Silverfish are common household pests that usually infest wooden cabinets or wardrobes. They are wingless insects that are called fish because of the way they move. While they are harmless to humans and are not carriers of any known disease so far, they are damaging to wood and paper. Silverfish consume carbohydrates and sugars as their main diet and the cellulose in wood and paper serve as nutrition for them. If your wooden cabinets have powdered wood, that is a sign of silverfish infestation and it is a good idea to get rid of them before they cause more damage.
The first step to get rid of Silverfish is to find out where they are. Usually, these insects are found in old, dark and damp places like cupboard corners or kitchen cabinets. In addition, they can be found in between news papers and old books. If you have a stock of old books or newspapers in your house, best get rid of them first. Also look in kitchen cabinets and if you have any torn cartons or the like, then dispose of them and move on to get rid of the silverfish living inside there. Another way of knowing if there is silverfish is to paint some cards with paint and leave them inside the cupboard. Check after a few days and if you find some damage or shreds of card, it confirms the presence of silverfish.
There are several methods to get rid of silverfish. If you find them living inside a cupboard, one of the brute forces but very effective methods is to use fumigation inside the cabinet. However, before doing this, ensure that there is nothing inside it as fumigating it would render the place toxic for a while. In addition, there are several sprays available that will kill the Silverfish.
While chemical methods as above are effective, they are poisonous to humans and cause hassles in the form of removing the dead insects. To avoid all that, best go for an ultrasonic pest repellent device. This is usually a digital gadget that can be placed near the cupboard or inside it. It works by emitting high frequency pulses that irritate the silverfish and thereby drive them out. The best part is that they aren’t heard by humans or pets and therefore have no effect on anything else living inside the house.
One of the most popular ultrasonic devices, recommended by users and reviewers alike is the Riddex Pulse. It is economically priced and has a known effect against silverfish. In addition, it is also rather small so it can fit into the smallest cabinets if necessary.
Silverfish is a common house pest and have the potential damage to cause extensive damage to walls, wallpapers and doors. This seriously declines the value of the property and it is advisable to get rid of such pests as soon as possible.