Yes, Raid kills centipedes. Several Raid products contain pyrethroids, a class of insecticides that are toxic to centipedes and other arthropods. Raid even lists centipedes on some of its product labels, so you’re not repurposing something off-label when you spray one.
Which Raid Products Work on Centipedes
Not every Raid product explicitly lists centipedes as a target pest. The one that does is Raid Max Perimeter Protection, which names centipedes alongside ants, roaches, spiders, fleas, and stink bugs on its label. The standard Raid Ant & Roach Killer contains the pyrethroids imiprothrin and cypermethrin, which are broadly toxic to arthropods, so it will also kill a centipede on direct contact, even if centipedes aren’t highlighted on that particular can.
The key distinction is direct spray versus residual protection. A blast of aerosol spray directly onto a centipede delivers a lethal dose almost immediately. Residual sprays, like perimeter products designed to be applied along baseboards and doorways, leave a thin layer of active ingredient that kills pests as they crawl across treated surfaces over the following days or weeks. If your goal is to kill the centipede you’re staring at right now, any Raid aerosol will do the job. If you want ongoing protection, a perimeter spray is the better choice.
How Pyrethroids Kill Centipedes
Pyrethroids work by disrupting the normal function of an arthropod’s nervous system. When the chemical contacts a centipede’s body, it interferes with the nerve signals that control movement and breathing. The centipede becomes paralyzed and dies, typically within seconds to a few minutes for a direct spray. This mechanism is the same one that makes pyrethroids effective against insects, spiders, and other multi-legged household pests.
Safety Around Pets
Pets can be exposed to pesticide residues by breathing them in, absorbing them through skin, or licking treated surfaces. Cats are especially sensitive to pyrethroids. Before spraying any Raid product indoors, move pets out of the room. If you have fish, cover the tank so aerosol mist doesn’t enter through the water pump.
Even after the spray dries, toxic residues can remain on treated surfaces. Keep pets from licking or chewing on baseboards, floors, or other areas where you’ve applied product. And never use a product labeled for dogs on a cat. The National Pesticide Information Center notes that the risk to any animal depends on how much pesticide it’s exposed to and the toxicity of that specific chemical to that species, so ventilating the room and limiting contact time both matter.
Why Centipedes Are in Your Home
Spraying a centipede solves the immediate problem, but centipedes don’t wander indoors randomly. They follow two things: moisture and food. House centipedes are nocturnal predators that hunt silverfish, carpet beetle larvae, cockroaches, spiders, and other small arthropods. According to Penn State Extension, if you’re seeing centipedes frequently, that’s a sign some prey species is abundant in your home. In other words, the centipedes may be pointing to a bigger pest problem you haven’t noticed yet.
Centipedes also need damp, dark hiding spots. Common harborage sites include crawl spaces, unfinished basements, areas beneath concrete slabs (where they enter through expansion cracks), cement block walls with gaps or missing mortar, floor drains without water traps, and cardboard boxes stored directly on concrete floors. If your home offers these conditions, killing individual centipedes with Raid won’t stop new ones from showing up.
Long-Term Prevention
Reducing moisture is the single most effective step. Run a dehumidifier in your basement or crawl space. Fix leaky pipes and faucets. Grade the soil around your foundation so water drains away from the house rather than pooling against it. If you water your lawn, do it in the morning so the ground dries before nightfall.
Sealing entry points comes next. Use caulk for small cracks around the foundation, pipes, and window frames. Expandable spray foam works for larger gaps. Check that door and window screens are intact and that weather stripping creates a tight seal. Move firewood away from the house and off the ground, and clear damp debris like leaf piles and compost from against exterior walls.
Inside, sticky traps placed along baseboards, under sinks, and against basement walls can catch centipedes and also help you monitor whether you have an ongoing population. They’re a useful complement to sprays because they work passively and without chemicals, and a trap full of various bugs gives you a clear picture of what other pests are present. Eliminating those prey species, whether it’s cockroaches, silverfish, or carpet beetles, removes the food source that drew centipedes inside in the first place.