16 Effective Home Remedies for Scorpions and Scorpion Bites

Some people want to know why one would bother with home remedies for scorpions. It does, after all, sound a little risky.

And sure, you could hire a professional to kick the scorpions out of your house. Just call them up and hand over your credit card, then wait for them to work their magic.

If you live in an area with an active scorpion population, you can be sure there’s plenty of companies ready and willing to step in and help solve your problem.

But what’s that going to cost? And which company do you choose?

Besides, do you really want some stranger coming into your home and spraying a bunch of unpronounceable chemicals around? Isn’t there some way you can deal with this problem yourself first?

Well, help is at hand, hypothetical homeowner in my head.

Which Home Remedies for Scorpions Work?

If you have a scorpion problem, we’ve got some simple home remedies for scorpions that you can put to use. Stat.

Home remedies for scorpions can be separated into two simple categories:

• Prevention. These are the home remedies to keep scorpions away. They repel and deter scorpions rather than actively killing them.

• Elimination. These are home remedies to kill scorpions. They also have a repellent effect since killing does reduce scorpion numbers but their primary purpose is elimination.

Let’s start with home remedies to keep scorpions away.

8 Home Remedies to Keep Scorpions Away

Scorpion repellent home remedies are an excellent place to start. In fact, we recommend everyone living in scorpion territory make use of at least some of these tactics.

So, let’s take a quick look not at how to solve your scorpion problem with lethality, but at how we can keep scorpions well away from you and your home.

Make a scorpion fortress

That means a fortress against scorpions, by the way. One that keeps them out. Not a fortress of scorpions. That would be…terrifying.

You can try any or even all of these home remedies to get rid of scorpions. But one of the most effective scorpion repellent home remedies is to make sure they can’t get in in the first place.

And often, a simple tube of silicone caulk can work wonders at keeping them out.

Take a look around your house. Try to see it through the many eyes of a scorpion.

What you’re looking for, besides juicy crickets to feast on, is gaps. Tiny little gaps, maybe only 1/16 of an inch. That’s all a scorpion needs to get inside your house.

• Check around doors and windows for tiny openings
• Inspect pipes and wires that makes a hole in your walls
• Dryer vents, air conditioning conduits, anything that connects exterior to interior
• Cracks in the concrete foundations of your home

It’s very common for these areas to be improperly sealed, and scorpions, along with other pests, love to use these gaps as highways into your home. If you find a gap, seal it up. Keep those scorpions out.

Plant scorpion repellent plants

An all natural home remedy to keep scorpions away is to do a little landscaping with scorpion repellent plants. The best plant to use? Lavender.

It’s strange but true. Lavender has been found to be a natural deterrent to scorpions. Plus, it smells awesome and is fairly easy to grow, making it a lovely home remedy for scorpions – and yourself.

Of course, it’s not going to get rid of an already-existing scorpion infestation but planting some lavender around your home could help to keep your house scorpion-free if you live in a scorpion prone area.

Cedar oil for scorpions

Cedar trees figured out how to protect themselves from insects millions of years ago, and their key weapon is the oil they produce. Cedar oil is effective at both killing and repelling all kinds of insects as well as scorpions, making it a great home remedy to keep scorpions away.

And there are a lot of ways you can use it. You could use a solution of cedar oil to spray your home on a regular basis. It’s safe, effective and smells way better than commercial pesticides.

Another easy option is to use 100% cedar wood storage accessories around your house – these are easy to stick in dark nook and crannies that scorpions like to make a nest in.

You can also use the anti-scorpion properties of cedar to stop scorpions getting into your home in the first place. A perimeter of cedar mulch around your home and in your flower beds can do a lot to help persuade scorpions to take a hike.

It’ll leave your yard smelling fresh and help repel scorpions. Win win.

Neem oil

Like cedar oil above, neem oil is a naturally occurring substance with some awesome scorpion repelling properties. Neem oil comes from the seeds of the neem tree which grows in India, and it is effective against all kinds of insects as well as scorpions.

And not only does neem oil repel these stinging critters, it has been shown to be lethal to scorpions that come into contact with it.

Best of all, it is completely harmless to humans and to other mammals like cats and dogs – making this a pet safe scorpion deterrent. You could even consider using it along with cedar oil for extra protection.

DIY homemade scorpion repellent

Yet another option is to create your very own homemade scorpion repellent. Here are a couple ideas:

DIY lavender scorpion repellent. Fill a spray bottle with one cup of water and then add 10 drops of lavender essential oil. Spray this on places where you want to repel scorpions like inside closets, in your cabinets, and on your bed.

Citric homemade scorpion repellent. Similarly, scorpions tend to have an adverse reaction to citric scents as well. This might offer an alternative for any homeowners who dislike the smell of lavender. Fill a spray bottle with one cup of water and then add 10 drops of grapefruit essential oil. Shake well and spray.

Neem oil scorpion repellent. To make this mixture, combine Bonide Neem Max with a little water and shake well. We recommend we use this scorpion repellent as an outdoor spray only. Lavender and citrus scents are great scorpion repellents to use inside the house. But neem oil is stinky. So use it outside to target scorpion hiding places and to spray around the perimeter of your home.

Scorpion sticky traps

Simple glue traps can work great against scorpions. Set them up in dark corners and along the walls in your home, and any scorpion that tries to walk across them will come to a sticky end. (See what I did there? I could be a comic book villain with punning skills like that.)

If you’re worried about scorpions getting in your bed, you could also place these strategically under your bed to capture any critter that may dare get too close.

Just be aware that if you do trap a scorpion in a glue trap, it won’t die right away. A scorpion could still sting you from the trap, so put on some gloves before you go handling one.

Oh, and bear in mind that the glue on glue traps is sticky. Some glue traps are strong enough to trap large rats, so keep the trap away from children or pets.

If someone does step into the glue, you can use simple vegetable oil to break down the adhesive and free yourself.

Ask your dog for help

It was their pest-killing abilities that persuaded humans to let cats move in to their homes in the first place. And dogs were helpful hunting companions long before they became man’s best friend. Much of this still stands. Both cats and dogs can be effective at killing scorpions once they enter the house.

However, you may not want your beloved family pet tangling with an animal that has a sting in its tail. I know I wouldn’t.

But dogs can be very helpful in alerting you when a scorpion enters your home. Our canine friends have much better spidey senses than we do, which makes them a helpful hunting companion in locating the threat of scorpions.

Enlist scorpion hunters

There is another animal out there that makes a great scorpion killer that you may not have considered. The humble chicken. A few chickens in your yard will seek and destroy all kinds of bugs, including all the bugs that scorpions like to eat. In that way, they have can indirectly help get rid of scorpions – by actively reducing their food supply.

Plus, they provide you with fresh eggs.

Don’t have chickens lying around? Maybe a neighbor does. It might not be a bad idea to have the chicken patrol visit your yard once in a while on a scorpion hunt.

It sure beats having to do the scorpion hunting yourself.

5 Home Remedies to Kill Scorpions

The above home remedies to keep scorpions away are a great way to deter these venomous creature from your home. But if you have a serious scorpion infestation on your hands, you may need to take it up a notch or two.

Here are the best home remedies to kill scorpions.

Boric acid

This home remedy is not just good for scorpions but for a number of pests. Plus, boric acid is easy to get your hands on and easy to use. It even has many uses in the home, including as an antiseptic.

But most importantly, it kills creepy crawlies! You can use it in its powdered form, or mix it with water to create a spray.

In either case, it works by causing many tiny lacerations in a scorpion’s exoskeleton. This causes dehydration and eventually death. Boric acid is harmless to humans unless you eat quite a lot of it. So don’t do that.

On a serious note, you would have to ingest a lot of boric acid for it to seriously harm you. But for your pets and children, boric acid can be toxic if consumed, even in small amounts. So if you have more vulnerable family members around, you’ll want to try another scorpion killer powder instead…

Diatomaceous earth

Don’t worry; it’s easier to use than it is to say (or spell). Diatomaceous (Die -a tom – AISH – us) earth is readily available at hardware stores, usually in the form of a white powder, as well as on Amazon.

It’s made of earth dug up from the depths of the sea, and is full of the crushed-up shells of tiny creatures called diatoms.

Under a microscope, what feels like a soft powder to us is in fact extremely sharp and jagged. Like boric acid, it will scratch the exoskeleton of any scorpion that crawls across it and cause dehydration. It is best used as a perimeter treatment to kill any scorpions that cross it. Use it to create a barrier of dust in areas where scorpions are likely to roam:

• Alongside baseboards
• In corners
• Inside closets
• Underneath the sink
• Around pipes and wires
• Inside cracks and crevices

Diatomaceous earth can be safely used inside the home, but I would recommend wearing a painter’s mask while applying it. Until the dust settles, those tiny diatoms can irritate the lungs if breathed in.

Pair of tweezers

Sometimes, the best remedies are the simplest. In fact, one of the best home remedies to kill scorpions is to simply use a pair of tweezers. Specifically, long-handled tweezers with a length of at least 12 inches.

These allow you to quickly and precisely grab a scorpion when you see one, which then allows you to either chuck the critter out of the door or to pierce it with a sharp knife.

You can even use the tweezers themselves to pierce the scorpion and then dispose of its remains without ever risking a sting.

Stomp on the scorpion

Yet another home remedy to kill scorpions that anyone can do, using just the objects you have at home. You can simply crush a scorpion to death.

The only thing to remember is that many scorpions have the ability to completely flatten themselves – as flat as a coin! – so it’s not enough to just stomp on it. You must twist and crush until you’re sure that it is indeed dead.

And of course, make sure you’re wearing the necessary protection if you choose to do this. Boots and sturdy shoes are better than flip-flops.

Set a homemade scorpion trap

We know by this point that scorpions love a good, heavy, dark shelter – which is why it’s always recommended to clear away any outside clutter such as potato sacks and construction bags which tend to get left over.

However, you can use this predilection for coarse materials to your advantage! A moistened burlap sack or some other heavy material will present a wonderful opportunity for any scorpions looking to settle in for the night.

Come the morning, simply (but carefully) dispose of the bag or material… Or stamp all over it like a kid in mud. The choice is yours.

Home Remedies to Get Rid of Scorpions

The above home remedies for scorpions can be a little too lethal if you’re a gentle soul who does not care for scorpion roommates but also believes every critter has the right to life.

We got you covered, too. Here are the best home remedies to get rid of scorpions safely and humanely.

Long Handled Tongs. There are sturdy, solid tongs with very good grabbing power and long handles so you can grab a scorpion and carry it outdoors where it can live the remainder of its life.

Broom and Dustpan. And of course, there is the classic broom and dustpan option. Just keep in mind that shallow dustpans aren’t great for this purpose. We recommend getting yourself a duo like this one – the dustpan is deep enough to trap scorpions safely inside while you carry it outdoors.

Critter Catcher. There are also humane insect catchers like the aptly named Critter Catcher that makes it easy to catch scorpions – without any risk to your own limbs – and then release them in nature. Or at your nosy neighbor’s house.

You get your house back and the scorpion gets to live. Everybody wins. Well, except for that nosy neighbor.

Home Remedies for Scorpions That Don’t Work

The Internet loves a good home remedy. The problem arises when articles and forums suggest remedies that are ineffective or worse, dangerous. Here are the ones you should definitely avoid.

Does Cinnamon Repel Scorpions?

We’re not sure where this myth got started but it makes sense. Cinnamon is often listed amongst home remedies for various insects, most likely because of its pungent, almost spicy scent.

But how well does ground cinnamon work to keep scorpions away?

Not very well at all. You can see in the below video just how effective cinnamon is as a scorpion repellent.

Add to that the fact that there are no studies or research backing up the claim is further reason to skip this ineffective remedy.

Do Mothballs Repel Scorpions?

When it comes to home remedies for scorpions, mothballs are often mentioned as a cheap and cheerful way to keep scorpions away. But do mothballs repel scorpions?

To be honest, nobody knows for sure. There is some anecdotal evidence that it works but nothing that has been tested and tried.

Even if there was solid evidence that showed mothballs repelled scorpions, we would highly recommend that you do not use them. Mothballs are solids that slowly turn into toxic vapor. That musty scent that you smell from mothballs is literally the insecticide that you are breathing in.

Whether it’s naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene, they are both toxic chemicals that are hazardous to humans and pets. Especially in an unventilated environment, like the closets and wall corners where people typically place mothballs, they are toxic for your health.

Definitely skip these. There are far better scorpion repellents that won’t poison you and your family.

Do Cats Kill Scorpions?

Cats love an excuse to pretend they’re still wild tigers on a daring hunt, whether that’s innocent birds, inquisitive mice or nasty scorpions, cats don’t discriminate. If it moves, it gets the claw.

So maybe a particularly authoritarian cat is all you need to keep unwanted scorpions from the front door!

I joke, of course – cats are just as susceptible to the stinger of a scorpion as we are, although their quick reflexes make them less likely to get stung. The myth that cats can’t be hurt by scorpion is just that – a myth.

Plus, it’s certainly not fair to bring an animal into the home for the sole purpose of patrolling the grounds.

Although, if your family already includes a cat, you might find that your scorpion levels have been much lower on average than you’d expect.

Does Vinegar Kill Scorpions?

We’re not sure where this idea that vinegar kills scorpions came from. Vinegar can be a somewhat effective scorpion repellent due to its strong, pungent scent. But it’s doubtful that it will be enough to melt the waxy exoskeleton of a scorpion.

Even if it’s a vinegar that is high in acetic acid, like white vinegar.

Overall, we’d say skip this home remedy since there are much more effective, proven scents to drive scorpions away. Plus, you don’t want your home smelling of vinegar, do you?

Home Remedies for Scorpion Bites

Last but not least, no article on home remedies for scorpions would be complete without a section on scorpion bites.

Here are a few quick facts you should know about scorpion bites:

• Scorpion stings can be painful but most scorpion stings aren’t life-threatening.
• In the United States, the only scorpion that is considered deadly to humans is the Arizona bark scorpion.
• Children are more likely to experience complications and even death from a scorpion sting and should be monitored closely and taken to the hospital quickly if necessary.

For the most part, scorpion stings can cause pain, numbness, and tingling that can be severe for at least the first two hours. But the vast majority of scorpion stings aren’t life-threatening and can be treated at home.

Here are the best home remedies for scorpion bites.

Soap and water

The first thing you should do if you’re stung by a scorpion is to cleanse the affected area with a mild soap and water.

Cold compress

A simple cool compress applied to the site of the sting can help reduce any swelling and cut down on the pain.

Baking Soda

You can use water and regular baking soda to create a paste to apply to a scorpion sting. It can help to both cleanse the area and provide instant relief.

Neem Oil

Neem oil isn’t just an effective home remedy to keep scorpions away, it can also double duty as a home remedy for scorpion stings. It has long been used in India as an antiseptic for anything for snake and scorpion bites as well as for psoriasis and other skin conditions.

Frankincense Essential Oil

Frankincense oil is another ancient remedy that has been shown to have both anti-inflammatory and positive tissue remodeling effects on skin cells. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence on using frankincense oil for scorpion bites as well.

OTC Medication

If the scorpion sting is causing discomfort, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Antihistamines like Benadryl aren’t useful for reducing the neurotoxic effects of a scorpion sting but they can help reduce swelling and itching.

As great as these home remedies for scorpion stings are, sometimes they may not be enough. Whereas most scorpion stings aren’t life-threatening, if you experience any trouble breathing or swallowing, numbness in your body, slurred speech, or any other unusual symptoms, you need to get to the nearest emergency department.

Inform the medical staff that you have been stung by a scorpion and hand the care over to the professionals.