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How to Get Rid of Silverfish

November 7th, 2009 by admin
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Silverfish, also known as fishmoth, is a blue pest that has no wings and looks like a fish. It's called a silverfish or a fishmoth because its movements are the same as that of a small fish. If you don't get rid of silverfish, it won’t be too long until they destroy your textiles, tapestries and books. Deal with it with the help of these tips below:

Five Secrets to Getting Rid of Silverfish

Silverfish or Firebrats? - Getting rid of silverfish requires you to determine whether what you are seeing is actually silverfish or just firebrats. You need to know first about the color of silverfish. Their color ranges from gray to green. They stay in an area where the temperature is around 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Firebrats, on the other hand, like places where the temperature is around 100 degrees Fahrenheit and they can be seen as either white or black insects.

Target Sources -- A way to literally “work” on getting rid of silverfish is to deal with their sources. Silverfish live in moist areas. In your house, moisture is high in places where water is present, like in piles of mulch, piles of leaves, attics, kitchens, bathrooms, leaks and sinks. Silverfish also thrive in books, bookshelves, water heaters, stoves and laundry rooms, because they like it in places where the humidity level is high.

Since these these creatures can be controlled through moisture reduction, you must try to reduce moisture at home. Fix everything that leaks. It's best to use silicone caulk in infested areas to cover cracks (Tips on how to use silicone caulk). You can also install a desiccant and use humidifiers inside the house. Silverfish don't survive in dry environments. Even firebrats die from excessive dryness.

Where to Find the Pests -- It is easy to tell where silverfish are, because they are always near some food. You can catch them in starches, sugars and protein. Starch is a silverfish favorite, so watch your stock carefully. You can also find silverfish in synthetic fibers, cereals, silk, starched fabrics, wallpaper pastes and glues. If you think a specific part of the house is infested, then clean that part thoroughly before silverfish can damage your stuff.

Signs that silverfish had fed on something include notches, holes and scrapings with irregular shapes. Usually, you will see these marks on wallpaper because silverfish try to get the paste. You will also notice yellow stains on your shirts, pants and any type of fabric.

Poisons – When killing silverfish, you can't go wrong with poison. Borax, diatomaceous earth and insecticidal dusts work wonders. Use these substances on crawlspaces and inside walls. Don't forget to apply some behind your appliances, furniture and other parts of the house where silverfish thrive. Do not skip leaks and cracks. After applying or spraying some of these substances to your target location, make sure you don't inhale them. Even your pets and children should be kept away from these substances.

Silverfish on Books -- If your books are among your priceless possessions, you must take care of them because silverfish are prone to ruining them. To deal with this problem, put your books in a ziplock bag with some desiccant. Store the books inside your freezer for three days. The temperature will kill both silverfish and firebrats.

Sometimes, silverfish also damage your book case. If this happens, spread diatomaceous earth at the back of the books when you display them on your book shelves. Diatomaceous earth help kill firebrats, silverfish and other insects that feed on paper. It also lowers the level of moisture in your books.

Do-It-Yourself Tips

Roach Traps – Sticky roach traps have always been useful and efficient when it comes to trapping firebrats and silverfish. Since you cannot make a sticky roach trap yourself, visit your local hardware store and purchase one. If not, you can always search on the Internet. Find online shops that sell this product. Pay for the item through credit card or money transfer and then wait for your sticky roach traps to be delivered right to your doorstep.

Jar Trap – Aside from a paper trap, you can also make a jar trap. You don’t need to buy an expensive trap since it's easy to make one yourself. First, scrub a canning jar and make sure it's squeaky clean. After this, cover the outside using masking tape. This will make it easier for the silverfish to climb.

Place your home-made jar trap in the infested area. Once the silverfish climb up the jar, they will all fall inside it. Since the interiors of the trap jar are smooth, the silverfish will not be able to climb out and escape. You can also use starchy food items and moist cotton as bait, but these aren't necessary.

Bait -- If you find it extremely difficult and almost impossible to determine where the center of infestation is, install bait. You can make it  yourself instead of purchasing. With a soft brush, water, flour, index cards, a bowl and the proper methods to create bait, you will capture silverfish easily.

Pour a cup of water into a bowl and add flour to create a paste. Make sure the paste is as sticky as your thin paint. Use the paste to coat the two sides of the index cards. Once the index cards are dry, put them in places where silverfish appear frequently. These creatures will get trapped by the starchy coating on the index cards. Silverfish are attracted to such material and will eat the paper. You know that they have touched your bait if, after a week, you see signs of feeding on the paper like notched edges and scrapings with no regular shape.

Whatever method  you choose to get rid of silverfish, make sure you're not feeding these pests. Making silverfish healthier means creating more damage inside your house without you noticing it.

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    1. izzy Says:
      August 21st, 2009 at 12:24 pm

      my kitchen has been infested by silver fish they are so disgusting!! there is about 50 of them running around in the corner and my cat trys to catch them and eat them hopefully they might get scared and go away
      !

    2. Vannah Raine Says:
      April 30th, 2009 at 6:54 pm

      I just movd into my ne house. It is only 2 years old. My room is right about the garage… and of course… just my luck… only MY room infested with the little slimey devils from hell! What I realized was that one of my storage closets what not fully insulated… so I stuffed towels drenched with pest killer spray under the doors. I haven’t seen them for a month now… and I also keep all food out of my room, the floor constantly vaccumed, and my sink drain closed off. Hope you all solve your battle with these disgusting creatures. :]

    3. michelle davies Says:
      March 3rd, 2009 at 7:16 pm

      Yes they can climb walls! I have had them in my kitchen for over a year but only see 1 at a time. A few weeks ago I found one on my lounge wall! Tonight when I turned the kitchen light on there was a big one in the sink urrgh they make my skin crawl! I need rid of these disgusting things!!!!!!!!!!!

    4. Worried About Silverfish Says:
      February 20th, 2009 at 3:41 pm

      I’m wondering if these things can climb walls?

      How much do they go after clothes compared with moths?

      I have put a bunch of scented moth satchets in my cupboard because I don’t want any holes or anything. How effective will they be, because there’s no silverfish baits that I know of…

    5. denny Says:
      February 9th, 2009 at 12:36 pm

      just make sure when you clean or vacumn, get the edges of the room, disturbing there sites regularly makes them leave. But on the upside, as long as you don’t have too many, (they are sooo uggy) they eat cockroach eggs, and I don’t want cockroaches at all

    6. mushi Says:
      January 29th, 2009 at 8:39 am

      ive had sliverfish problems in two homes now.the reasons they are so hard to get rid of are
      1.they can live for up to a year without eating a thing
      2.they don’t live in nests,so any poison you put down will only kill the sliverfish that touch the poison.it wont be carried back to the nest.
      3.they become fertile at seven days old,so unless you can get in all the nooks and crannies of your home(including in between walls)and kill them they just keep laying and laying much like headlice.

    7. aimee Says:
      August 25th, 2008 at 9:18 am

      I just moved into a college dorm with my friend and we’re both very clean people and our dorm is pretty dry and cold…and yet I’ve seen silverfish running around our room. What can we do that won’t cost us too much or make us change rooms?!

    8. lisa Says:
      August 2nd, 2008 at 5:43 pm

      i have silverfish in my room, but i dont want to put moth balls everywhere because my young son is sleeping in my room and i don’t want him breathing the mothball fumes. how can i get rid of silverfish w/o the pesticides ,does anyone know? please help

    9. Kim Says:
      August 2nd, 2008 at 12:38 pm

      Jb, sorry to disappoint that won’t work 1 lived in my glass light shade for a fortnight until I sprayed the house with a spray containing piperonyl butoxide it is marketed in uk as KYBOSH. Have only seen 2 or 3 in last couple of months but will be spraying again in a week or so as recommended on can. If I were 20 yrs younger I would probably do the same as Casey.

    10. Mebella3 Says:
      July 31st, 2008 at 8:24 am

      I live in the lower southern united states. the humidty is high here most of the yaer. I have a new construstion home and it is infested with these damn silverfish. we have a slab foundation and i think that these guys are b/t my carpet and my slab. i find them in my bathroooms mostly but have seen them in the kitchen, living room… well every where. How do I get rid of them? I also have these little mites in my bathroom. I keep a rather clean house and it is only 1year old. Should I spray the attic with insecticides? Treat inside walls? I have little kids too. I don’t want dust type of posions out and about where they will get into them. Help please.

    11. Stacy Says:
      July 30th, 2008 at 10:54 am

      ok, so I thought having my mother-n-law visit was stress. She’s nothing compared to the silverfish that have taken up residence in my apartment.

      I sold my house and while waiting for my new house to be complete, I am forced to live in an apartment and out of boxes. Although the apartment is only a couple years old, I have never seen so many bugs, including silverfish.

      I plan to clean everything and anything that can be washed; sheets, blankets, etc. Unfortunately, I have several packed boxes and plenty of larger items that will not be cleaned. What can I do to prevent transporting them to my new place?

      Thanks!

    12. Jeroen Says:
      July 26th, 2008 at 8:04 am

      To the woman named ‘Lisa’: get some professional medical care, because whatever you’re describing has nothing to do with silverfish…

    13. J Says:
      July 25th, 2008 at 11:10 pm

      I work for Terminix and we use Intice in the attics to stop silverfish infestations. They feed on the insulation paper up there. Just because you see one or two daily doesn’t mean the source of it all is in that area. They will climb down pipes, cracks, vents, etc…to find moisture and other food sources. I am pretty sure the average joe can buy Intice online, I could be wrong though.

    14. JC Says:
      July 13th, 2008 at 1:15 am

      This is so disgusting. They just started popping up like last year. There weren’t really that many during winter, actually, none at all. (Thank the Lord for the crazy winter NJ had). I HATE silverfish! They are so disgusting. I have always had a phobia of insects, cuz they like blowup when u kill them, but these things are absolutely horrible. I’ve found them in clothes, on my desk, on carpets, on ME, i know, ewwwW! I feel dirty cuz none of my friends have the problem.

      Its like fighting a war against terrorists. They come out like 1 at a time, and use hit and run tactics. You kill one, more pop out. How do you fight or kill such an enemy? it feels so impossible, the very sanctity of my room is now compromised. Can anyone please help me? I don’t want them coming with me to college, ewwww

    15. Lougeni Says:
      July 7th, 2008 at 5:13 pm

      Hi Kristina Wagner, what does the Baking Soda do to the buggers just scare them away.

      Thanks

    16. Lola Says:
      July 4th, 2008 at 1:05 am

      Get rid of all food in the room, keep it nice and clean, and if you see them, spray them with hairspray if you can’t catch and kill them. Kill as many as possible so they won’t keep reproducing. I stopped brining food in my room and have been keeping it clean and I have seen about 80% less…

    17. coolpieman Says:
      July 2nd, 2008 at 3:15 am

      i have a problem with them in my bathroom i don’t know what to try…
      i anyone has any good tips on how to get rip of those stupid buggs can you tell me
      i know that they are sliver fish by the say

    18. Dani Says:
      July 1st, 2008 at 5:54 pm

      MAKE THEM GO AWAY!!! Ugh, I’m soooo disgusted it’s beyond ridiculous. I don’t see many of them but I’ve been seeing them for at least a year. And one, there was one on my bed. I lost it and had to sleep on the couch. An they’re fast little suckers. I JUST sprayed one with Home Defense bug spray (it was above my closet) and I have no idea where it went. And I didn’t know that foggers don’t work. I’ve done like two. No wonder they’re still here. I also use Borid. It helps some. Anymore ideas? HELP!!! I’m going to buy some moth balls tomorrow!

    19. Jb Says:
      June 30th, 2008 at 4:17 pm

      Just found them in my house (newbuild) so thanks for all your tips, caught one and placed it in a small sealed plastic container for advice, that was 5 days ago and the little bugger is still running around, maybe 5 days under a 60 watt bulb should do it! Thanks…

    20. Casey Says:
      June 13th, 2008 at 12:32 am

      I’ve been house sitting at my parents house where I lived for almost 20 years and have started seeing these little spawns from hell. Last night I caught one, glued to a piece of aluminum with fletching glue and set it on fire. Let me tell you fletching glue burns very hot and completely cooked it to a cinder and its insides boiled out and it was soo much fun. My girlfriend and I spent this evening actually trying to hunt them to have more maniacal pyro fun with the little spawns.

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