Silverfish are tiny nocturnal insects that can eventually become pests in the home if you do not solve the problem quickly. Also known as Lepisma saccharina, their name comes from their silvery grey color.
They also move like fish, and if you do not get rid of them fast, they can quickly infest your home and cause long-term damage to your furniture and other household items. Therefore, it is best to handle the problem promptly and efficiently to avoid costly and avoidable repairs.
Here are five practical ways to get rid of silverfish in the home.
Firstly, silverfish thrive in specific environments. They like sugary foods and gravitate towards sugary substances called polysaccharides. Some paints, carpet fabrics, household glue, and furniture contain polysaccharides. They also prefer warm, moist environments. They multiply fast, and if not dealt with quickly, they can damage your household furniture and other valuable items.
Create Sticky Traps
Silverfish are attracted to sugary substances; therefore, if you place sticky traps around your home, they will undoubtedly gravitate towards them. You can purchase sticky traps from most hardware stores. However, you can also make your own using honey and thick cardboard.
Place the cardboard around your home to attract the silverfish. When they get stuck to the honey, discard the cardboard.
Setting sticky traps is an effective way of getting rid of silverfish; however, you might have to call in the experts if they infest your home.
Cedar Oil
If you want to keep silverfish away, you can do so by diffusing cedar oil around your home. Place a few drops of cedar oil into a diffuser or a spray bottle with water, spray your home daily. Silverfish cannot stand the strong cedar oil scent; this should be enough to keep them at bay.
Wet Newspaper
Use wet newspaper or wet cardboard, roll them up and leave them around your home. The silverfish will often crawl into the wet newspaper because they are attracted to warm, dark places. Leave them to sit for a few days, discard the newspaper or burn them to get rid of the silverfish.
Dry Bay Leaves Or Bay Leaf Oil
Silverfish cannot stand the scent of bay leaves; therefore, place them around your home to deter them from entering. You can also place bay leaves in some oil and diffuse them around your home using a diffuser or a spray bottle.
For the spray bottle, add a few drops of bay leaf oil into a spray bottle, add water and shake well. Spray around your home to deter silverfish from entering your home.
Call The Experts
If you have tried everything but to no avail, you will need to contact a professional pest control company to fumigate your house and get to the root of the problem.
Insect infestations cause long-term damage to your home. Therefore, if you notice a small army of silverfish, implement some of the tips listed in this article to alleviate the problem before it escalates. If it’s too late, you might need to enlist the services of an expert pest control company to handle the situation for you.
