A few silverfish here and there won’t usually cause too many issues. However, if this progresses to a full-blown outbreak, you may experience the following problems in your home or business:

Food contamination

Attracted to sugary and starchy food, silverfish can help themselves to your pantry items before you’ve tried them yourself.

Damage to your belongings

With an appetite for paper-based items and fabrics, silverfish can destroy household items such as books, photographs, artwork, clothing, furniture, curtains and other precious items.

Allergy/asthma triggers

Some people may develop health problems after encountering silverfish droppings and moulted outer skins.

Trouble controlling outbreaks

Given their small size, silverfish can avoid treatment by hiding and laying eggs in hard-to-reach places such as tiny holes, gaps, cracks and crevices

Messy droppings and skins

Having silverfish droppings and moulted skins scattered around your home and business means you may need to clean more often.

Like cockroaches, silverfish can survive for a long time without food and can be hard to remove once their colony is established.

We recommend keeping your house clean and tidy to remove eggs and traces of starch particles that attract silverfish. Remember to dust, vacuum, sweep, and mop underneath furniture and heavy appliances, and include less frequented areas such as storage rooms. Consider steam cleaning furniture where possible.

Here are eight more tips to prevent silverfish:

1.  Remove unnecessary clutter such as boxes, paper stacks and laundry.

    

2. Keep clothes and fabric items, especially those not worn often, stored away in wardrobes, drawers, and closets. Mothballs are an effective silverfish deterrent in these areas.

    

3. Consider storing precious fabric items, photos, and books in tightly sealed bags and boxes.

    

4. Reducing the moisture in your home can also make it less inviting for silverfish. You can use dehumidifiers and fans in damp areas and keep windows open.

    

5. Dry foods, particularly those with a high sugar or starch content, should be stored in your pantry and tightly sealed in containers to reduce moisture.

    

6. Regularly inspect your home for entry points, roof voids and other hiding spots. Silverfish hide in tiny cracks, crevices, gaps, and holes, which you should seal with caulking. Remember, their natural habitat is in soil and under stones in the garden.

    

7. Yard maintenance can also help reduce the number of hiding spots for silverfish outdoors. Clear away piles of vegetation, decaying plants, and wood.

    

8. Natural deterrents that give off an unpleasant smell to these wingless insects include cedar oil, which can be mixed with water in a spray bottle, and dried bay leaves, which can be scattered around your home.
   
   Known for their destructive feeding habits, adult silverfish can cause a severe problem in large numbers, damaging household items such as books, photographs, or paintings

With the ability to hide away and lay eggs, and a lifespan of around six years, silverfish can be tricky to manage. If needed, we offer ongoing pest control to ensure that your home or business stays silverfish-free for the long term.

Our technicians will always begin by conducting a thorough inspection to identify possible entry points and nesting areas.

For a targeted approach to resolve any outbreaks, Allstate uses a combination of the following proven treatment methods:

Pesticide sprays

Applied to affected areas, aerosol sprays can control silverfish outbreaks quickly.

Silverfish control dust

Control dust, such as diatomaceous earth, sprinkled in hard-to-reach areas, including wall cavities, gaps, and crevices, can deter silverfish from breeding and building nests there.

Fumigation

Fumigation may be necessary to destroy all nests during widespread and severe outbreaks. Our technicians are trained to take precautions and ensure the safety of your family and pets during this treatment.