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How to Get Rid of Silverfish

Three Parts:Trapping SilverfishUsing Repellents and InsecticidesPreventing Silverfish from ReturningCommunity Q&A

This wikiHow will show you how to trap, kill, and repel silverfish. It will also give you tips on how to prevent them from coming back.

Key Points

  • Use a mason jar, masking tape, or bread to make a simple trap. More ↓
  • Use old newspapers to make quick, inexpensive traps.
  • Sprinkle diatomaceous earth to kill them.
  • Use cedar shavings to repel them.
  • Use spice packets to keep them out of cabinets.
  • Make a repellent spray out of lavender or citrus essential oil.

Part 1
Trapping Silverfish

  1. 1
    Figure out where they're lurking. Since silverfish are nocturnal, you may not see them during the day. Rather, you'll probably become aware of their presence because of what they leave behind. Look for damp, dark areas with small spots of excrement that look like black pepper. Small holes and yellowish stains on clothing, wallpaper, cereal boxes, and other cardboard or fabric materials also indicate they're nearby. Finally, silverfish shed their skin, so you can look around for tiny skin casts in your bathroom, basement and other areas where you suspect they live.[1]
  2. 2
    • Use the traps at night, when silverfish come out to feed.
  3. 3
    Try newspaper traps. Roll up a newspaper, band the ends with elastic, and moisten it. Set it out where you often see silverfish leavings before you go to bed. In the morning, silverfish will have eaten their way into the newspaper, since you've provided them with both food and a cozy environment. Throw the newspapers away (without unrolling them) or burn them. Repeat every night until you don't see any more signs of silverfish.[1]
  4. 4
    Use store-bought traps. If you don't want silverfish touching your glassware, you can buy traps designed to catch them from a hardware store. Any type of sticky traps will work. Buy some "roach motels" or smaller traps you can set around to catch the silverfish. You can bait them with small pieces of bread or another starch.[2]

Part 2
Using Repellents and Insecticides

  1. 1
    Sprinkle diatomaceous earth in cabinets and other dark areas. This powdery substance is actually food-grade, and it's used to kill anything that crawls. It's made out of ground-up fossilized material, and the sharp edges of each individual grain of dust puncture insects' exoskeletons and cause them to die without causing any harm to humans or pets.
    • Sprinkle the substance in your cabinets, along baseboards, and anywhere else you'd like before you go to bed. In the morning, vacuum up the powder (and along with it, the silverfish).
    • Wear a mask when you're sprinkling the powder, since it can irritate your lungs.
  2. 2
    Try boric acid. This is another natural substance that kills both silverfish and their eggs. Sprinkle it along baseboards, under the bathtub, and in other areas where you see silverfish signs. Be careful not to inhale boric acid when you apply it, since it's toxic to the lungs. Avoid using it where your household pets might get into it, too.
  3. 3
    Buy a chemical spray containing liquid pyrethrin. This chemical kills silverfish when you spray it along baseboards and into cracks, as well as other places where silverfish lurk. Do not apply this in your kitchen cabinets or near food sources, and don't apply it where children and pets hang out, since it's toxic.[2]
  4. 4
    Sprinkle cedar shavings where they live. Silverfish are repelled by the smell of cedar, so you can keep them away by sprinkling it around areas where they live. Since cedar shavings can make a bit of a mess, use them in outdoor areas, basements, and other places where you don't mind having wood shavings lying around. Vacuum them up and replace them every week or so.
  5. 5
    Use spice sachets in your kitchen cabinets. Silverfish don't like the smell of spices, so making up little sachets of cloves, cinnamon, and other strong-smelling spices and placing them in your kitchen cabinets is a great, safe way to keep them away from your food.
  6. 6
    Use a citrus or lavender spray. Both of these scents are also effective in repelling silverfish, and they're completely nontoxic to humans, of course. Get some lemon or lavender essential oil from a health food store. Dilute with water and shake the solution up in a spray bottle and spray liberally in all areas where you don't want silverfish. These sprays are great for closets, drawers, and other bedroom areas.

Part 3
Preventing Silverfish from Returning

  1. 1
    Dehumidify your home. Since silverfish love damp places, reducing the humidity in your home is a sure way to keep them out. Buy a dehumidifier and try to reduce the humidity in your home. If you don't want to use a dehumidifier, run the air conditioner or at least keep the fans on.
  2. 2
    Caulk all cracks and crevices where they could lay eggs. If your house is full of dark, damp cracks and crevices, filling these is a good way to keep silverfish out. Buy some caulk and apply it along baseboards, inside cracks, and in holes in your wall or floor. This is particularly important to do in your kitchen, bathroom and basement.
  3. 3
    Remove food sources from your house. Keeping your floor clear of silverfish food may help keep their population down. Don't leave a pile of books on the floor, and clean up your dirty laundry before it sits there too long. In addition to these primary food sources, consider the following sources that may be a factor:
    • Cardboard boxes. Store your boxes on shelves instead of the floor, where they're more likely to get damp.
    • Food containers. Keep your food in sealed plastic containers instead of boxes.
    • Wallpaper. If you've got old wallpaper, consider replacing it with paint or new wallpaper.
  4. 4
    Vacuum your house often. Vacuuming helps to keep their food sources down and sucks eggs out of the carpet and baseboards. Vacuum at least once a week. When necessary, you can dry out your carpets by sprinkling them with baking soda, leaving it for a few hours, then vacuuming it up. This dries out the eggs so you can suck them up.

Community Q&A

Add New Question
  • Will sachets of lavender prevent silverfish?
    wikiHow Contributor
    Yes, this is a successful organic approach.
  • Where do silverfish hide in your house?
    wikiHow Contributor
    They love moist places, such as a humid closet or the bathroom. Check bookcases, clothing and paper piles. Also, if you've left anything wrapped in paper in storage, they may be present there too.
  • Are there other ways to remove silverfish quickly?
    wikiHow Contributor
    Vacuum more frequently and remove cereals from their boxes. Dust books regularly and remove moisture whenever it appears anywhere.
  • Can I kill silverfish if I wash all my clothes when they are on them?
    wikiHow Contributor
    Yes. The chemicals from your laundry detergent, as well as the force of water from the washing machine, would kill them.
  • Do they affect my health?
    wikiHow Contributor
    No, they are completely harmless. However they are unpleasant to see and can be harmful to your furniture, books, clothing, and blankets or pillows. They are not harmful to pets either. Maybe consider teaching a household cat or dog to catch the bugs and kill or eat them.
  • I have diatomaceous earth but the dust looks brown. Is it okay?
    wikiHow Contributor
    There are different kinds of diatomaceous earth, and many are naturally mixed with different types/colors of clay, and are different grades (purities): food grade, livestock grade, etc. Any type will kill silverfish as all DE is made of ground fossilized diatoms which have sharp edges and will cut a silverfish's exoskeleton.
  • Can I sprinkle boric acid onto the carpet to kill silverfish?
    wikiHow Contributor
    No, it can be dangerous on the carpet. Use boric acid as a trap in a bottle or container.
  • How do I entice silverfish to leave historical paperwork (home and at local museum) and once they are out, what is the best way to store documents safely for the future?
    wikiHow Contributor
    Freeze your papers for two weeks. Wrap the papers in plastic and use a freezer that doesn't let ice build up. Afterwards, store your documents in archival folders or boxes in a room with low humidity (use a dehumidifier if necessary), caulk cracks or other small openings around the room, and set insect traps - the flat, sticky sheets are useful for monitoring what kinds of bugs you have and how many might be running around.
  • How can I prevent taking silverfish with me when I move into another apartment?
    wikiHow Contributor
    Do diatomaceous earth treatment at the new house, and seal baseboards and cracks and holes as well. In the old house, wash and dry all clothing and bedding and place in vacuum-sealed plastic bags or plastic storage totes with lids. Vacuum and wash carpets. Shred and or burn any paperwork, documents, bills, etc. that are not needed. Throw away everything that is starch or textile based that is not used or wanted. Set traps every night, as many as possible prior to moving day.
  • Would steam cleaning the carpet help?
    wikiHow Contributor
    All insects are susceptible to heat so I would imagine it would. Though you would have to really penetrate the fibers and foam backing.
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  • Keep your plumbing in good order so as not to create a damp environment.
  • Silverfish like places where they can live in safety. This means that they will hide in places that are damp, messy, have several good hiding places, and have a lot of paper. Keeping your house tidy will leave them vulnerable to the vacuum. Move your things around often, as this will disturb them frequently.
  • Leave a lot of open space. Silverfish might try to come out and run to eat something. You can try leaving bait such as a nice tasty book on the floor. Kill any that emerge in your presence.
  • Check your basement and attic first. Paper-backed or cellulose insulation in these areas is a great source of food for silverfish.


  • Be careful using chemicals, some may harm your family and pets if they ingest or inhale them. Be sure to check safety precautions and warnings labels before using and follow the directions for use.

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In other languages:

Português: Se Livrar de Tisanuros, Español: deshacerse de las lepismas, Deutsch: Silberfischchen loswerden, Italiano: Liberarsi dei Pesciolini d'Argento, Français: éliminer les poissons d'argent, 中文: 灭蠹虫, Русский: избавиться от чешуйниц, Nederlands: Zo kom je van zilvervisjes af, Čeština: Jak se zbavit rybenek, Bahasa Indonesia: Mengusir Gegat Dari Rumah Anda, العربية: التخلص من السمك الفضي, ไทย: กำจัดตัวสามง่าม, Tiếng Việt: Diệt Bọ bạc

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