Silverfish: Causes And How You Can Get Rid Of Them

Aug 08, 2018 by apost team

Silverfish - no matter whether its in the kitchen, bathroom or cellar, nobody wants them in their home. Why they can even be found there and how you can fight them will be explained in this article.

The correct scientific term for silvervish is lepisma saccharina, meaning "sugar guest". They are silver-coloured insects that have six legs and five antenna. They are very small, spanning only about ten millimeters. They shun the light and are most active at night or in the dark. They like warm and moist places. Especially a high room temperature plus high humidity is preferred by them. This is why they are most often found in kitchens, bathrooms and cellars.

They often hide in small gaps, behind loose wallpaper and all kinds of little cracks. They eat almost anything containing starch, for example synthetic fiber, cotton, human dander, paper, mites, mold and dead insects. The good news is: Silverfish are not parasites. Despite this, you still might not want them in your house. They aren't pets after all.

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Unpleasant dust mites, mold or mildew, strands of hair or dander are an ideal meal for these animals. If the temperature inside your home is between 68°F and 86°F (or 20°C and 30°C) and humidity is also very high (80-90%), silverfish thrive. Some of the small animals may also enter your home via broken, rusty pipes or little gaps.

As already mentioned, silverfish are harmless and no danger to humans. But they shouldn't be found in books or, in the worst case, inside foodstuffs or little gaps inside the flooring, just waiting to surprise you. In order to get rid of them, you don't need to call an exterminator. There's a few easy tricks to eliminate those silverfish easily.

Baking powder does wonders to get rid of them. Just mix it with a little sugar and bait the silverfish. In places where you've already noticed them, just place a little bowl with some lemon, vinegar or lavender Silverfish can't stand these fluids, especially the smell of them.
Adhesive traps are very effective against these animals. Simply prepare a piece of adhesive paper with a little bit of honey on the floor. The next day you can throw all of it away.

You can also use potatoes to get rid of silverfish. Just place one cut up potato on an open plastic bag and leave it in place for a night. The next morning, you can use the bag to take out the insects.

It is very important to thoroughly air out your rooms, at least ten minutes daily for an inrush airing or five times a day if you just open the windows partly. You should get rid of silverfish hideouts by making sure your wallpaper is sticking correctly and gaps are closed. Don't leave food out in the open. Clean out your hair in the bathroom. Clean the drain. Try to avoid causing mold or mildew and get rid of it if you do see it.

Will you try out these tricks against silverfish? Do you know any other people who have problems with silverfish in their bathroom or kitchen? Show them this article so they can learn how to evict these annoying guests!