Use boric acid.
This powder is a natural substance and another anti-insect superweapon. It will kill both the silverfish and their eggs. Spread it around the areas controlled by the silverfish before going to bed and vacuum it up in the morning. You may need to repeat this process until they are all gone.
Sprinkling a thin line of diatomaceous earth along bookshelves, cupboards, and wardrobes can kill silverfish before they begin eating your belongings. If you use diatomaceous earth, you'll need to be consistent and replace it each night before bed.
Silverfish dislike the smell of cedar, so one good natural preventive method is to make a spray using cedarwood essential oil (10 drops to 4 ounces of water, shake gently before each use). Spray in damp corners and/or in closets and near bookshelves. You can also spray down your rugs and upholstery.
Cedar shavings – Cedar oil and shavings are a common natural insecticide. You may like the woody smell but silverfish are repelled by it. Put cedar shavings and/or oil in the infected areas. They will be a bit messy but can be vacuumed and replaced every week.
Cedarwood or cedar oil will not only repel silverfish, but it can also kill them when used in the areas they inhabit. While cinnamon has a pleasant smell for us, silverfish cannot stand it and will drive them away quickly. Cloves have a scent reminiscent of cinnamon and like cedar oil, both repels and kills silverfish.
If you have an infestation, household sprays containing synergized pyrethrin and pyrethroids such as bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, tetramethrin, and phenothrin should kill firebrats and silverfish on contact and provide some residual activity.
You are most likely to find them in wall void spaces, basements or ceilings and dark, undisturbed corners. Look behind refrigerators and around boiler rooms. Silverfish hate light and stay confined to dark areas.
Silverfish are especially attracted to damp clothing and paper. Warm and moist spaces are their favourite. That's why leaving dirty dishes is a bad idea as they attract these and other pests. The most common attractors are food, clutter, and moisture.
Both adults and nymphs are sensitive to low and high temperatures. Development and activity are severely hindered at temperatures below 16 °C and stop completely at 11 °C (4). Temperatures above 26 °C limit their lifetime and they will only survive for a few hours at temperatures above 40 °C (4).
Table Salt. If you have salt at home specifically the table salt, you can use it as your repellent for silverfish. The table salt can dehydrate the pest which will lead to their death.
You could also use lavender sachets, but this may be less practical in moist areas. These pests also dislike citrus scents and cedar, so lemon juice and cedar oil are two other good, natural options with the added benefit of making your home smell nice.
Silverfish can't stand smells of lemon, vinegar, and lavender. They stick to some honey on a piece of paper or in a glue trap from the drugstore. You can also mix some baking soda with sugar because silverfish will die if they eat baking soda. A halved, hollowed out potato can also help.
These insects live a long life, anywhere from 2 to 8 years. They can also survive a long time without food, sometimes up to a year. However, they are sensitive to moisture and need high humidity to survive. Silverfish grow in damp, dark, and cool places.
An effective repellent for silverfish is good old-fashioned soap.
Although silverfish have a creepy appearance and are occasionally mistaken for venomous centipedes, silverfish are not known to bite humans and do not carry diseases. In most cases, a silverfish will instantly flee to safety when it is disturbed.
If Silverfish Are In Your Home
Controlling moisture and humidity is one of the best ways to drive these bugs back out. This can be done by adding fans and dehumidifiers in key locations within your home. If it gets dry enough, silverfish should leave or die trying.
The short answer is no; LED lights do not attract silverfish any more than other types of light. Silverfish like dark areas and so do not like light of any type. Silverfish aren't attracted to light because they are looking for food.
Where Do Silverfish Come From in Homes? Silverfish sometimes make their way indoors in search of food. However, people may also bring silverfish inside by mistake. The pests can be taken indoors with infested dry food products, boxes of books or paper, fabrics and other items that have a high starch and sugar content.
Although they prefer places like bathrooms and closets, it is possible to find silverfish bugs in beds. These insects are about half an inch in length with silver teardrop-shaped bodies and long antennae. While they're more annoying than harmful, these pests can damage bedding.
To remove and prevent silverfish, use your dehumidifier to take moisture out of the air. Store your food properly in containers, remove clutter and use caulk to fill any cracks or holes in your walls. Silverfish don't like high temperatures, so keep your house warm – this will prevent damp and keep pests out.
These bugs rely on starchy food sources like fibers, sugars, fabrics, grains, and dried goods – like cereals and pet food. Part of the reason that silverfish are so difficult to get rid of is that, in nature, they eat almost anything, from starches and carbohydrates to protein.
Given their lineage and history, it's safe to say that silverfish are a tenacious species. Eliminating these resilient critters from your home may not be quick and easy, but with patience and persistence, you can get rid of silverfish using the following tips and tricks.
Vinegar
Silverfish, like many other insects, cannot tolerate the smell of vinegar, so spraying it around your house will keep them away. Be sure to spray in all the corners and cracks where they like to hide.
The strong aroma of peppermint oil, like that of lavender oil, is enough to repel silverfish. In fact, most essential oils have insect-repelling properties because of their concentrated odor. Essential oils of tea tree, cinnamon, and eucalyptus are some other great options to help eradicate silverfish (2).