Every product mentioned in this guide, organized by use. These are the things that actually made a difference in our house — along with a few that didn’t. We hope you find this helpful.
🏡 Outdoor Treatments
Suspend Polyzone ✅ Essential
Our outdoor MVP. A professional-grade insecticide concentrate mixed with water and applied via a 1–2 gallon pump sprayer — 6 feet up the siding and 6 feet out from the foundation all the way around the house. Provides immediate ‘knock down’ of springtails, and continues to kill springtails for up to 45 days. We use Polyzone specifically outdoors because its formulation is designed to last longer after rain.
Demand G Granules ✅ Essential
Slow-release granule insecticide spread around the perimeter and in moisture-prone areas of the yard. Applied with a handheld spreader every 4 weeks during active season, rotating with Sevin. Works differently than the spray — think of it as your sustained barrier between treatments.
Sevin Granules ✅ Recommended
Our rotation partner for the Demand G. Importantly, these granules are widely available at hardware stores, so they’re quicker to source.
🏠 Indoor Treatments
Suspend SC ✅ Essential
Our go-to for indoor treatment. Applied with a 1–2 gallon pump sprayer along baseboards, around window frames, and at known entry points. More targeted than the outdoor Polyzone application — you’re treating known pathways and points of entry, not broad application.
Champion FS+ Multi-Purpose Insecticide Aerosol ✅ Highly recommended
An aerosol spray paired with a straw nozzle attachment for directing treatment into cracks, crevices, and voids. Particularly effective inside the voids around vent covers after removing the cover — that void, not the cover itself, is where springtails travel. The straw nozzle is not included; compatible nozzles are available from Bugspray.com.
Pest-Xempt D ✅ Recommended
A plant-based powder made from peppermint and rosemary oils, applied with a puffer duster into wall voids, behind baseboards, and other enclosed spaces. Works best in dry areas but remains effective even when it gets wet — making it a versatile complement to your chemical treatments. Available from Bugspray.com.
Lemon Air Plus / Sanni-Shine Plus ✅ Essential
Applied directly in drains to address springtails living in and around the drain environment. Use on alternating days from Enz-a-Bac — not together. Apply in the evenings when drains won’t be used, giving the product uninterrupted time to work. We saw results within days and now treat all drains monthly as maintenance.
Enz-a-Bac ✅ Essential
Enzyme-based drain treatment that breaks down the organic buildup springtails feed on. Used on alternating days from Lemon Air Plus, also in the evenings for maximum effectiveness. The one-two punch that eliminated our drain problem quickly.
🔍 Monitoring
MaxCatch Sticky Monitoring Pads ✅ Essential
Simple adhesive pads placed in hot spots around the house, replaced weekly in battle mode and monthly in maintenance mode. Invaluable for tracking progress and identifying where to focus attention. Pro tip: these pads are large — cut them in half to get more use out of each one, or cut into smaller pieces to arrange around floor vents for targeted capture.
Domed Flea Trap Lights with Sticky Pads ✅ Essential
The warm light draws springtails onto a sticky pad — passive, continuous population control. We use them year-round in the crawl space (one in each corner) and in active indoor areas. Doubles as a monitoring tool.
🔦 Crawl Space & Sealing
SIGA Wigluv Adhesive Tape ✅ Highly recommended
A high-quality building envelope tape used to seal the gap between the sill plate and framing in the crawl space. DIY-friendly — clean the surface, apply, press firmly. Closes off a key entry point from crawl space to living space.
Spray Foam (professionally applied) ✅ Recommended
We had spray foam applied to our rim joists and a few small foundation penetrations by a professional. Cost: approximately $3,000 for our home, which included some foundation patching. Not a DIY job at scale, but highly effective at closing the crawl space off from the living space above.
Caulk ✅ Recommended
Multiple brands work fine for sealing visible cracks around the home’s exterior and interior. Important caveat: do this in the off-season, when you’re confident you’re not sealing an active population into a wall void.
💧 Moisture Control
Large (70+ pint) Dehumidifier ✅ Essential
Our primary basement and crawl space dehumidifier, running spring through fall. Moisture control in the crawl space is foundational — not optional if you have a damp crawl space. One well-sized unit beats multiple smaller ones.
Dravonic 30-Pint Dehumidifier ✅ Recommended
A compact, easy to use supplementary dehumidifier for targeted humidity control in specific rooms. Good for positioning where you need it without committing to a full-size unit everywhere.
🛠️ Tools & Equipment
1–2 Gallon Pump Sprayer ✅ Essential for liquid application
Used for applying Suspend Polyzone outdoors and Suspend SC indoors. A basic pump sprayer is all you need; having two (one dedicated for outdoor use, one for indoor) keeps things clean and avoids cross-contamination.
Puffer Duster ✅ Essential for powder application
Used to apply Pest-Xempt D powder precisely into wall voids, behind baseboards, and other tight spaces. A small investment that makes a big difference in getting powder exactly where it needs to go.
Straw Nozzle for Champion FS+ ✅ Essential for Champion FS+ use
The aerosol straw attachment that allows precise application into cracks and small voids. Not included with the Champion FS+ can — compatible nozzles are available from Bugspray.com. Source this before you need it.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) ✅ Essential
A full set of PPE is non-negotiable for chemical treatments. See the full Before You Treat callout in Section 3 for details. Your kit should include: chemical resistant gloves, safety glasses or goggles, N95 or respirator mask, long sleeves and pants, and a dedicated pair of closed-toe shoes kept in the garage for treatment days.
❌ What Didn’t Work
Diatomaceous Earth — Messy, and rendered completely ineffective as soon as it gets wet. Springtails walked right through it. Not worth the hassle in a damp environment.
Vinegar and water — Acceptable for spot treatment in sensitive areas, but will not knock down a population.
Regular hardware store bug sprays — If you’re dealing with an infestation, consumer-grade sprays won’t cut it. The products in this guide are stronger, more targeted formulations.
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