Silverfish are those little, silvery-gray bugs that you often see skittering around your bathroom, particularly at night, and to be honest, they’re gross. They kinda thrive in humid conditions just so you know. Although they don’t bite or transmit diseases, they can still cause harm to things like books, wallpaper, and clothing. And if you feel a bit annoyed by that or just don’t like looking at these nasty bugs, don’t worry, that’s the reason why we have compiled this brief guide on how to get rid of them along with some preventative measures you can take.
First Of All, What Even Are These Silverfish In Your Bathroom?
The silverfish is a very old, ancient insect. The silverfish is easily recognized by its very distinctive scales that look like those of fish and by the fish-like movements they make. They prefer dimly lit places that are moist, thus they are often found in the bathroom. The silverfish are active mostly at night. They eat anything that is starchy, like paper or fabrics, or the glue that holds the pages of a book together. Sure, they are not a health hazard, but they are really annoying because they ruin your belongings.
What Is It That Attracts Silverfish To The Bathroom?
It is actually that bathrooms give these insects a nice and cozy environment in which they thrive. They head towards moisture, often following the water from the sink, the shower, and leaky pipes, you know? Just so you know, they are very good at hiding in spaces like cracks in the walls, holes in tiles, or gaps around plumbing, which would otherwise be very difficult to access.
And chances are, if you see one or two of these silverfish, there could be many more just hiding somewhere.
How to Get Rid of Silverfish
If you really want to get rid of silverfish in your bathroom, then you have a few methods to try out, which are pretty effective. Keep in mind though, once you spot them, it’s super important that you act quickly, because infestations can escalate without a warning and very quickly.
- Essential Oils: Silverfish just don’t like the scent of cedarwood and lavender. So, mix a few drops of these oils with water and spray it around areas where you’ve seen them. This will keep the insects away and also provide a lovely aroma to your bathroom.
- Home-Made Traps: Try your luck trapping them with some jars or rolled-up newspapers. For jars, just insert a small piece of bread inside and tape the outside with some masking tape. The silverfish will find their way inside but will be unable to get out. The other method you may try is to roll up a damp newspaper and leave it in the bathroom overnight, and in the morning, you’ll find many silverfish trapped in there.
- Chemical Methods: If the infestation is pretty bad, you could use boric acid. It is very effective. Just put it in corners or crevices where silverfish are hiding. And just so you know, you can also use bleach to clean out drains, which kills silverfish and stops them from breeding.
- Sticky Traps: One can place these traps in darker areas such as under the sink or behind the toilet. They catch silverfish and other types of pests with little effort on your part.