Domakihub How to Get Rid of Earwigs in Your Home for Good
Stop earwigs from invading damp corners, gardens, and holiday rentals with these proven steps.
Reviewed by Domakihub home & decor pros · 2026-06-23 · 4 min read
Earwigs thrive in the warm, humid conditions common across Greece — from coastal holiday villas and Athens apartments to Thessaloniki offices. The video above shows the problem up close and walks through quick treatments; the guide below gives you a practical, ordered plan you can follow room by room. Whether you manage one property or a portfolio of rentals, eliminating earwigs is straightforward once you cut off what attracts them in the first place.
What Are Earwigs and Why Are They in Your Home?
Earwigs (order Dermaptera) are reddish-brown insects roughly 1–2 cm long with distinctive rear pincers. Despite their alarming look, they do not sting or transmit disease — but large numbers inside a property are a sign of excess moisture and decaying organic matter nearby.
In Greece they are most active from late spring through early autumn. They shelter by day under flower pots, mulch, bathroom mats, and any damp timber, then forage at night. In holiday rentals with outdoor terraces and abundant garden planting, earwig pressure tends to be higher than in urban apartments.
Why They Keep Coming Back
Most one-off spray treatments kill the insects you can see but leave the conditions that drew them intact. Earwigs reproduce quickly — a female can lay 20–80 eggs per clutch — so a new generation appears within weeks if moisture, leaf litter, and entry points are unchanged.
Lasting control requires a two-front approach: reducing the habitat that attracts them outdoors and sealing the routes they use to reach interior rooms. The five steps below address both fronts in sequence.
5 Steps to Eliminate Earwigs and Keep Them Out
- 1
Remove damp hiding spots around the building perimeter
Clear leaf piles, wet mulch, stacked timber, and overgrown ground cover within one metre of external walls. Move flower pots and outdoor furniture slightly away from the facade. Earwigs need cool, moist refuges during the day — removing these dramatically cuts the local population within a week or two.
- 2
Fix moisture problems indoors and outdoors
Repair dripping outdoor taps, unblock gutters, and ensure drainage channels slope away from the building. Inside, check under sinks and around washing machines for slow leaks. Use a small dehumidifier in bathrooms or storage rooms that stay above 70% relative humidity, especially in coastal properties where sea air keeps everything damp.
- 3
Seal entry points
Earwigs enter through gaps as narrow as 2 mm. Apply silicone sealant around window frames, door thresholds, plumbing pipe penetrations, and weep holes in brickwork. Fit door sweeps to exterior doors and replace any torn fly-screen mesh. For holiday rentals, check these seals before each rental season.
- 4
Apply a targeted perimeter treatment
Use a residual insecticide labelled for crawling insects (pyrethroid-based products such as deltamethrin or bifenthrin are widely available in Greek garden centres). Spray a 50 cm band around the base of exterior walls and around door and window frames in the evening when earwigs are active. Repeat after heavy rain. Diatomaceous earth is an effective non-chemical alternative: dust it along skirting boards, under appliances, and at threshold gaps.
- 5
Set traps to monitor and reduce numbers
Place simple oil traps — a small container with a few centimetres of vegetable oil — near damp areas at night; earwigs fall in and cannot escape. Check and empty traps every morning. This is especially useful in vegetable gardens or under terrace planters where spraying is undesirable. Traps also tell you whether your other measures are working: if trap counts drop week on week, you are winning.
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FAQ
- Are earwigs dangerous to people or pets?
- No. Earwigs can pinch skin with their rear pincers if handled roughly, but the pinch is weak and they carry no venom. They are not known to transmit disease. The main harm in a home or rental is cosmetic: large numbers alarm guests, and outdoor populations can damage soft plant growth.
- How long does it take to get rid of an earwig infestation?
- With consistent effort on all five steps, most infestations are visibly reduced within two to three weeks. Full elimination can take four to six weeks because eggs already in the soil continue to hatch. Stick to the perimeter treatment schedule and keep traps active until counts reach zero for several nights in a row.
- Can I use natural or chemical-free methods only?
- Yes, and they work well for moderate infestations. Diatomaceous earth at entry points, oil traps, and strict moisture control are sufficient for many properties. Botanical sprays containing neem oil or pyrethrin (derived from chrysanthemum) add organic-certified knockdown if needed. Reserve synthetic pyrethroids for heavy infestations or when natural methods have not produced results after three weeks.