How To Get Rid Of Silverfish In The House

Silverfish are not cute by any means, and they are quite unnerving to look at. The way they scuttle around the house seemingly out of nowhere is enough to scare anyone. That’s why you may be among the many people who wonder how to get rid of silverfish in the house.

You can get rid of silverfish in the house if you scatter diatomaceous earth in high-traffic areas and hiding spots. Essential oils, such as tea tree, lavender, and peppermint, can also kill silverfish on contact in many cases. It’s also important to clean your house, remove paper waste, and reduce the humidity level to 50% to deter silverfish.

You may also inadvertently attract silverfish if you wait too long to patch leaky pipes. Follow along as we explore how to get rid of silverfish in the house.

Why Do I Have Silverfish In My House?

Silverfish are attracted to a house that has plenty of dark and humid spaces where they can reproduce and eat. They especially love houses and rooms with a humidity level of 75% or higher. Naturally, many homeowners find silverfish in parts of their homes with leaky pipes.

Like other pests , such as brown recluses, silverfish like secluded locations with plenty of hiding spots. For example, you may find silverfish under the couch in your basement or beneath a shelf in the attic. Silverfish are common throughout the United States, as well as Asia and Europe, so millions of people can find them in their home.

Damaged wallpaper and book bindings can indicate that you have silverfish in your house. They often eat insulation, paper, glue, and even linens. Keeping such materials in overly damp rooms may attract silverfish until you make a change.

How Do You Get Rid Of Silverfish?

1. Use A Dehumidifier

Excessive humidity can cause a lot of problems at home, such as mold, mildew, and a silverfish infestation. You can tell whether or not your house is too humid if you invest in a hygrometer, which is a humidity monitor. Some people even use several hygrometers to monitor the humidity level in different rooms throughout the house.

Silverfish thrive in environments with a humidity level of 75% or higher. Homeowners with leaky pipes, poor ventilation, and house plants may experience high humidity. Silverfish can easily survive and reproduce in humid climates, so they may stick around for a long time.

You can make your home less habitable for silverfish if you invest in a dehumidifier. Ideally, you should keep your humidity level below 50% to keep silverfish from lingering in your house. This can also reduce the risk of mold, mildew, and respiratory issues.

2. Clean Your House

You’re not alone if you’ve ever fallen behind on household chores. Before you know it, your house can easily become full of clutter, and that’s not the end of the world. However, you must clean your house and declutter as soon as possible, or else silverfish will stick around.

The more hiding spots they have, the more likely they are to linger and reproduce in your house. That’s especially true if you let clothes pile up on the ground. Silverfish eat many types of fabric, so they appreciate it when people leave clothes on the ground.

Clothes piles provide food sources and hiding spots where silverfish can eat and reproduce. It’s also important to move your furniture and clean underneath it to get rid of silverfish. Regularly declutter and clean your floors to make silverfish less likely to linger in the house.

3. Reduce Paper Waste

More people recycle plastic and paper than ever, and that’s a great sign. However, holding on to paper waste for too long can attract silverfish to your house, as they eat paper. For example, some people keep bags and bins full of old newspapers, magazines, and mail.

Keeping that much old paper in your house can provide a consistent food source for silverfish. That’s especially true if you keep the container full of paper near common silverfish hiding spots, like shelves and furniture. Reducing paper waste can make silverfish less likely to linger in your home.

It’s also a great idea to keep your paper waste in a sealed container with a lid. That way, silverfish cannot access and eat the paper, so they may eventually realize your house isn’t a great food source.

4. Patch Leaks

A dehumidifier can help you reduce the moisture level in your house. However, it can only do so much if your house has several leaky pipes that continually drip water. You must patch the leaky pipes in your house, or else you’ll never get the humidity level under control.

It isn’t always obvious when you have leaky pipes at home. That said, signs like weak water pressure, high water bills, water stains, musty odors, and mold can indicate pipe leaks. You can also use a hygrometer to find moisture hot spots in your house, which can indicate leaks.

Patching small leaks costs roughly $150 to $500, but you can save money if you do it without professional help. However, it’s worth hiring professionals for large leaks, especially if the pipes are hard to access.

5. Set Out Sticky Traps

Glue traps are somewhat controversial, but they are quite effective for small pests, like brown recluses and silverfish. However, many people advise against using glue traps for small animals, such as shrews and mice, as doing so is cruel. That said, you can get rid of silverfish in the house if you place glue traps in common hiding spots.

For example, you can place glue traps under your furniture and in the corners of the rooms in your house. Keep in mind that you must be careful when placing glue traps if you have pets in your house. Cats and dogs can get their paws stuck in glue traps, which may require emergency veterinary service.

It’s worth avoiding glue traps altogether if you have a small home and you let your pets access each room. If you don’t have pets, then you must focus on putting glue traps in rooms where you commonly find silverfish. That includes the basement, crawlspace, and attic.

6. Use Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is one of the best pest repellents you can use at home, and it’s popular among gardeners. This soft rock is often crushed, bagged, and sold in stores to homeowners looking to get rid of pests. It contains microalgae known as diatoms, which are responsible for the great effects that diatomaceous earth offers.

Diatomaceous earth can damage silverfish and ant exoskeletons and eventually kill them. That’s because it makes bugs unable to retain moisture, so they become dehydrated and die. Ideally, you should scatter some diatomaceous earth in common silverfish hiding spots and high-traffic areas.

Some people worry about the mess that Diatomaceous earth makes. However, you can easily sweep it up and throw it away as needed. You may find dead silverfish in as little as 24 hours, but it can take several days in some cases.

7. Use Essential Oils

Countless homeowners use essential oils around the house. However, some may not realize that the oils they use to make their houses smell good can also kill silverfish. That’s especially true if you scatter essential oils on high-traffic surfaces where you typically find silverfish.

Lavender, peppermint, cedarwood, orange, and tea tree essential oils can all harm and kill silverfish. The key is to mix the essential oils with water in a spray bottle and spray the mixture on surfaces in your house. This should kill them upon contact in many cases, unless you dilute the oil too much.

The only downside to this method is that you must frequently reapply the essential oil, as the scent will fade. That said, you must be careful about which essential oils you use if you have cats and dogs. For example, peppermint oil can injure animals upon ingestion, so it’s not worth the risk.

Summing It Up

The easiest way to get rid of silverfish in the house is to declutter and reduce the humidity level to 50%. It’s important to remove or conceal paper waste, as it is an easy food source for silverfish, and they will linger if you don’t. You can also use diatomaceous earth, tea tree oil, peppermint oil, and lavender oil to deter and kill silverfish.

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