How To Get Rid Of Crickets In A Garage?

If you’re wondering how to get rid of crickets in a garage, you’re not alone. Crickets are common annoyances in homes and garages all over the world – and while it’s likely their persistent chirping that’s irritating you most, there are plenty of other reasons to want to get rid of them. Here’s what you need to know. 

Why Do I Have Crickets in My Garage?

The good news about a cricket infestation in the garage? It’s nothing serious. Although the incessant sound of crickets chirping can really get on your nerves after a while, it’s not anything to worry about. 

After all, crickets aren’t going to cause any long-lasting damage.

That said, you also don’t need to put up with them! 

The first step to getting rid of crickets in the garage is understanding why they are there in the first place. The cricket family is home to hundreds of different species, but house crickets and field crickets are likely the ones that are going to wind up in your garage.

These common, noisemaking specimens only grow to about ¾” to 1 ½” in length. They can be black or dark brown and both are known for their constant chirping behaviors.

Both field crickets and house crickets can live their entire lives outdoors, but there are common features that may attract either species to your home. From warmth to water, light to food, all of these variables can draw cricket to your garage. 

Crickets may also feed on organic material in the garage, such as trash in your garbage bins or decaying plants. They’ll Even eat through natural fabrics like wool, cotton, linen, and silk, particularly if they are stained with food or sweat. Of course, the crickets may be drawn to your garage for a water source, too, like a leaky pipe or a pet food bowl.

Garages tend to be cluttered places, with most people storing clothing, tools, and all kinds of other items in the garage. This clutter, though often necessary, provides the crickets with all the hiding spots they need to hunker down for the long run.

How to Get Rid of Crickets in a Garage: 6 Tips

Here’s a quick video to check out if you’re looking for a no-nonsense guide to getting rid of crickets:

We’ll give you more details below!

1. Use Cricket Traps

Cricket traps are highly effective at getting rid of these chirping pests, and since they don’t contain chemicals, they aren’t as harmful to the environment or to your own health.

Glue traps allow you to get rid of crickets without relying on chemicals. You can place these sticky traps in the corners of the garage first, since this is where crickets are most likely to enter. You can also put traps on shelving areas. 

Check them often and replace as needed until your cricket problem is no more. 

2. What Smells Keep Crickets Away?

One of the best ways to get rid of a cricket problem is to harness the power of scent. There are several different smells that crickets just can’t stand, including peppermint oil, lemon oil, and cinnamon oil.

You can sprinkle these scents around your garage, particularly around the doorways and other potential entry points, to get rid of crickets. 

3. Vacuum to Remove the Eggs

If you’re dealing with a cricket problem, you may want to take steps to make sure they aren’t reproducing. Vacuum all carpeting, wall voids, baseboards, and any other surface of the garage. 

This will remove eggs that were laid and are hidden in your garage. Make sure you use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter.

4. What Kills Crickets Instantly? 

Although insecticides shouldn’t be your first line of defense – there are plenty of other avenues you can explore to get rid of crickets – you can use chemicals to kill crickets instantly.

Walk the perimeter of your garage, spraying the insecticide as you go. Do this on both the inside and outside of your garage to deter pests from coming inside – and to kill the ones that are there. 

There are also poison cricket baits you can use. Although these often don’t work immediately – the crickets have to ingest the bait first – they can be highly effective at killing large populations of crickets. 

5. How to Get Rid of Crickets Naturally

There are a few home remedies you can rely on if you want to get rid of crickets without chemicals.

For example, you can make a bait trap that works similarly to the one described above – but doesn’t contain any chemicals. Molasses is a fantastic attractant for crickets, so by diluting the molasses in a bowl of water and placing it in the affected areas, you can get rid of the crickets. 

Water and soap is another solution you can use to spray the crickets. The soap will dry out the outer layer of the crickets’ skin and they will die. 

Diatomaceous earth is another common all-natural “insecticide.” DE is made out of the ground-up remnants of fossilized organisms. It isn’t harmful to us humans, but when crickets walk across the DE, it dehydrates and kills them. 

Crickets aren’t fond of the cold, so if it’s an option, you may want to reconsider heating your garage. In some parts of the country, crickets are going to be problematic regardless, since it stays warm year-round. However, you may be able to stop the crickets simply by chilling them out.

6. Call an Exterminator

When all else fails and you just can’t handle the chirping anymore, know that there is no shame in calling an exterminator. They’ll know all the best traps, products, and procedures to follow to get rid of crickets in your garage – and to keep them out for good.

Prevent Crickets in Your Garage

One of the best ways to prevent crickets in your garage is to cut back on the clutter – or at the very least, clutter things up strategically! If you can, store your boxes and other items off the floor and on tall shelves instead. If you remove their shelter, the crickets probably won’t hang around.

You should also take the time to clean up around the garage. Cut back any weeds or tall grass, particularly any vegetation that is growing close to the garage. When the crickets are crawling around on the grass and detect gaps in the garage, they’ll take advantage of the entry point to come in. 

Closing up any gaps is also essential. As you know, crickets are small creatures that can get into seemingly invisible cracks and gaps in the wall. If you have a cricket problem in your garage, take the time to do a thorough walk-through to find any potential entry points. Seal up all holes to reduce the likelihood that your garage will become a cricket-free-for-all.

Get Rid of Crickets for Good

Ultimately, vigilance is key when it comes to preventing and getting rid of crickets in the garage. By paying attention to the steps above, you can finally put an end to the constant chirp-chirping!