To get rid of centipedes in the house, you need to follow a 2-step process that involves moisture and food supply. Centipedes are invertebrates with an exoskeleton, multiple pairs of legs, and inhabit most of the world. There are about 3,000 known species of centipedes with legs ranging from 15 to over 300.
As adaptable as they are, they always need a moist environment to survive because they lack the waxy protective cuticle of insects or spiders. Hence their preference for rocks, piles of leaves or vegetation, wood, etc. In spring they come out to reproduce and in autumn they are attracted to houses in search of warmth and food. Due to their need for humidity, they are usually found in parts of the house that mimic their natural environment such as baseboards, kitchen sinks, washing machines or utility rooms.
The common house centipede is called Scutigera Coleoptrata and like all centipedes it is a predator. The house centipede is 1 to 2 inches long and has 15 pairs of legs developed in various molts from an original set of just 4 legs when newly hatched. Other larger centipedes like the tropical scolopendromorpha they are born directly with 21 pairs of shorter legs and flexible segments, can reach a gigantic size of up to 12 inches (30 cm) and feed on mice, lizards, frogs and even tarantulas, while the house centipede has a rigid segmented body with legacies long and fast and feeds on other household pests. Unlike other centipede species, the house centipede has good eyesight but also catches its prey with the help of antennae.
Typical prey for house centipedes include ants, termites, bed bugs, spiders, and cockroach nymphs, as well as opportunistic kitchen scraps. They hunt at night and this is the time when they are usually sighted. Above all, the house centipede provides a good service, as it naturally preys on other unwanted household pests that are objectively much more dangerous than the centipede itself. Just think of the many germs and diseases carried by cockroaches, fleas (including the historic bubonic plague via rat fleas), or blood-feeding bedbugs. Centipedes do not chase humans or pose a health hazard like other pests, however there are 2 reasons why owners want to get rid of centipedes the moment they see one.
One reason is that their presence can be the telltale sign that there is another infestation that the centipede is feeding on. The other reason is just its appearance. Centipedes are pretty nasty. Combine this with its speed and maneuverability and you have a horror movie like living creature, right in the middle of your room. Unfortunately, as long as the centipedes have no reason to leave, they will stay and multiply. So the solution to removing them is to give them a reason to leave.
So how to get rid of centipedes in the house? Tidy up the clutter in the bathroom, kitchen, basement, and all known damp places where centipedes roost. Use dehumidifiers and desiccators to dry out the environment as much as possible and allow for maximum ventilation. This way, the centipedes will have a hard time keeping their bodies moist and will want to leave.
If their presence is persistent, it may be a sign that they have found a steady supply of food to feed on. This means you may have more than just a centipede problem, but also roaches, ants, or any other insect that attracts the centipede to stay. In this case, you may need to follow a 2-step pest eradication procedure, both indoors and outdoors, to get rid of all pests, including the top of the food chain, the centipedes themselves.
