How To Get Rid Of Woodlice Inside The House

Last Tuesday, I poured myself a cup of coffee, sat down to doom-scroll, and spotted a tiny, grayish speck scurrying across my kitchen counter. It wasn’t a crumb. It was a woodlouse—one of those little armored pill bugs that look like miniature armadillos. I screamed. Not a loud scream, but the kind of internal panic that makes you question your life choices. And why yes, I did just name it Gerald before trying to vacuum it up.

Turns out, Gerald wasn’t alone. He was just the scout for a whole squad of woodlice huddled behind my plant pot. If you’re reading this, you probably have your own Gerald problem. Don’t worry—you don’t need to burn the house down. But you do need to understand why they’re there and make your home less appealing to them than a damp log in a forest.

First: Don’t Panic, They’re Not Eating Your Walls

Woodlice are basically tiny, eyeless (well, they have eyes, but they’re terrible) crustaceans that crave moisture. They are not termites. They are not silverfish. They are just stubborn little hitchhikers that wandered in from the garden. They feed on decaying organic matter—think dead leaves, mold, and that forgotten potato under your fridge. So, if you see them, your house is telling you it’s slightly damp.

Here’s the ironic part: woodlice are actually good for the soil outdoors. But inside? They’re just freeloaders. And like any freeloader, they leave when the party gets uncomfortable. So let’s make them very uncomfortable.

Step One: Find the Moisture Source (It’s Always Moisture)

Woodlice breathe through gills—yes, gills, like a fish. They need humidity to survive. If your home is dry, they will desiccate (crisp up) and die within hours. So go on a moisture hunt. Check under sinks, behind the washing machine, around leaky pipes, and in that corner of the basement that always smells like damp towels.

Fix the leaks. Wipe up standing water. Use a dehumidifier if you have to. And no, leaving a bowl of salt on the floor won’t help—please don’t ask why I know that. The goal is to turn your home from a tropical spa into a desert. Woodlice hate deserts.

How To Get Rid Of Woodlice In Your Home | Bugwise

Step Two: Declutter Like You’re Expecting a Visit from Marie Kondo

Woodlice love hiding under things. Cardboard boxes, stacks of newspapers, plant pots, yoga mats you haven’t rolled out in three years. They are shy little creeps. Remove their hiding spots, and they’ll have nowhere to go. Vacuum and sweep regularly, especially along baseboards and under furniture.

Pro tip: if you have houseplants, check the soil. Woodlice sometimes hitch a ride in potting mix. Try letting the top inch of soil dry out completely between waterings. Your plant will survive. The woodlice? Not so much.

Step Three: Create a Barrier (They Can’t Climb Glass)

If you find a specific hotspot—like under the sink or near a door—apply a thin line of diatomaceous earth (food grade, please). It’s a fine powder that feels like microscopic shards of glass to them but is harmless to you and your pets. They walk through it, get dehydrated, and die. It’s not instant, but it works. Alternatively, you can use a mixture of borax and sugar—but keep that far from kids and animals.

You can also seal cracks around windows, doors, and pipe entries with caulk. Think of it as airtight armor for your castle. Just don’t seal your front door shut unless you really hate guests.

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Step Four: The “Gentle” Removal Method

If you’re a pacifist (or just squeamish about killing bugs), you can catch them with a damp, crumpled paper towel placed in a corner overnight. Woodlice will flock to it for moisture. In the morning, toss the whole paper towel outside. Repeat until you stop finding them. I call this the “Hotel California” method: you can check out any time you like, but they can never leave.

Some people swear by leaving a halved potato near their hiding spots. The woodlice crawl into the potato’s damp crevices, and you just throw the potato away. It’s humane, but you’ll have to deal with a slowly rotting potato in your kitchen for a few days. Your call.

Step Five: Stop Accusing the Mailman

Once you’ve dried out the house, sealed the cracks, and removed the clutter, most woodlice will vanish. If they keep coming back, you might have a bigger issue: a moisture problem in your foundation or crawl space. That’s a job for a professional, not a blog post. But 9 times out of 10, it’s just a damp spot you missed. Take a walk around your house’s exterior. Are there leaf piles against the foundation? A downspout pointing directly at the wall? Fix that, and you’ll cut off their highway into your home.

Final, Honest Thought

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, one or two woodlice will still sneak in. That’s life. They’re not roaches, they’re not bedbugs, and they won’t gnaw through your wires. If you see one, just pick it up with a tissue, say “Sorry, friend, not today,” and flush it. Or, you know, cry a little like I did. Either way, you’ve got this. Now go enjoy your coffee without an uninvited audience.