Silverfish is not harmful for the humans but they may do harm to your things like books, clothes, food etc. Here are some ways to get rid of silverfish:-
Proper sanitation is important as it prevents reinfestation. Silverfish are attracted towards moist places like sinks, bathroom, piles of leaves, laundry room etc. One way to control silverfish is to control the moisture in home because they cannot live in dry places.
Mend all the leaking pipes. You can also use silicone caulk for this purpose. Use dehumidifiers and install desiccant in your house. If there is standing water in lawn or inside your house then remove that water.
Dehumidifier air conditioner is also very helpful.
Ensure proper ventilation in closed rooms and attics because silverfish prefer dark and cool place. Also if you think that a particular place in the house is infested then cleans it before your stuff gets damaged. If there are holes, notches, or irregular scraping then it means that the silverfish had fed on the particular matter. They may also leave a yellowish stain on the shirts, pants or any other fabric.
Vacuuming especially in cracks and crevices is very helpful to get rid of silverfish.
Silverfish can damage your books and book case. So keep your books in a ziplock bag with some desiccant. If the books are infested by silverfish or any other kind of insect then store the books in the freezer for three days. Silverfish will not survive because of very low temperature.
Place the little cucumber strips in the basement, closet floors etc to repel the silverfish. Replace these strips when they dry up.
Make a thin paste of flour and water. Now apply this paste on both sides of index cards and let them dry. After drying these cards, place them in the speculated or infested areas.
You can buy sticky roach traps to trap the silverfishes.
You can go for spraying and dusting. ECO PCD, diatomaceous earth, drione dust, borax etc are some of the best dusts. They are easily available in the market. Use these substances in leaks, cracks, crevices, behind furniture and appliances or the areas you suspect silverfish may be hiding. Keep your pets and children away for these substances. Do not inhale them.
Add organic matter to soils as composts, manures etc. that will cause the microbes to attack plant pathogens and keeps the plants healthy. This will prevent silverfish.
Silverfish always remain close to their food so try to eliminate their food source or prevent them reaching there.
