Catch Silverfish With Little More Than A Cleaning Staple You Already Own

Of all the bugs you might spot at home, silverfish aren't the absolute worst, but still a cause for concern. They don't pose much of a danger to people but still cause damage by eating into book bindings, starchy pantry foods, and even clothing. Although they won't bite, they can shed and exacerbate household allergies in some people. True to their name, silverfish are scaly silver-colored insects at least ½ inch in size. These unwelcome pests might crawl around on your wallpaper due to their ability to process the cellulose that adheres it to the wall. Silverfish are attracted to moist areas, so bathrooms, basements, and attics are common hideouts for them. If you've spotted one or more of these pests, it's worth trying some time-tested strategies to catch them using household staples. Making a trap with borax and a bait like cornstarch, sugar, or oats is one way to capture and kill silverfish.

While it's a powdery compound that's often used as a cleaning agent, pest control is one of the most important reasons to use borax. It will stick to the exoskeletons of silverfish and get ingested when the bugs lick themselves clean, eventually poisoning them. While this is a good reason to try a borax trap, the DIY pest control method alone may not totally vanquish your silverfish problem. If the area is persistently moist, taking care of that environmental factor will be important in controlling their population in the long run. This can mean anything from buying a dehumidifier to fixing sneaky leaks in your plumbing.

There are a few ways to get rid of silverfish using borax and bait materials, all of which you may already have at home or can pick up from a hardware or grocery store. One method is to mix borax with an equal amount of powdered sugar or oats and place them into paper cupcake holders. Alternatively, you can sprinkle a mixture of equal parts borax and sugar or cornstarch around baseboards or cracks where the silverfish are likely to hide. When you're working with borax, wearing gloves and a mask can guard against the throat and skin irritation it can sometimes cause. And even though it's less toxic to humans and animals than some other pest control products, borax still causes stomach irritation if accidentally eaten. Make sure to follow package directions and apply it where children and pets can't reach.

Using the borax traps might eliminate fully-grown silverfish in three weeks or so, but their eggs may take more than a month to hatch. You can re-apply the powder or refresh the traps biweekly to keep treating an infestation, but there are also cleanliness factors to stay on top of. Some of the best ways to safeguard your home against pests and stop recurring silverfish infestations are cutting down on loose paper clutter in your home and keeping all your dry goods, including pet food, in closed containers. Sealing any open cracks is also a good preventative measure. If the traps and other methods fail, it may be time to call in a professional pest control company.