Are your books falling apart or finding holes in your clothes? If you have lots of silverfish in your home, the damage can be extensive. Are there good insecticides for silverfish? Read more about what all the options are here.
A silverfish is just as annoying as a paperfish, although there are some minor differences. The main difference is that silverfish require much higher humidity levels to survive, 50% or more. The appearance of these insects also differs slightly from the paperfish. The difference is mainly in the color and size of the animal. However, some of the details are not that important, as both beasts can be dealt with in the same way.
What can you do about silverfish in your home?
Silverfish like to be in the warmest and most humid places. You frequently see them in your kitchen or bathroom when you turn on the light. They can also be found near your pipes or boiler and in many other openings in your home! Are you dealing with silverfish yourself? These are remedies that can help:
- Spray against silverfish
A spray against silverfish contains insecticide. You use it in rooms where you have seen silverfish. There you spray the spray into all possible seams, cracks and holes. Then you have to ventilate the room well. Meanwhile, make sure that children and pets do not come into contact with the poison. Also, never point the spray at clothing or food!
- Glue trap for silverfish
Glue trap – the word says it all – this contains glue with which the bait is treated. You place a glue trap in areas where the insects have been spotted. Do this before evening or night begins because silverfish are only active after dark. The insect that enters the trap sticks to the glue and eventually dies.
Best remedy for silverfish?
We dare say that silverfish can never be completely solved with sprays or glue. The spray only works if you really know how to take care of all the hiding spots. However, the insects are so small that it is easy to overlook their hiding places. They can also be in places you can’t reach yourself. What about glue traps? These work better as a means of detection than as an insecticide. If you are not sure if you are bothered by the critters, then a glue trap can be conclusive.
What remedies for silverfish are already in the home?
With just a few do-it-yourself remedies in the home, silverfish control quickly seems like symptom control. If you opt for a more comprehensive approach, you will have to adapt your residential or business location:
- Reduce humidity by ventilating regularly. The room can also be heated to dry the space.
- Keep the temperature below 20 degrees. The higher the temperature, the faster silverfish develop and the more active they become. This is also good for your wallet!
- Store all (untouched) papers, magazines or books in tightly closed plastic boxes or bags.
- Dispose of old paper regularly: don’t leave it lying around!
- Wash your clothes regularly.
- Seal all joints, cracks, crevices and holes in your home or commercial building. The fewer openings, the fewer hiding places or entrances for silverfish (and other pests).
- Vacuum your floors regularly and pay special attention to and around baseboards.
- Last but not least, you can also crush silverfish when you encounter them. Use a piece of paper between which you crush the silverfish to avoid getting dirt on furniture or walls.
Silverfish control: what does a professional do?
Professional pest control is the most effective control and uses only one drug against silverfish: an insecticide. This is a much stronger insecticide than the product in your spray bottle. It is applied with a low-pressure sprayer. In addition, something new has recently been developed, where the pest controller uses a kind of gel during the control. With this, the customer does not have to leave his or her home during and after the control.
OFS Services treats all possible hiding places for silverfish. In this way, not only adults are killed, but also their eggs. Seams, cracks, crevices, as well as entire walls or ceilings can be processed. This can vary from situation to situation. Stuff and furniture containing silverfish are not treated with insecticide. Anything that is too affected by the insects
such as clothes and books is best discarded. Some items may still be salvageable by putting them in the freezer overnight, as
silverfish cannot stand extreme cold.
