How To Keep Scorpions Away From Your House: 7 Ways to Scorpion-Proof Your Property
Sting back against the scorpions near your home
It’s understandable to wonder how to keep scorpions away from your house. Beyond being the pinnacle of creepiness, they’re also venomous, and their painful stings have the potential to cause serious reactions, especially for people who are allergic.
While some regions are more prone to scorpion sightings than others, these pests can sneak into homes through small cracks and gaps in search of water, shelter, or food. The good news is, you don’t need to live with them. With a few practical DIY methods, you can keep scorpions away from your home and reclaim your peace of mind.
Why Do I Have Scorpions Near My Home?
Scorpions are most commonly found in warm, dry desert climates, but under the right conditions, they can pop up in all kinds of environments These nocturnal arachnids are drawn to dark, damp spaces where they can hide during the day and hunt at night.
You’re most likely to spot them in basements, garages, crawl spaces, and bathrooms, but they can also hide in places like shoes, under furniture, and inside wall voids.
How Much Does It Cost to Exterminate Scorpions?
The cost of pest fumigation service for scorpions averages between $1,500 and $2,500. If you’re allergic to stings, have a severe infestation, suspect the potentially deadly Arizona bark scorpion, or just want the scorpions gone ASAP, then it’s worth it to hire a professional exterminator.
Signs of Scorpions
Scorpions can be stealthy, so you might not see them right away. Keep an eye out for these signs of scorpions in or near your home:
Actual sightings: You may see a live scorpion scuttling across the floor, especially at night.
Scorpion droppings: These look like small piles of sand or pepper-like granules.
Exoskeletons: Scorpions molt as they grow, leaving behind dry shell casings.
Blacklight evidence: Scorpions glow under UV light, so a blacklight can help you spot them in dark corners.
How to Keep Scorpions Away From Your House
If you’re wondering how to get rid of scorpions, these are the best ways to keep them away from your home.
1. Seal Entry Points
Scorpions can fit through openings as narrow as a credit card, so inspect your home for any gaps, cracks, or holes, especially around windows, doors, vents, and your foundation. Use caulk, weatherstripping, or expandable foam to seal openings, paying close attention to gaps under exterior doors and garage doors.
2. Eliminate Indoor Moisture
To keep scorpions away from your home, fix leaky faucets, pipes, and appliances. Use dehumidifiers in damp spaces like basements or laundry rooms, and make sure bathrooms are well-ventilated.
3. Declutter Indoor Spaces
Scorpions love finding places to hide. Reduce clutter in closets, storage areas, and under furniture to limit their hiding spots. Frequent cleaning of light-traffic areas will ensure scorpions don’t go unnoticed.
4. Reduce Outdoor Hiding Spots
Keeping your yard tidy is another effective way to keep scorpions away from your home. Remove woodpiles, rocks, debris, and loose mulch near your home. Trim back bushes, especially those touching your house or siding.
5. Control Other Pests
Since scorpions feed on bugs, eliminating their food source is key. Use traps, bait, or insecticides if you see signs of a bug infestation in or near your home. Pay special attention to ants, crickets, roaches, and other small pests, as these are among the scorpion’s favorite things to eat.
6. Use Natural Scorpion Repellents
The best scorpion repellents are essential oils like lavender, cedarwood, peppermint, and cinnamon. Mix a few drops with water in a spray bottle and apply it around doors, windows, baseboards, and other entry points to create a natural barrier. Note that many essential oils are toxic to pets, so be sure to keep them away from your furry family members.
7. Create a Barrier With Diatomaceous Earth
Sprinkle food-grade diatomaceous earth around your home’s perimeter, focusing on entry points like doors, windows, vents, and foundation cracks. This natural, powdery substance dehydrates and kills scorpions (and other insects) when they come into contact with it.
Reapply after rain or heavy sweeping, and use it indoors in dry, undisturbed areas like baseboards, behind appliances, or in closets for added protection.
How to Prevent Scorpions in Your Home
Keep pesky scorpions away by following these guidelines:
Keep exterior lights off at night: Outdoor lighting attracts bugs, which in turn attract scorpions.
Install yellow bug lights: These lights are less attractive to insects, which helps reduce food sources for scorpions.
Place sticky traps: Set sticky traps in corners, behind furniture, and near doors to monitor scorpion activity and trap wandering pests.
Inspect shoes and bedding: Especially if you live in a high-risk area, always perform a scorpion inspection before slipping into your bed or shoes.
Get regular inspections: Budget for the cost of regular pest inspections to ensure scorpions (and other pests) aren’t moving in.
Hire a professional exterminator: Invest in the cost of pest control services to control scorpions and their prey around your home.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
DIY scorpion control can be highly effective, especially for mild to moderate issues. However, if you're dealing with a serious infestation, hiring a local exterminator is the safest and most thorough option.
Licensed pest control professionals have access to stronger, commercial-grade treatments and can identify hidden entry points or nests that may not be apparent to the untrained eye. Plus, many pros offer follow-up visits or ongoing maintenance plans for long-term peace of mind.
Yes, scorpions can climb into beds, especially if your bed touches the wall or has bedding that hangs down to the floor. They can scale walls, furniture, and bed frames to access elevated surfaces. To reduce the risk, keep your bed away from walls, avoid letting blankets or sheets touch the floor, and consider placing bed legs inside glass jars so they can’t climb up. Regularly inspecting your sleeping area, decluttering, and sealing entry points around the room can also help keep scorpions out.
If you’re wondering whether pest control services are safe, rest assured that they are if you hire a licensed and experienced exterminator. Professionals are trained to use EPA-approved products in controlled amounts and apply them in targeted areas to minimize exposure to people and pets. Plus, many modern pest control methods are designed to be low-risk while still effectively eliminating pests like scorpions. If you have concerns about chemicals, ask your exterminator about eco-friendly or integrated pest management (IPM) options, which focus on prevention and minimal pesticide use.
Yes, unfortunately, scorpions do come up through air vents on occasion if they’re not properly sealed. These pests are excellent at finding small openings and may use vents as a pathway to cooler areas inside, especially during hot weather. To prevent this, inspect your vents, seal any gaps, and install fine mesh screens where necessary.
Scorpions have a hard time climbing smooth, non-porous surfaces like glass, smooth metal, and slick plastic. Their pincers and legs are designed for gripping rough or textured materials, so they struggle to gain traction on slick vertical surfaces. This is why glass containers or traps are often used to safely contain them. Keeping furniture or bed frames away from walls and using smooth materials as a block can help limit their ability to climb into sleeping or resting areas.
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