What Attracts Silverfish — And How To Get Rid Of Them
Silverfish are those fast, silvery bugs that seem to appear out of nowhere, usually at the worst possible moment. They’re harmless to people, but not to books, paper, fabrics, or your sense of comfort in your home. The trick to dealing with them is understanding what attracts them. Once you know what they love, you can make your home much less appealing. Because the best way to keep pests out of your home is not to attract them in the first place.
Moisture Is Their Favorite Thing
Silverfish thrive in damp places. Basements, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and under-sink cabinets are their favorite places to lurk. If an area feels humid to you, it feels like paradise to them. Running a dehumidifier, fixing small leaks, and improving airflow can make a huge difference. Keep things dry, and you take away silverfish’s biggest reason for sticking around. It’s the simplest and most important step.
They Seek Out Dark, Quiet Spaces
Silverfish don’t like people, so they love the places you rarely touch, like cardboard boxes, storage bins, behind bookshelves, or inside closets. They want somewhere quiet where no one bothers them. Decluttering helps, but even just checking corners you haven’t cleaned in a while stops them from settling in. Even just opening doors and letting light hit these spaces makes a surprising difference. Silverfish are shy, and they don’t like being exposed.
They Eat More Than You’d Expect
Paper, glue, fabric, grains, flour, sugar, even wallpaper paste, silverfish aren’t picky. Your pantry and bookshelves can feel like an all-you-can-eat buffet to these insects. To cut off their food supply and make your home less inviting, store dry foods in airtight containers and keep important papers in bins or folders. If you have old boxes full of memories or photos, consider sealing them in plastic instead of cardboard boxes. It’s the best way to protect your priceless mementos from becoming silverfish food.
Cracks And Gaps Make Perfect Hiding Spots
These insects are smaller than they look and can slip through the smallest openings. Gaps around baseboards, loose tiles, old caulking, and cracks in walls all give them places to hide. Sealing these small gaps does two things: it blocks points where silverfish can get into your home and removes spots where they can settle in. Sealing up any small cracks instantly makes your home cleaner and more secure.
Natural Repellents Can Help Keep Them Away
Silverfish don’t like strong scents like cedar, citrus, and lavender. You can use essential oils, sachets, or cedar blocks in closets and drawers to keep silverfish out. They won’t wipe out an entire population on their own, but they help make certain areas less appealing to these pests. Think of them as your gentle way of telling silverfish to find a new home elsewhere.
Sticky Traps Are Simple And Surprisingly Effective
If you want the easiest way to catch silverfish, sticky traps work really well. Just place them in areas where you’ve seen the bugs or where moisture tends to linger and wait for the insects to get stuck on them. They help you monitor how big the problem is and reduce the population over time. It’s not a quick fix, but it’s low-effort and gives you useful information about where they’re hiding.
Call In A Professional If Things Get Out Of Hand
Sometimes silverfish multiply faster than you can keep up with, especially in older homes or damp climates. If you’re seeing them constantly, a pest control expert can treat the areas you can’t reach. Professionals know exactly where silverfish hide and what products work best to get rid of the problem. Sometimes, to get a silverfish-free home, you have to call in the big guns.
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Getting rid of silverfish isn’t about one big fix. It’s a mix of drying things out, sealing things up, and removing any easy food sources. With a few simple habits, your home becomes far less inviting to them. And once their favorite things disappear, so do they. A little awareness goes a long way, and soon enough, you’ll be back to living comfortably in your space again.
Bliss Donahue-Power
