How should I control bug populations without harming pets?

I'm a bit of a bug phobic, and I hate finding them crawling on my bed or landing on my keyboard as I type (which happened recently). I know that most often I see house centipedes (S. Coleoptrata) and earwigs. They are not pleasant to see on my bed or come across randomly, especially the centipedes.





While I know that the centipedes are actually predators and eat other insects, I can't help but be alarmed by their appearance and ridiculous speed. Many sites say that by controlling other insect populations (thus diminishing their food supply) they will naturally leave. There may even be insect populations in the house that I am unaware of.





I was wondering if it is safe to use borax/boric acid in my house, because we own a dog. He's almost never in my room, but I wouldn't want him to have any adverse side effects. What is safe to use around animals? What can I do about outside?





I'd like to add that I'm worried about potential cracks or ways in through the wall with the windows, mostly because it has baseboard heating and there's no way to really tell what can get through there.





Thank you.How should I control bug populations without harming pets?
If your baseboards were installed like mine, there is a freeway for critters into the room. Boric acid will do the job but some products are toxic to animals. Disregard the centipedes, they will go once you get rid of the insects. Earwigs usually mean moisture. If you have plants against the house and you water the plants you will always have earwigs. They especially like lawn that is frequently watered. If you can not find a boric acid product that is safe just find places your dogs can not get to. There was a cover plate on my baseboard heater, remove it and put the boric acid in there. You can also use the spike gels of boric acid outside, but dogs will try to lick the sweet gel through the hole. You can also put the boric acid inside cabinets, or under them if they have bottom drawers.





Caulking around the windows and any brickwork might help. Walk around the outside with a tube of caulking. The flexible kind works best to keep holes closed as the house shifts and the temperatures change.How should I control bug populations without harming pets?
Moth balls, you can find them at any wal mart. They work better than any bombs ive ever tried. You prob need to take the pets outta the house when you first set them off tho
Throw a grenade in your house.


Put the pets outside first though.