How to Prevent Silverfish the Natural Way

Silverfish may not be the most dangerous pest you’ll find in your house, but it’s still a rather freaky surprise seeing one (and more so, many), especially when you just want to read an old copy of your Country Living Magazine. You can easily get rid of them, especially if you have the best sanitation practices at home.

Now, if you want to make silverfish prevention more effective for your home and to avoid any more of your icky encounters with these creepy crawlies, a Modesto pest control company shares five natural methods and insights on how to prevent silverfish that you can follow:

Prepare Bait

Set out a cracker and top it with one part borax and one part flour or powdered sugar. Food will lure silverfish out of their hiding place, and upon consuming the bait, they will die from the toxicity of borax.

Sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth in Places Where You Normally See Silverfish

Diatomaceous earth is a powder-like substance made up of microscopic sea animals that’s very effective in killing off garden pests and, of course, silverfish. Diatomaceous earth dehydrates the hard outer layer of silverfish and this leads to death for the pests.

Put Some Dry Oatmeal in a Tall Glass Jar Then Wrap it With Masking Tape or Twine

Silverfish will get attracted to the oatmeal and be driven to crawl under the masking tape or twine, but it won’t be able to crawl out afterwards. This is a slow method, but it works.

Mix Equal Parts Water, Baking Soda and Honey, and Then Apply it to Small Pieces of Hard Paper or Cardboard

This solution will kill silverfish and is great to use for tight spots behind the books on your bookshelf and other cramped corners where you’ve seen silverfish.

Dilute Cedar Oil With Water and Spray This Solution Onto Cracks and Crevices

The oil emits a smell that is noxious to silverfish and other common household pests, but is pleasant to humans. Cedar oil’s effect on silverfish is similar to the effect of ammonia on humans. Regular application of cedar oil in cracks and crevices will create a barrier to prevent re-entry. Solid alternatives to cedar oil (which is always readily available, though) are lavender and cinnamon. You can use sachets of dry lavender and cinnamon sticks to repel silverfish; place them in bookshelves and table drawers where you normally store paper.

The best way to prevent silverfish is to schedule regular visits with your local Modesto Pest Control professionals at AAI.