The bathroom of your house is an environment that silverfish desire, as it can have a lot of humidity, a lot of moisture develops, and no ventilation, which can cause dampness so that these insects can grow and reproduce easier there.
If left unnoticed, the silverfish can cause damage to towels, toilet paper, wallpaper, and plaster, so you can see signs of their presence, but there are methods you can use to remove them quickly and easily.
To identify them and how to remove an infestation, read on to find out more.
Identify The Infestation
The first thing you can do is identify crevices, cracks, or gaps where they could be coming from, as the more moisture that gathers there, the more likely you are to find them, and you can look out for droppings, skin molt, and yellow marks that are a big signifier.
Even if you find one of them, there is a chance that some can reproduce, and any dampness in your home, whether it be the joints, flooring, or guttering. If this is weak, insects like these have an easier time getting into your home.
It might be best for you to check in the night as this is when these insects are more active, so with a torch or with the bathroom light, you can catch them before they hide, as finding out where they come from at this stage can be difficult.
Methods To Remove Silverfish
There are a few ways you can do this, and the thing they hate the most are smells of lavender, cinnamon, and citrus, so you can use these as a natural repellant and can be used alongside natural oils and diffusers, so you can keep these topped up, so they are effective.
There are some insect sprays and pellets that you can place in your bathroom, but it might not be a good idea if you have small children or pets as some of these can be toxic and cause illness if ingested, so look out for natural and scented solutions.
You can also use sticking traps, rolled newspaper, or bleach which is known to be the most effective method.
It can be poured directly onto the silverfish, which should kill them quickly, but heavy use of bleach can create a lot of fumes, so a ventilated space is recommended.
There are indirect methods like using boric acid, but this can take some time to take effect as the insects are initially deterred by it and can go into hiding.
If you do this with ventilation and removing moisture, you can make the environment hard for them to thrive.
How To Prevent Future Infestations
If you give your bathroom a good clean, so if you vacuum and use Epsom salt, you have some natural ways to draw them out, but even with this, there is a good chance that they can return if you don’t take measures, and the main one is investing in a dehumidifier.
One measure you may not have looked at is your pipes and any cracks in the walls and floors, so you can get these looked at by a contractor who can prevent further damage to your home, as you may be losing water, which can create moisture and mold.
You might also want to check in your basement or kitchen for a presence of silverfish, as these can offer them the humidity and foods that they like, so make sure you separate any clothes or seal any food in airtight containers, especially if your kitchen is close to the bathroom.
You may also find them in cupboards, and if this is the case, you can remove them and make sure these areas are kept clean with a citrus spray and ensure there isn’t a build-up of humidity. You can open your windows and let the fresh air in.
Can Silverfish Damage The Structure Of My Home?
We’ve mentioned dampness that can affect structures that could be rotten. It is rare for a silverfish to cause this damage on their own, as they are more of a signifier that there could be some water damage or an opening in your foundation, which they can enter.
If you use a pest control service, they can thoroughly inspect the outside of your home, including indoor and outdoor spaces, and evaluate factors like water sources, landscaping, and food sources when making a customized plan.
This is important, as an infestation of silverfish can lead to other insects making themselves comfortable in your home, which can include earwigs, spiders, centipedes, and carpet beetles, which could become more of an issue if left unchecked.
Are Silverfish Harmful To People?
Even an infestation on a larger scale won’t cause you any harm as these insects aren’t known to bite people but will flee if they see you, and they don’t transmit diseases, but this doesn’t make them entirely harmless.
As silverfish shed their scales into the atmosphere, the presence of this has been known to trigger allergic reactions, so the more you have, the more likely this could become a bigger problem.
The most significant harm they cause is to your belongings, as any clothes left in this area aren’t safe from these insects as they can climb walls, making them more elusive and sometimes harder to catch if they find an opening to hide in.
Final Thoughts
Part of the process of keeping these insects out for good is to mainatian a clean home that is properly ventilated, so after a shower, it can be an excellent idea to open a window where the moisture can escape.
Any mold in your house should be treated and fixed at the cause, which could be something as simple as a leak which you can get checked out and fixed immediately.
With cleaning trends and DIYs becoming more popular online every day, I feel like I am in my element. Hi, my name is Adrienne Carrie Hubbard and I have been finding creative hacks and tricks for cleaning for over 15 years now.
I enjoy looking for tips on how to clean the overall home, with a special interest in the bathroom. It’s the most difficult room to clean, after all! Yet the most important.
I run a Facebook group called Cottagecore DIY and Decor with over 18,000 members called Cottagecore DIY and Decor. We were even nominated for a Facebook Community Award in 2021!
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