What To Do If You Spot Silverfish In Your Bathtub

It's finally Friday night, and you're getting ready to unwind with a warm soak in the tub, but as you lean in to turn on the faucet – Eek! Something shiny slithers around in the tub! A pest problem is the last thing you need after an exhausting week. Luckily, silverfish are a common household pest that shouldn't raise too much alarm, though it can still be unsettling to watch one scurry around your tub. If you find silverfish in your bathtub or shower, you should try to understand what drew them there in the first place. Silverfish like dark, moist, and warm environments, and they're also drawn to areas with mold growth and cardboard or paper products that they can feed on. The unwelcome pest may even crawl around on your wallpaper too. Bathrooms can provide several of these conditions, making it a perfect habitat for silverfish to settle in. 

Silverfish (and the closely related firebrats) are most active at night, so it makes sense that you might see them in the tub as you're preparing for an evening bath or shower. Contrary to their name, silverfish do not actually live in water, nor do they typically make a home in drains. If you find a silverfish in your tub, it was probably seeking moisture or food but may be hiding somewhere else nearby, like your bathroom drawers, cabinets, or closets.

Silverfish are generally harmless, so there's no need to panic if you spot one or more in your bathroom. However, their shed skins may contribute to allergic reactions in some people, and silverfish can damage paper goods and some fabrics if an infestation is allowed to persist. Most people just find the idea of them off-putting, so it makes sense if you want to eradicate these slithery insects from your space. In general, the best ways to keep bugs out of your drains involve keeping the bathroom as clean, dry, and food-free as possible. This rule of thumb also applies to silverfish, but you might have to think outside the box in terms of what qualifies as "food." 

Start by cleaning out your cabinets, drawers, and closets. Now is as good a time as any to rethink your bathroom organizers! Vacuum out the shelves and cabinets to remove dust, shed skins, and any live insects you can catch. Silverfish will dine on paper products, so consider keeping toilet paper and other packaged items in tightly sealed bins until you've gotten rid of the pests. 

To make your bathroom a less appealing home for silverfish, reduce the humidity as much as possible. Turn on the vent fan or open a window to release steam after a shower. When combating serious infestations, consider wiping down your shower walls after each use. Keeping your bathroom clean and dry will also prevent mold and mildew — another surprising food source for silverfish. As a last resort, glue traps are also an option, but they can be cruel if mice, newts, or other small animals become stuck. For a friendlier alternative, try repelling silverfish with a fresh-smelling essential oil that's perfect for use in the bathroom.