What To Do If You Find Silverfish In Your Clothes

It's hard to know which is a more horrifying sight – the scaly, carrot-shaped pests known as silverfish darting around your closet with antennae twitching, or the damage they leave behind. If there's one type of bug you don't want living in your home, it's silverfish. These pests can infest several areas in your home, but when it's in clothes-storage areas, they're apt to leave lace-like tears or even deep holes in the fabric.

Silverfish may be traveling to your closet or other areas because they're finding moisture and dust, two elements the insects seek. Why are silverfish attracted to the clothing itself? The pests tend to feed on sizing in fabrics. Some of your clothing may come from the retailer with sizing agents added for shape and texture, while other pieces may have had starch added when you laundered it or sent it to the dry cleaner's. Alternatively, the pests may have first caught a ride in the laundry room, a typically humid environment.

If you inspect your clothes storage area and find only one single silverfish, take caution. The insects tend to hide during the day and venture out at night, so seeing just one during the day probably signals at least a mild infestation. Even worse, a single female silverfish can lay up to 50 eggs at a time. Once you spot either clothing damage or signs of the pests themselves, take steps to make the environment inhospitable to the insects.

Sticky traps likely won't solve large infestations, but they can help reduce the population when combined with other methods. They're also a good first step in coping with the problem, as they'll confirm your suspicions that the insects are in the closet. Use non-toxic cockroach sticky traps, or DIY small jars covered with sticky tape. The pests fall into the jars and can't escape.

One of the sneaky reasons you may be finding pests in your bedroom and adjoining closet is humidity. Because silverfish are attracted to damp conditions, de-humidifying your closet can help. Leave the closet door open when you can, or install venting. A portable dehumidifier or small fan can help with moisture issues. If there's any piping adjacent to your closet, make sure there aren't any leaks. Once you've dried out the area, consider laying down diatomaceous earth near any potential problem areas like vents or piping. This dusty product can help dry out the creatures as they enter or exit the closet.

In addition, it's important to do a periodic "clean sweep" of the closet, because silverfish survive on dry items like dust and debris. As you're clearing out and vacuuming clothing storage areas, keep an eye out for any holes or cracks that may need patching. While you're emptying out your closet to clean and dehumidify it, take the opportunity to rid your clothes of remaining silverfish. Finally, wash and dry and your clothes at high temperatures to kill silverfish eggs.