Silverfish Control: How to Get Rid of Silverfish

This page is a general Silverfish control guide. Using the products and methods suggested you will get control of Silverfish. Follow this guide and use the recommended products and we guarantee 100% control of Silverfish.

Silverfish are a common issue for both homeowners and businesses. These are slender insects with a metallic sheen, long antennae, and three bristle-like appendages on their rear. When squished, they leave a powdery residue.

Silverfish are commonly found in bathrooms, kitchens, storage areas and other locations with high moisture and low disturbance. Silverfish are often brought inside by hitchhiking in cardboard boxes, storage bins, and other paper products. They also enter through cracks and crevices around the structure.

Silverfish do not pose a threat to human health but feed on paper products, glue, dry food goods, and clothing. Because of their long lifespan and rapid reproduction, they can cause significant damage if left untreated.

If you are encountering Silverfish in your home, our DIY guide can help. Follow along as we cover how to get rid of Silverfish quickly and affordably using expert advice from our staff of pest control professionals.

Identification

The first thing you should do in any pest control plan is to identify exactly what your dealing with. Careless identification can lead to wrong treatment methods, costing you time and money.

• Silverfish are small pests that typically grow to be about half an inch in body length.
• These insects have thin, oblong-shaped bodies with 2 long antennae and 3 long tail appendages.
• Silverfish look extremely similar to another pest called firebrats. Its important to be able to tell the difference between these two pests since they differ in habitat and available treatment methods. Silverfish are typically a solid, metallic silver-grey color, while firebrats are brownish grey with a mottled pattern. Some silverfish species have more cylindrically shaped bodies, while firebrats have fatter, stouter bodies.

Use the description and image above to properly identify the pest you are dealing with as a Silverfish. If you are not totally sure, contact our customer service line and we will help to with correct identification.

Inspection

Inspecting the property for silverfish activity is crucial. You need to know what conducive conditions are attracting Silverfish and where they are harboring before you apply treatment. Silverfish prefer to dwell in dark, high moisture areas with low foot traffic. Silverfish are also nocturnal, so we recommend carrying out your inspection at night.

Where To Inspect

Inside of homes, silverfish can be found infesting areas that are often dark, humid, and out-of-reach. Any room inside a home can have silverfish, but pay particular attention to bathrooms, kitchens, and basements. If you are finding similar-looking insects in hot areas like underneath appliances or in the boiler room, then you are dealing with firebrats instead.

What To Look For

The actual established harborages can be difficult to find since silverfish seem to travel in and out of cracks and crevices up to only a few at a time. In kitchens and bathrooms, check under the sinks for possible leaks. Check appliances like dishwashers and washing machines. Look in pantry foods, paper products, and dry food, including your pets food for Silverfish activity. Be on the lookout for holes in packaging, damaged paper, molted skins, scales, and droppings.

Outdoors check any areas that retain moisture like wet mulch, wet leaf litter, and leaky faucets. Once you have discovered Silverfish and areas with high moisture this is where you will apply treatment.

Treatment

Once you have confirmed Silverfish activity, it is time to begin treatment. Remember to first read all product labels and follow the application instructions on these labels, and stay safe by wearing personal protective equipment. Be sure to keep all pets and people off the treated areas until dry.

To treat Silverfish, we recommend an outdoor barrier treatment of Supreme IT. Indoors, apply Dekko Silverfish Paks.

Step 1: Outdoor Treatment with Supreme IT

Begin treatment outdoors. To do this, you will use one product, Supreme IT. Supreme IT is a powerful insecticide that will kill, repel, and prevent more than 70 insects from coming inside your property, including Silverfish. It also has residual effects (or long-term effects) that will last for up to 90 days.

Begin by determining how much Supreme IT you will need by calculating the square footage of the area you wish to treat. To do this, measure (in feet) and multiply the area length times the area width (length x width = square footage). For silverfish control, apply 0.33 to 1 oz. of Supreme IT mixed in a gallon of water.

Once you have added the Supreme IT to a sprayer and mixed it well with water, you will create a perimeter barrier by spraying 3 feet up and 3 feet out from the foundation of your structure. While spraying, make sure to contact window frames, door frames, eaves, soffits, around garage doors, basement windows, and in electrical/plumbing penetrations. Do not let people or pets around the treated areas, and allow the product to dry completely.

Silverfish and other labeled pests that come in contact with the product or its residual will have their nervous system impacted and will die in several hours.

Step 2: Apply Ficam into Cracks and Crevices

Move indoors to apply Ficam. Ficam is an insecticide bait granule made with 5% Orthoboric Acid. This product is moisture resistant, make it perfect to apply in silverfish harborages.

Apply Ficam into cracks, crevices, and areas inaccessible to children and pets where you have may have seen silverfish activity. Use a duster to apply the product deep into spaces you cannot physically see. Treatment areas include underneath baseboards, behind and under appliances, and where plumbing penetrates the wall.

You can also apply the product in basements, attics, and crawlspaces. When indoors, apply Ficam at a rate of 4 pounds per 1,000 sq. ft. Pests that ingests Ficam will die within several hours.

Step 3: Indoor Treatment of Dekko Silverfish Paks

In more open areas, you can use Dekko Silverfish Paks. Dekko Silverfish Paks are paper wafers designed to entice silverfish with a palatable food source containing 20% boric acid, the same active ingredient as Ficam.

To use, just place two to three paks to cover 100 square feet in each location near where you have seen silverfish activity. Common spots include underneath sinks, on shelves, inside drawers, in attics, on bookshelves, or in pantries. Silverfish that consume these typically die within 2 minutes.

Prevention

After you have successfully eliminated the Silverfish problem, you will need to make sure they don't return by carrying out some preventative measures.

• Start by sealing and closing off any potential entry points into your home, both indoors and outdoors. Small cracks and crevices may be sealed with caulk, while larger voids, or spaces that must remain unsealed like weepholes, may need to be stuffed with copper mesh.
• Cut off major food source for silverfish by transferring open or loose foods like flour, cereal, or rice into airtight containers. With less access to food, silverfish are more likely to stay outdoors where they belong.
• Also, repair damaged or loose window and door seals and repair or replace weather stripping. Eliminate conducive conditions by reducing moisture around the property. Be sure to check and repair any leaky faucets or plumbing. Remove leaf litter or debris that collects water. Regularly ventilate attics and basements.
• Since silverfish need a humid environment to survive, you can lower the humidity of your home by utilizing air conditioning, fans, and dehumidifiers.
• Finally, be sure to keep up with timed reapplications of your chemical products. Supreme IT should be reapplied quarterly. Ficam outdoors can be reapplied every 4 to 6 weeks, while Ficam indoors can last up to 2 years when undisturbed. Dekko can be replaced every 3 to 4 months, and D-Fense Dust will need to be replaced every 8 months for full effectiveness.

Key Takeaways

What are Silverfish?

• Silverfish are household pests that like moisture and feeds on paper and starchy material. They are often found in or around cardboard boxes in storage areas. Use plastic airtight storage bins if possible.

How to Get Rid of Silverfish

• To address a Silverfish infestation, we recommend applying Supreme IT as a barrier treatment around your home and laying out Dekko Silverfish Paks and Ficam indoors.

How to Prevent Silverfish

• Eliminating moisture and entry points is half the battle when it comes to preventing a reinfestation. Be sure to seal as many cracks, crevices, and voids around the structure as possible. Reduce moisture as much as you can by getting rid of standing water and fixing any leaky plumbing.