If you’ve spotted millipedes crawling along your corridor or curled up near your main door, you’re not alone. Millipedes in HDB estates are a common complaint, especially after heavy rain and in newer estates with lots of greenery.
The good news: millipedes are harmless to people. The bad news: once they find a way in, they keep coming back. Here’s why they appear, how they get into your home, and the simple fix most homeowners overlook: the gap under your door.
A real HDB case: Punggol’s millipede problem
In 2024, residents of new HDB blocks along Punggol Way reported millipedes appearing in their corridors and homes every day. According to Must Share News, the problem started from a 10th-floor sky garden linking four blocks, about two months after residents moved in.
Garden staff and an insect expert said the millipedes were drawn to the new soil and fertiliser in the sky garden. They hid during hot weather and came out in large numbers when it was cooler. Even with weekly pest control treatment of the corridors, residents still found millipedes entering their units and toilets.
That last point matters. Spraying the corridor helps, but it doesn’t stop millipedes walking straight under your door.
Why millipedes appear in large numbers
Millipedes live in damp soil and feed on decaying leaves and plant matter. A few things trigger mass movement:
- Heavy rain: waterlogged soil pushes millipedes up and out, looking for drier ground. This is why you see more of them during Singapore’s monsoon seasons. As pest specialists Clear Defense explain, large amounts of rain can trigger mass migrations from the soil.
- New landscaping: fresh soil, mulch and fertiliser in new estates, sky gardens and planter boxes create ideal breeding conditions.
- Cool, humid evenings: millipedes avoid heat and come out at night or after a downpour.
- Corridor plants: potted plants and damp planter trays outside your unit give them a place to shelter right next to your door.
How millipedes get into your flat
Millipedes don’t climb in through windows. They crawl along the floor and slip through the lowest, darkest gaps they can find. In HDB homes, that’s usually:
- The gap under your main door. Most main doors have a gap of several millimetres at the bottom, plenty of space for a millipede.
- Gaps under the gate and service yard door.
- Floor traps and drains in toilets and kitchens.
- Cracks and openings where pipes or cables enter the wall.
Of these, the door gap is the biggest and easiest to fix.
Are millipedes dangerous?
No. Millipedes don’t bite or sting, and they don’t damage your furniture or food. Some species release a defensive fluid when handled, which can irritate skin or leave a stain, so sweep them up rather than picking them up by hand.
Millipedes usually dry out and die indoors within a short time because homes are too dry for them. But a steady stream of them, plus the cockroaches and ants that use the same gaps, is unpleasant for any household.
How to stop millipedes entering your HDB home
1. Seal the gap under your door
This is the most effective step. An automatic door bottom seal, like the Xeno Xeal Automatic Door Drop Seal, drops down to close the gap when the door shuts and lifts up when you open it. That means:
- No gap for millipedes, cockroaches or ants to crawl through
- Less dust and corridor dirt blown into your home
- Less noise from the corridor
- No dragging on the floor, since the seal lifts when the door opens
Read how it works in our automatic door bottom seal review.
2. Keep the area outside your door dry and clear
Move potted plants away from the door, empty water from plant trays, and clear fallen leaves. Fewer damp hiding spots means fewer millipedes at your doorstep.
3. Cover floor traps and drains
Use drain covers or anti-pest floor trap covers in toilets and service yards, especially during the rainy season.
4. Seal small cracks
Use silicone sealant around pipe openings and cracks near the floor.
5. Report estate-wide problems to your town council
If millipedes are coming from a shared garden or landscaped area, like the Punggol case, your town council can arrange pest control for common areas. Sealing your own door makes sure that treatment isn’t undone by a gap you control.
Quick checklist
- Door bottom seal installed on the main door
- Service yard and bedroom doors checked for large gaps
- Plants moved away from the door, trays emptied
- Floor traps covered
- Cracks near the floor sealed
- Town council informed if the problem is estate-wide
Why choose a Xeno Xeal door seal from Go Digital Lock
- Designed for Singapore HDB, BTO and condo doors
- Automatic drop seal that only lowers when the door is closed
- Blocks pests, dust, light and noise
- Free delivery and installation
Not sure if a door seal suits your door? Our team will check your door type, including fire-rated main doors, before recommending the right option.
Tired of millipedes at your door? WhatsApp us at +65 8782 8818 with a photo of the gap under your door, and we’ll recommend the right seal.
FAQ
Why are there so many millipedes in my HDB corridor?
Usually heavy rain, nearby landscaping, or new soil and fertiliser in shared gardens. Wet soil pushes millipedes out to look for drier ground.
Are millipedes harmful to humans or pets?
No. They don’t bite or sting. Some release a fluid that can irritate skin, so avoid handling them with bare hands.
How do millipedes get into my flat?
Most come in through the gap under the main door, service yard door or gate, and through floor traps.
Does a door bottom seal stop millipedes?
Yes. Closing the gap under the door removes the main entry route for millipedes, cockroaches and ants.
Does a door bottom seal stop millipedes?
When are millipedes most common in Singapore? During and after rainy periods, especially the monsoon season from November to January.
