avoid creating particularly favourable earwig habitat immediately against the structure.
9. Adjust Your Outdoor Lighting
Some earwigs can be attracted to outdoor lighting.
Bright lights beside windows and doors can therefore contribute to insects gathering near possible entrances.
Where practical:
- turn off unnecessary outdoor lights
- position lighting away from frequently opened doors
- consider less insect-attractive lighting.
UC IPM specifically recommends replacing white outdoor lights with yellow lights, which are generally less attractive to earwigs.
Lighting changes won't eliminate an earwig population, but they may reduce the number gathering around entrances.
10. Water Your Garden Carefully
Earwigs thrive in moist environments.
This doesn't mean you should allow plants to become dehydrated simply to eliminate insects.
Instead, avoid unnecessary overwatering.
Where appropriate for your plants and climate, irrigation methods that don't keep the entire soil surface continuously wet may help.
UC IPM recommends drip irrigation where practical as one way of reducing surface moisture associated with earwig habitat.
Water plants according to their actual needs rather than maintaining constantly wet conditions.
11. Use Simple Earwig Traps Outdoors
If large numbers of earwigs are living near your home or damaging plants, trapping can help reduce their population without routine pesticide spraying.
Because earwigs hide during daylight, simple shelters can work as traps.
Options include:
- rolled newspaper
- corrugated cardboard
- short pieces of hose
- bamboo tubes.
Place traps near affected areas in the evening.
Earwigs may crawl inside overnight and remain there when daylight arrives.
Check the traps the following morning and dispose of captured insects appropriately.
UC IPM also describes low-sided containers with vegetable oil and a small amount of fish oil as earwig traps.
If you use traps, position them so they don't create a hazard for children, pets or wildlife.
Daily trapping can be particularly helpful when earwig numbers are high.
12. Vacuum Earwigs That Get Indoors
You usually don't need to spray pesticides around the house because you've found several earwigs.
Individual insects can simply be:
- vacuumed
- swept up
- physically removed.
Then concentrate on preventing additional insects from getting inside.
Current UC IPM guidance specifically states that indoor pesticide treatment isn't recommended for earwigs because it does little to prevent additional insects entering from outdoors.
Should You Spray Insecticide Around Your Home?
Pesticides are often unnecessary for earwig problems.
Integrated pest management focuses first on:
- correctly identifying the pest
- preventing entry
- reducing food, water and shelter
- monitoring the problem
- using lower-risk effective controls when necessary.
Current UC IPM guidance describes IPM as combining multiple methods to solve pest problems while reducing risks to people and the environment.
For earwigs, this means moisture control, exclusion, habitat management and trapping may solve the problem without routine pesticide treatment.
If pesticide treatment becomes necessary, use only products legally approved for the intended pest and location in your country.
Always follow the product label.
Never assume that applying more pesticide makes treatment more effective.
What About Natural Earwig Remedies?
The internet contains many homemade remedies for earwigs.
Be cautious.
“Natural” doesn't automatically mean:
- safe
- effective
- harmless to pets
- harmless to children
- harmless to plants.
You don't need to spray essential oils or homemade chemical mixtures around your house when simpler physical methods may solve the problem.
Start with evidence-based measures:
- moisture reduction
- exclusion
- sanitation
- trapping
- physical removal.
Do Earwigs Mean Your House Is Dirty?
No.
Earwigs aren't evidence of poor hygiene.
They primarily respond to environmental conditions such as:
- moisture
- shelter
- temperature
- available entry points.
A clean home can still have earwigs wandering inside.
However, reducing unnecessary clutter and moisture around the property can eliminate hiding places.
Why Do Earwigs Keep Appearing in My Bathroom?
Bathrooms provide moisture and shelter.
But earwigs found there may have entered from outdoors rather than breeding inside the bathroom.
Check for:
- gaps around pipes
- damaged seals
- openings around windows
- excess humidity
- plumbing leaks
- nearby exterior entry points.
Correcting the source of repeated entry is more useful than simply killing each insect you see.
Why Do I Suddenly Have Lots of Earwigs?
A sudden increase doesn't necessarily mean they're reproducing throughout your house.
Changes in outdoor conditions can cause insects to seek shelter.
UC IPM notes that earwigs may enter buildings when outside conditions become too dry, too hot or too cold.
If large numbers suddenly appear, inspect the outside perimeter for:
- moist mulch
- heavy leaf litter
- debris
- water accumulation
- cracks and openings.
Should You Remove All Earwigs From Your Garden?
Not necessarily.
Earwigs have a complicated role in gardens.
They may damage:
- seedlings
- flowers
- soft fruits
- corn silks.
But they can also eat aphids and other insects.
UC IPM therefore recommends managing earwigs when they're actually causing a problem rather than automatically eliminating every earwig in the landscape.
A few earwigs outdoors may be perfectly normal.
A Simple Earwig Prevention Checklist
If earwigs repeatedly enter your home, work through these steps:
- repair water leaks
- improve drainage
- clear blocked gutters
- reduce damp hiding places near the building
- move firewood away from exterior walls
- clear unnecessary leaf litter and debris
- inspect mulch beside entry points
- seal cracks and gaps
- repair damaged screens
- check gaps underneath exterior doors
- trim excessively dense vegetation where appropriate
- review outdoor lighting
- avoid unnecessary overwatering
- trap excessive earwig populations outdoors
- vacuum occasional insects found indoors.
You don't necessarily need to complete every step.
Concentrate on the conditions actually present around your property.
When Should You Call a Pest-Control Professional?
Professional pest control usually isn't necessary for an occasional earwig.
Consider professional help if:
- large numbers continually enter despite preventive measures
- you cannot identify where they're entering
- significant plant damage continues
- you aren't certain that the insects are actually earwigs
- pesticide treatment appears necessary and you're unsure how to proceed safely.
Correct pest identification is important before choosing a treatment.
The Bottom Line
The best way to prevent earwigs isn't to spray every insect you see.
Focus on making your home and its immediate surroundings less attractive and less accessible.
Start by:
- reducing excess moisture
- improving drainage
- clearing unnecessary hiding places
- managing mulch near the building
- sealing entry points
- repairing screens
- adjusting outdoor lighting where appropriate
- trapping excessive outdoor populations
- vacuuming occasional indoor earwigs.
Earwigs are generally harmless to people, and a few outdoors are a normal part of the environment.
The goal isn't necessarily to eliminate every earwig from your property.
It's to keep them where they belong—outside your home—and control them when their numbers are genuinely causing problems.
Health and Safety Disclaimer
This article provides general educational information about household pest prevention. Pest species, pesticide regulations and approved products vary between countries. If pesticides are necessary, use only products legally approved for the intended pest and location and follow the product label. For persistent or difficult infestations, consult a suitably qualified pest-management professional.
Sources and Further Reading
University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program — Earwigs
https://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/earwigs/
University of California IPM — What Is Integrated Pest Management?
https://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/what-is-ipm/
University of California IPM — Pest Prevention
https://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/guide-for-property-managers/pest-prevention/
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