If you want to know how to get rid of silverfish, this is the right platform for you.
- To control silverfish, you can use essential oils, boric acid, diatomaceous earth, natural repellents, and traps are just but some of the ways you can use.
- Alternatively, you can choose to use specific silverfish control methods like silverfish traps for the specific area infested like wardrobes, bathrooms, and other areas.
Silverfish and many other bugs can be a menace. There are tips of both the naturals and any other method to control the silverfish.
Details: How to Get Rid Of Silverfish
1. Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
If you decide to use diatomaceous earth as your control method, there are a few things that you may want to know.
First, you need to know that DE is made from natural fossil material. Though its o tough on silverfish and other bugs, it is also very safe on safe on you and your pets.
- It is packaged in form of a powder and works by sprinkling it around the infested area.
- DE powder works by absorbing moisture and destroying the outer coating of the silverfish killing them instantly.
- Silverfish thrive in moisturized conditions and the best way to keep them off is to create a dried atmosphere.
A thin line of the powder around the wardrobes and other infested areas will be effective in killing the silverfish.
However, the powder becomes ineffective after some time and it becomes prudent to do a replacement every day to enhance its effectiveness.
- Silverfish like to hide in moisturized areas and dark areas too.
They will damage books, papers, food in pantries, and clothes among others. Now that we know what attracts them, let’s get to the control methods.
2. Natural Repellents and Essential Oils
Essential oils and natural repellents work by repelling silverfish than killing them. The essential oils work by producing a strong pungent smell that keeps the silverfish away from your house.
- Apart from being natural, they are also safe for use within your house.
- There are a variety of essential oils that you can opt to use. These are cinnamon, lavender, citrus, and cedarwood among others.
For more effectiveness, you can also use them alongside traps. You can set the traps close to the essential oils so when the silverfish be running away they get caught in traps.
As for natural repellents like bay leaves, you can crush them and place them on the wardrobes and other silverfish-prone areas.
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3. Boric Acid
If other methods of controlling silverfish fail, you can as well consider using boric acid as an alternative.
- Boric acid works by killing silverfish and other bugs and is the most common pest control product because of its effectiveness.
When using boric acid, you first have to mix it with water in the ratio of 1:1 and put it in a spray bottle.
- Afterward, you can then proceed to spray it on the crevices, cracks, and other infested areas, and silverfish walkways.
Much as it is very effective in killing silverfish and other household bugs, boric is also very toxic if ingested or inhaled.
- If you have children and pets in the house, it’s even riskier and all necessary precautions should be observed.
- Silverfish and other bugs are very active at night which makes it convenient to spray boric at night as you go to sleep.
Most importantly, do not overspray it because its effectiveness reduces as it gets wet.
4. Homemade Traps
If you don’t prefer using chemicals in your home, then traps can also work for you.
However, if you have to use traps, you have to be very skillful to know how to trap silverfish. The good thing is that silverfish are very easy to predict.
- Here are some tips on how you can use a home trap. You can get a newspaper, wrap it and put it in a bag.
You can sprinkle some water to spice it and make it attractive to silverfish. By nighttime, silverfish will flock on the newspapers to feed while trapped in the bag.
- In broad daylight when silverfish are inactive, slowly take out the bag from the house in the bin or burn it to eliminate them.
- Though this method is not such effective, at least it will get a number of silverfish from your home.
There are lots and lots of these home traps that you can use so long as you know what silverfish want.
Whichever method you will consider using to control the silverfish, it’s good to know that a combination of methods works better than a single method.
- Before settling for the right method to eliminate the silverfish, prevention is actually the best. You can start this by getting rid of what attracts them.
- And if that doesn’t work then you can proceed and use them elimination techniques.
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Alternative Methods to Getting Rid Of Silverfish
If you think you have run out of options, you are wrong, there are still more home remedies to use that can help. For instance;
- Vacuum cleaning your house regularly is also a good way to keep of silverfish.
- Technically, the food crumbs and other silverfish attractions are not available for the silverfish and other bugs to invade your home.
- Secondly, proper storage of foodstuffs in dried containers also works best to keep silverfish.
Regular cleaning and proper hygiene are something that does work well for most bugs including silverfish.
- You can use dehumidifiers to keep your house well dried and clean.
- Most importantly, keep the house surrounding clean, this is where the silverfish and other pests hide.
Silverfish don’t multiply very fast which makes it easy to control them. To start with, you can also try to identify where silverfish come from as well as where they lime hiding.
As you read through the article you will understand the various control methods and how best to apply them
Conclusion
The problem of how to get rid of silverfish is almost in every home. This article has offered the different ways that can help solve this crisis.
- As seen, these methods either repel, trap or kill silverfish. In my view, I would prefer DE or the boric acid but if you have to effectively control silverfish, combining two or three methods will greatly help.
Lastly, try to keep good hygiene for your home, if you want to win in the fight against silverfish.