5 Simple Ways to Deter Scorpions

holding scorpion
  • 1 hours
  • Intermediate
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What You'll Need
Silicone caulk
A cat
Diatomaceous earth
Borax
Lavender
What You'll Need
Silicone caulk
A cat
Diatomaceous earth
Borax
Lavender

It’s human nature to kill scorpions when you find them, whether it’s in your home or outside. Contrary to popular belief, the sting of any scorpion you’re likely to encounter won’t kill you. However, it will be painful and will feel slightly more painful than a bee sting.

You are most likely to find scorpions in warmer climates, such as the Southwest and areas of the South. If you live in northern states, they’re unlikely to be a problem. Also, because scorpions are nocturnal creatures, you’re unlikely to see one during the day. They tend to enter houses in search of warmth and water and during the day, they retreat to darker spaces. However, you can deter scorpions using household products.

1. Seal the House

The best way to keep scorpions out of the house is to make it difficult for them to even get in. That means using silicone caulk on all the cracks where they could enter. You need to be thorough, since they can ease their way in through the tiniest spaces.

Caulk around window frames and around all the cracks in the foundation. Inside, look for gaps in the baseboard and around window frames and seal them all. The better you seal your house, the less likely you are to have a problem with scorpions. Keeping your house free of clutter means you’re less likely to move items and be suddenly surprised by a scorpion.

2. Outdoor Cats

Cats and scorpions are natural enemies and cats will often attack and kill scorpions. If you do have a scorpion problem, you might consider getting a cat to control them. Keep in mind, an outdoor cat is more recommended than an indoor cat, as many indoor cats lose their hunting instincts over time. There are also reports that dogs will attack scorpions too, although this is less frequent than cats attacking. If you have pets, you should find that you have very few, if any, scorpions.

3. Diatomaceous Earth

It’s not exactly a standard household product, but diatomaceous earth is effective in killing scorpions in your house. You need to sprinkle it around the inside of your home. The scorpions will eat it, but it’s incredibly dangerous to them as the sharp crystals cut and desiccate them from inside.

4. Borax

The sharp crystals in borax work exactly the same way as diatomaceous earth on the scorpions, and you’re more likely to have it in the house. Alternatively, you can easily purchase some from a number of hardware stores.

You can use the liquid or the powder. With the liquid, spray it around baseboards. If you’re using the powder, sprinkle it in the same places. In both instances, the scorpion will ingest the borax, and the crystals will cut the scorpion and cause it to desiccate and die.

5. Lavender

Some people believe that lavender will deter scorpions and there seems to be some evidence to support this. Try planting lavender around your house and this should help keep the scorpions away, although no one seems certain how it works since they have no real sense of smell.