Let’s unravel the truth behind whether does bleach kills scorpions or not? Besides, keep following to learn more home remedies to get rid of scorpions.
Scorpions are one of the most terrifying insects because of the common perspective that their bites are venomous and can lead to paralysis or even death. Even though out of the many known species of scorpions, bites of only a few of them can be fatal, scorpion bites can still be quite harmful to humans. Knowing this, finding a scorpion in the house should be the last thing you want. Scorpions are nocturnal creatures that come out at night and can survive without food or water for over six months. These things make them even more intolerable, and it is usually advised to kill them immediately if found.
It is not easy to kill scorpions as they are quite resistant to most sprays and climate conditions. While popularly known to be found in deserts, scorpions can withstand extremely high and low temperatures without any food source. Besides, scorpions have a lifespan of 3-5 years, making them easily adaptable to surroundings and survive in the house for long durations. One of the recommended DIYs for killing scorpions is using bleach. But does bleach kills scorpions or is it all but a myth? Let’s unravel the truth below!
Does Bleach Kills Scorpions?
Yes, you can definitely use bleach to kill scorpions. It is a relatively effective and economical option for getting rid of scorpions. Directly pouring bleach over the scorpion or in the drains eats away or rots the inside flesh of the scorpion, which kills them instantly. Depending on the species, the exoskeleton might look the same, but the scorpion will be dead by then.
You can even DIY a spray for all the affected areas. Mix bleach and water in the ratio of 2 spoons in one cup of water and sprinkle it over the affected areas, drainage pipes, and other dark corners of the house. Do this every night for at least 15 days.
Make sure you wear gloves because bleach is a strong chemical. Moreover, do not let your kids or pets move around the treated area.
Scorpions’ Usual Hideout
You can usually locate scorpions in the dark areas of the house and they come out during the night. These include:
- Attics
- Flower vases
- Grass
- Swimming pools
- Dark garages
- Closed dark rooms
- Drainage lines
Apart from these places, scorpions can hide in any place where any rubbish or mulch is accumulated. These are some of the most common breeding spots for scorpions and make them difficult to spot.
How to Avoid Scorpion Infestation?
There are a lot of ways that you can use to prevent scorpion infestation. These are important, especially if you live in places where scorpions are quite common.
1. Keep the House Clean
The most crucial point to remember is to keep your house clean, avoiding any garbage accumulation. This will in turn help avoid any insect infestation at all. You can even practice regular deep cleaning of the house to prevent such kinds of infestations.
2. Seal All Openings
If you have tiny cracks or openings in the walls or windows, scorpions could enter the house using this path. This is again true for many other insects as well. Make sure you seal any potential entry points in the house to block the potential path.
3. Avoid Water Accumulation
Any water source can be a hiding place for scorpions. It is essential to clean any spillage immediately and make sure there is no remanent still water on the floor.
4. Do Not Accumulate Mulch
If you have an open yard or a garden, try to keep it as clean as possible, avoiding any collection of mulch, leaves, garbage, etc., which can attract scorpions, giving them a hide-out place.
5. Plant Lavender Flowers
It is easy to avoid scorpion infestation by planting lavender around the house, as scorpions hate their aroma. This will also keep your home fresh and smell amazing.
Other Remedies for Killing Scorpions
1. Spider Pesticide
Scorpions and spiders belong to the same class of insects; hence you can use a spider repellant spray to get rid of scorpions. All the home remedies recommended here work both for spiders and scorpions, though usually, spiders do not need such harsh measures.
2. Borax
The acidic nature of borax can slowly kill the spider. It is a slow process; hence it is essential to be careful before the scorpion completely dies.
3. Breaking the Exoskeleton
The exoskeleton of scorpions makes them even more resistant to any pesticides or remedies. Hence, you can directly break their exoskeleton to kill them. Use a knife or hammer for this. However, be careful if performing this step since you need to be quite close to the scorpion, and it is easy to lose them this way.
4. Diatomaceous Earth
A dehydrating agent for scorpions, diatomaceous earth is an effective solution for getting rid of scorpions. You can sprinkle it around the house to prevent infestation or get rid of scorpions. You can even directly spray diatomaceous earth on them to kill them. Keep in mind, this is a slow process as well and therefore, needs careful attention.
5. Salt
An easy and effective way to get rid of scorpions is to sprinkle salt over them. This will slow them down, giving a stinging sensation to their body, and then you can easily kill them with other methods. It might be entirely effective for small scorpions but usually needs to be done with other methods for bigger scorpions.
Precautions
Now that you know that bleach kills scorpions along with other home remedies as well, keep the following points in mind to stay safe from a scorpion infestation. Scorpions are highly venomous insects, and it is essential to keep them at bay, especially if you live in a region with a high occurrence of scorpions. These home remedies are helpful and quite effective for a few scorpions you might see around the house, but you must call for professional help if the occurrence is high. Furthermore, since scorpions thrive on other small insects, it is recommended that you follow good hygiene around the house to keep any insects or pests at bay, avoiding any risk of such infestation.
