This article was written by Luke Lewis and by wikiHow staff writer, Hunter Rising. Luke Lewis is a Pest Management Expert and the Founder and President of Native Pest Management. Luke has led his company for over 7 years and specializes in pet-friendly and eco-friendly pest control, termite control, and lawn care. Native Pest Management was named as one of Inc. Magazine’s 5000 fastest growing companies in America. Luke holds both BS and MS degrees from the University of Florida and is a graduate of UF's Pest Management University.
There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
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Did you see some silverfish slither back into the dark when you flicked your lights on? Even though silverfish are completely harmless to humans, it’s important to get rid of them before they start chewing through your belongings. Silverfish are pretty easy to catch and kill, so you’ll be able to take care of these pests with our helpful guide. Keep reading, and we’ll cover how to get rid of those pesky silverfish and keep them out of your home for good.
This article is based on an interview with our pest management expert, Luke Lewis, founder and president of Native Pest Management. Check out the full interview here.
Things You Should Know
- Wrap a glass or jar up to the top with masking tape and put a piece of bread inside to make a homemade silverfish trap.
- Leave out adhesive traps near corners of furniture to catch silverfish at night.
- Spread cedar oil, citrus oil, or strong-smelling herbs to repel silverfish.
- Control serious infestations by sprinkling diatomaceous earth, boric acid, or pyrethroid insecticides in problem areas.
Steps
Trapping Silverfish
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1Catch silverfish in a glass jar wrapped with masking tape. Use a tall mason jar or another deep glass container. Wrap the outside of the container with a piece of masking tape, making sure it reaches all the way to the top. Add bait to the bottom of the glass, like a piece of bread or some raw flour. The silverfish will climb into the glass looking for a meal, but they won’t be able to climb back out the slippery inside.[1]
- Place the traps near furniture corners and along the edges of the walls where silverfish are most likely to forage for food.
- Check your traps every few days to empty them and replace the bait.
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2Trap silverfish in a moist rolled-up newspaper. Roll up an old newspaper, put rubber bands around the ends, and lightly moisten it with a spray bottle until it’s damp. Put the newspaper in an area where you’ve noticed silverfish and leave it until the next morning. Without unrolling the paper, throw it into your trash outside to get rid of the silverfish.[2]
- Leave out a new newspaper every night until you don’t see any more signs of silverfish in your home.
- Silverfish are attracted to damp spaces and eat paper products, so silverfish burrow into the paper overnight.
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3Place sticky duct tape traps in problem areas. Cut a piece of cardboard so it’s about 4 by 6 inches (10 cm × 15 cm). Wrap a piece of duct tape around the cardboard so the sticky side faces up. Stick the trap onto the floor in the spot where you’ve seen silverfish. Add bait to the middle, like a small piece of bread or flour to attract silverfish to the trap.[3]
- Silverfish will crawl toward the food in the center of the trap and get stuck on the tape,
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4Use commercial roach traps to catch and kill silverfish. Place the adhesive traps along wall edges and near furniture corners where silverfish are most likely to be. Bait them with small pieces of bread, flour, or another starch. Leave the traps out and come back after a few nights to check them. If you notice any dead silverfish, replace the trap with a new one.[4]
- Put your sticky traps in moist areas, like bathrooms and laundry rooms, since that’s where you’ll catch the most silverfish.
- Keep sticky traps away from pets since the adhesives could catch on your animal’s fur.
Applying Repellents & Insecticides
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1Spray cedar oil or citrus oil in areas where you’ve seen silverfish. Put a few drops of essential oil into a spray bottle with water and apply it directly on the cracks and seams near floorboards and furniture. Since silverfish are repelled by the smell of cedar, they’ll avoid any areas where you apply the oil.[5]
- You could also try sprinkling cedar shavings along the edges of your attic or basement to keep silverfish out naturally.
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2Hang sachets of strong-smelling herbs and spices in cabinets. Fill a few sachet bags with cinnamon, dried cloves, rosemary, lavender, or any other spice that has a strong scent. Hang the sachets on the insides of the doors so the odor gets trapped inside your cabinet and keeps silverfish out.[6]
- Herbs and spices are safe to use around your kids and pets, so they’re perfect for controlling pests without chemicals.
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3Spread diatomaceous earth in cracks and crevices around your home. Use a duster to apply the diatomaceous earth to the areas where you’ve seen silverfish. Make sure the dust coats the surface evenly so the silverfish can’t avoid it. The next morning, vacuum up the powder and any dead silverfish along with it.[7]
- Wear a face mask when you're sprinkling diatomaceous earth since it can irritate your lungs.
- Diatomaceous earth cuts into the silverfish’s exoskeleton and dries them out so they die quickly.
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4Sprinkle boric acid in cracks and crevices near infested areas. Wear a face mask and be careful not to inhale boric acid since it can be toxic to the lungs. Sprinkle it along baseboards, under the bathtub, and in other areas where you see signs of silverfish. After a few days, vacuum the boric acid to clean it up.[8]
- Avoid using boric acid anywhere that kids or pets could get into it since they’re more sensitive to the toxic effects.
- Some experts recommend using Dekko Silverfish Packs that contain boric acid to trap the pests.
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5Treat serious infestations with pyrethroid insecticides. Apply the spray in problem areas, such as baseboards, shelves, bookcases, closets, and edges of your windows. Each pesticide works a little differently, so follow all of the directions on the package for when to reapply them.[9]
- If you’re still not able to get a handle on a silverfish infestation, contact an exterminator to help you remove it.
Preventing Silverfish
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1Vacuum your home regularly. Any time you see silverfish, vacuum them up to quickly remove them from your home. Then be sure to vacuum and clean up at least once a week to help get rid of any small food sources or silverfish eggs.
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2Dehumidify your home. Run a small fan and crack open a window so there’s good airflow since humidity can build up without circulation. If it’s still humid after that, run a dehumidifier to help remove more of the moisture from the air.[10]
- Be sure to fix any leaky pipes or areas where moisture builds up in your home since silverfish will keep coming back to that spot.
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3Get rid of clutter around your home. Prevent silverfish by cleaning up piles of books, papers, or dirty laundry on your floor that make perfect hiding spots during the day. Put your items away on shelves and leave a lot of open floor space so silverfish are less likely to stick around.[11]
- Put away all the food in your kitchen as well so you don’t have any left out on your countertops.
- Don’t forget to clear the clutter that’s built up outside your home as well. Clean up any dead plants, piles of leaves, or trash around your home’s perimeter to keep silverfish from coming in.
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4Store paper and cardboard items in plastic storage bins. Take your belongings out of any paper bags or cardboard boxes since silverfish can chew through them. Transfer your items into large tote bins with lids so you can easily seal them and keep them protected from pests.
- If you have old clothing that you want to protect, you can store it in a garbage bag instead.
- Use plastic containers for your food and ingredients like flour to keep silverfish out of your kitchen.
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5Seal holes and cracks around openings with caulk. Look for any cracks and crevices around doorways, windows, or exterior walls where silverfish could get inside. Apply a thin bead of caulk inside of the crack and let it dry completely to keep pests out of your home.[12]
- Check for any gaps between the walls and your baseboards as well since silverfish could hide inside.
Community Q&A
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QuestionI'm finding silverfish in my bathroom sink. Why and how do I stop them from coming in?
Community AnswerSilverfish sometimes breed down drains due to the moisture. After using the sink before you go to bed, pour a cap of bleach down all sinks and drains in the house and, if possible, plug them. This should prevent them from reproducing. -
QuestionDo silverfish live outside?
Mr. CCommunity AnswerYes, they do live outside. Many times they can be found under rocks or tree bark, or in and around dead leaves. -
QuestionHow do silverfish get into the house?
Community AnswerThey can come in through open doors, windows, pipes and any cracks in the walls.
Warnings
- Chemical insecticides might not be safe around children or pets. Always check the safety label on the insecticides and follow the directions thoroughly so no one gets hurt.[16]⧼thumbs_response⧽
References
- ↑ https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7475.html
- ↑ https://youtu.be/h_vHOXmERuY?t=178
- ↑ https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN1103
- ↑ https://pested.unl.edu/documents/2012_IPM_Manual.pdf
- ↑ https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/URBAN/silverfish.HTM
- ↑ https://www.tomsguide.com/how-to/how-to-get-rid-of-silverfish
- ↑ https://extension.psu.edu/bristletails-silverfish-and-firebrats
- ↑ http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/boricgen.html
- ↑ https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g7376
- ↑ https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/ENT-64
- ↑ https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/SP341-O.pdf
- ↑ https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g7376
- ↑ https://wiki.nus.edu.sg/display/TAX/Lepisma+saccharina+-+Common+Silverfish
- ↑ https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/ENT-64
- ↑ https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g7376
- ↑ https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/less-toxic-insecticides/
About This Article
To get rid of silverfish, vacuum your home thoroughly to remove eggs that might be hiding in carpets, floorboards, and hard-to-reach corners and crevices. For an easy, non-toxic way to kill silverfish, sprinkle some diatomaceous earth in places where you’ve seen them, like under the sink, in the basement, and in the back of cabinets. Diatomaceous earth is a powder that will dry out and kill silverfish when they come into contact with it. Though it is non-toxic, make sure to keep it away from children and pets. Place commercial silverfish traps throughout your home to catch even more silverfish. To prevent silverfish from entering your home, seal up any cracks around doors and windows with caulk. Use a dehumidifier if your home is humid since silverfish thrive in wet environments. You should also keep dry foods like pasta, rice, and cereal in sealed containers to cut off their food source. Finally, remove any stacks of papers, books, or magazines around your home since silverfish like to hide in them. To learn more silverfish prevention techniques, keep reading below!
