LifestyleSilverfish invasion: Practical tips to eliminate them from your home

Silverfish invasion: Practical tips to eliminate them from your home

Mix two ingredients, and silverfish will quickly disappear from the apartment.
Mix two ingredients, and silverfish will quickly disappear from the apartment.
Images source: © Adobe Stock

9:06 PM EDT, June 26, 2024

Silverfish are tiny insects that like to inhabit damp places in our homes. Although they do not threaten humans, their presence can be undesirable. How can you effectively get rid of them? Here are some proven methods.

Silverfish are tiny creatures. They reach a maximum length of about half an inch and have large antennae, several pairs of legs, and a silver-colored chitin shell, which is why they are also called fishmoths.

They are most commonly found in dark and damp places like the bathroom. Just turn on the light at night to see a silverfish scurrying away. Although they do not threaten humans, they can cause significant damage despite their small size. How do you get rid of them? We provide some tips.

This is how you know silverfish are in your home

Silverfish usually appear in bathrooms because warmth and moisture facilitate their breeding. However, outside the bathroom, they can move throughout the apartment, where their harmful activity is most noticeable.

Since silverfish feed on dead insects and food scraps as well as paper, signs of their activity can be noticed in books, old documents, or wallpapers.

Mix two ingredients to quickly get rid of silverfish

One way to effectively get rid of silverfish from your home is to mix boric acid and powdered sugar in a 1:1 ratio. Spread the mixture in various corners of the bathroom, and the silverfish problem will disappear after a while. However, it is essential to ensure that children or pets do not come into contact with the powder.

You can also prepare a simple but effective trap. Place a piece of paper smeared with honey in the bathroom. The scent will attract silverfish, which will stick to the paper. You can then dispose of them along with the paper.

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