How To Get Rid Of Woodlice In The House
Here at Pest Control Direct, we are regularly asked about how to get rid of woodlice in the house, especially as there are very few products on the market that are targeted specifically for treating woodlice. However, there are indeed many types of generic insect sprays and dusts that are highly effective against woodlice as well as some preventative steps one can take to keep them out of your home.
Why are there Woodlice in my house?
Woodlice tend to be garden pests but do come in by accident. They will often enter through air bricks, around pipes, windows and doors which are not sealed or where the seals have become damaged. They can also come up from the foundations into your home.
Should there be a woodpile outside your property on the outside wall, this will be seen as a perfect home for woodlice, from there they may enter into your home. They feed on mould growth and rotting wood and they can also live in roof voids and in damp bathrooms and toilets.
Woodlice will die in most home environments as they love the damp and they soon dehydrate with our warm and usually dry indoor environments. Woodlice are more likely to survive in damp houses, hence, if you’re finding lots of woodlice in your house, it could be an indicator that it has a damp problem.
Are Woodlice Harmful?
Woodlice are not harmful at all, just a nuisance pest that come in from outdoors by accident. They are not known to transmit disease. Woodlice could cause damage to wooden floors and furniture but its very unusual for them to do this.
How to keep Woodlice out of your house
Keeping woodlice out of your home can be a difficult task, especially in older properties. Newer properties or those with modern windows and doors tend to have fewer woodlice inhabiting as it is much harder for them to find a way in.
Some of our top tips and preventative measures for keeping these pests out include:
- Sealing gaps around pipes, windows and door frames with a mastic sealant or decorators caulk
- Proofing air vents with air brick covers
- Treat areas indoors (around skirtings) with a spray
- Treat outdoor areas with powders and sprays
- Keeping the outside areas around your house clean of leaves and other organic material and garden matter
- Remove any rotting wood around the garden
It is also important to remove vegetation, woodpiles and anything else that provides a dark moist environment for them that is located close to the house.
How to treat Woodlice in the house
If you have Woodlice in your home, there are two main ways to treat.
1. Sprays will give a residual performance of up to 3 months (indoors) This could also be used around windows and doors outside to provide a barrier so they die before they enter. We recommend this treatment as part of your control measures to help eradicate Woodlice from entering your home.
2. Powders/Dusts are ideal for use in air vents as this void is a clear entry point into the home. Can also to be applied to outdoor wall/floor junctions, around paving slabs etc. Should you have a heavy infestation it would be good practice to puff powder under carpets or wooden flooring indoors. Once this is applied it will last for as long as it is down, re-apply if swept or vacuumed up.
When it comes to treating woodlice in the house, the most effective method to treating these unwanted pests is by using an effective woodlice control product, which may or may not be specifically made for controlling woodlice. As mentioned above, there are very few products specific to woodlice on the market, however, there are many crawling insect products and many of these work very well against woodlice too.
There are several different types of woodlice and insecticide products that are effective for controlling woodlice, which include:
#1 Sprays
- Good residual performance – up to 3 months
- Safe once dry for children and pets
#2 Powders
- Long term control
- Safe in voids, under carpets, air vents
- If using outdoors will need to be re-applied if it rains
We do not suggest smoke bombs for following reasons:
- Smokes will only kill what is in the room at the time the smoke is going off, Woodlice tend to already be dead once they are in the home.
- They have no residual effect so will not be beneficial in keeping them out of your home.
The Best Woodlice Control Products
At Pest Control Direct, we’ve tried and tested every woodlice and insecticide product on the market, and here’s a round-up of the most effective woodlice treatment products:
#1 Pro-active C Woodlice Killer Spray
Instructions for use:
Spray around wall/floor junctions in the rooms you are seeing evidence of Woodlice. Ensure pets and children are out of the room whilst spraying and until it is dry after approximately 2 hours.
#2 Our Woodlice treatment pack
What’s included:
1 x 1 ltr Pro-Active C Spray
2 x Rentokil Ant & Crawling Insect Powder 300g
Facemask, gloves and advice sheet
Our woodlice treatment pack contains woodlice spray and powder to treat both indoor and outdoor areas, air vents etc. Pet and child safe once dry.
#3 Rentokil Ant & Crawling Insect Dust
This well-known product works well to treat air vents, outside wall/floor junctions and inside wall/floor junctions, including around poorly sealed windows and doors. We would also recommend application under carpets to give long term protection.
Instructions for use:
The powder comes in a puffer packaged bottle. Puff the dust around the areas you wish to protect.
What to do if you have a woodlice infestation
Whether you have a large infestation or a small infestation, the treatments will be the same. It is recommended to treat and also put in barriers to prevent them coming in as much as you can. Woodlice tend to be an ongoing problem, so preventative measures are key. For example; Sealing entry points and adding airbrick covers. Treatment with sprays and powders as mentioned will give you good control of your Woodlice infestation.
Dealing with unwanted Woodlice in your house?
Woodlice are an annoying pest that we at Pest Control Direct have been giving advice on for over 20 years. We offer a good selection of effective Woodlice treatment products, including Pro-Active C, Rentokil Insect Crawling Dust and Air brick covers for proofing against this pest.
If you’re dealing with a woodlice problem and need some extra advice, whether it’s just a few small visitors or a large infestation, then feel free to give us a call or drop us a message and we’ll be happy to help you wave goodbye to your unwanted guests.
