About silverfish repellents
They also feed on cotton and rayon. Left unchecked, they have the potential to cause great damage to our belongings — and they are hideous as well!
Other pests you may have a problem within your home include cockroaches, poisonous spiders, ants, mites, bed bugs, ticks, lice, and lady beetles. Like silverfish, they are unsightly to look at, and damage your property — but some of these creepy crawlies are also dangerous to humans, being carriers of disease and infection and (in the case of spiders) the risk of poisonous bites.
When it comes to tackling any of these blighters, the best solution is still a good insect repellent. Silverfish repellents are pesticide-containing solutions held within an aerosol can that you spray onto those areas of your house affected by pest problems. The bugs that come into contact with the pesticide — either directly or via the residue it leaves — are generally killed outright, as are their eggs and larvae. As well as killing insects immediately, silverfish repellents also deliver residual protection to your home, preventing most pests from making a re-appearance and large silverfish infestations.
In most cases, you will not have to spray your home with repellent again for at least 6 weeks to two months. Most repellents are also ready to go straight out of the can, requiring no further dilution.
Things to consider when choosing the right repellent for you
There are a vast arrays of silverfish repellents now out there on the market, and they vary greatly when it comes to their quality and different features. Here are some of the things you need to consider ensuring you purchase the best silverfish repellent for your particular needs.
First, you need to look at the active ingredients used in your repellent — i.e. the chemicals that are actually responsible for killing the pests.
Pesticides are not benign materials! Chemicals like DEET — a staple of mosquito repellents for many years — are now known to be toxic to humans and the environment. If you have children and pets running around at home, you don’t want them being exposed to harmful chemical residues when you spray your home with insect repellent!
Luckily, there are now many ‘gentler, eco-friendly silverfish repellents on the market that use organic, natural ingredients that are harmless to humans and most animals.
Repellents that make use of materials like cedar and peppermint oil, permethrin, and pyrethrin-based repellents — these are the products you should be looking for.
Be sure to look at what active ingredients are listed in your product’s specifications (included on the product labeling), and also keep an eye out for any ‘child safe’ type labels.
If you have a bed bug problem in your home, then you will want a repellent that can be applied to your bedding and other home fittings — these are the areas where these pests like to dwell.
Similarly, if you are out camping, you may feel that treating your tent, sleeping bag, mosquito netting, and other equipment with repellent is the best means of preventing pets from ruining your holiday. If you don’t want to bring pest back into your home via your suitcase when you go on holiday, then you want to be able to spray the inside of your luggage!
In all of these cases and others, you want a silverfish repellent that doesn’t leave offensive odors or stains, and which can thus be applied to clothing, bedding, and other fabrics without damaging them. You want an insect repellent that is specified as odor and stain or residue-free.
Another thing to look for is whether your repellent can be used indoors and outside your house, or is specified for one domain only. Depending on where pests are situated on your property, you will want to choose a suitable product for that domain.
You want to be sure that you buy a repellent that delivers longer-lasting, residual protection against future insect incursions — and not just eliminate the insects that are currently dwelling in your home.
Having taken a look at what silverfish repellents are, their many benefits compared to other pest control methods, and what things you need to consider in purchasing a repellent that is suitable for you, the time has come to take a look at some tips for using these repellent sprays.
Tips for using silverfish repellent sprays
So, here’s a quick list of some basic tips and guidelines to follow:
- Don’t just spray the items that you want to protect but the access points that lead to them. The sad reality is that silverfish can consume a lot of different things in an average household. And while, sure, you can specifically spray your favorite book or photo album to make sure that no silverfish will get close to it, a much more effective and efficient tactic would be to spray the nooks and crevices where silverfish crawl out of, as well as the direct pathways they used to get to their targets. Spraying around an area is another efficient use of a spray — it’s impractical to spray the hundred or so books you have on your bookshelf, but you can easily spray around it.
- Don’t spray too much. Especially if the spray is heavy-duty and includes a strong insecticide, overdoing it will be both pointless and unpleasant. Follow the instructions on the product to the letter for the best results.
- If you have pets or small kids in the household, beware that they may touch or lick the spray, so use it accordingly. More natural, non-toxic options are better in these scenarios, but you should exercise extra caution about where exactly you’re spraying.
- Use protective gear while spraying. Both stronger chemical insecticide sprays and basic, non-toxic repellents aren’t really something you want to inhale or get in your eyes. In large doses, basic essential oils spray can be harmful as well. So, it’s best to protect yourself when spraying with goggles, a face mask, and a pair of rubber gloves.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does ant killer work on silverfish?
Yes, it does. The insecticides and pesticides used in most of the ant killer powders work efficiently to kill silverfish and other pests and insects.
2. Do silverfish lay eggs?
Yes, silverfish lay eggs all year-round after reaching the adult stage, where eggs hatch already after 3 weeks if the conditions are right.
3. Will borax kill silverfish?
Yes, borax is an effective way to kill silverfish and get rid of their eggs. Just spread it around the crevices and cracks around your home where silverfish may lay eggs or reside and let it do wonders.
To conclude
In this article, we’ve looked at silverfish repellents, including what they are all about and their many benefits — and then went on to review what, in our view, are the best repellent products on the market today.
Hopefully, you find a product among this selection that’s suitable for your needs — so you can also transform your home into a pest-free zone.
4 Comments
Carlota
Good day I’ve had a silverfish problem since I’ve moved into my new apartment this year. I’ve called and exterminator and unfortunately 2 weeks or so after I saw new bugs… I’ve tried a deltamethrin fogger and sprayed Doom multiple times but I keep seeing them. I just got a repellant, Biokill, that has permethrin as its active ingredient. I’m excited and hopeful that this works because wow it’s been tough… your site has given me hope that this will work at repelling them. Should I spray my clothing, cupboards and light bulbs as well? I’m just not too sure if exactly how they are entering. Thank you so much
InsectCop
You should first contact the exterminators to see what they have to say about this. Some companies offer a warranty and will come back to make sure they have done a proper treatment.
Treating cupboards and light bulbs definitely wouldn’t hurt, especially the cupboards, considering silverfish usually enter homes in search of food specifically. As for the clothing, there probably is no need for such action.
Heather
Our exterminator does the exterior of our house but due to his inability to explain things effectively I’m having a hard time allowing him inside to help w our silverfish infestation. We tried all the natural items to repel – bay leaves, lavender, cedar planks, EOs. Nothing works! And they continue to multiply! Eek!!! I’ve fully read this article and question where there’s verbiage calling a particular product a repellent yet then stating it kills. These are not really interchangeable from a technical perspective. It either repels or it kills. EOs can repel, and they can be toxic to humans despite the misleading word “natural”…, and they don’t last long. My concern w this article, although generally very helpful, is the use of these terms as if they’re interchangeable. They’re not! As a mom of a crawling baby and 4yo that’s into everything… with a full on silverfish infestation… I really need HELP! But I want some clarity! Cost of products is a NON-issue for me. The anxiety and damage is much worse! Please!!!! What 1 or 2 products are THE absolute best in terms of MSDS SAFETY without compromising efficacy? I also don’t want to reapply every 2 weeks! I can’t and each time of doing so only compounds the “stuff” that we are exposed to – so I rather be able to do a thorough job and leave the house for a few hours for it to dry and be non-toxic to us all. Unfortunately, do to having small children and seeing my Pest Guy doesn’t take this very seriously… I NEED HELP!!!
InsectCop
Hello! Can you, please, be more specific about where the terms are used in an interchangeable manner so we can clear it up? Also, yes, they do not mean the same thing, however, they are not mutually exclusive. It’s not true that something either only kills or only repels. It’s possible that something has both repellent properties, as well as kills the bug if it comes into contact with the product. On the same note, I would like to point out that ”natural” and ”non-toxic” also aren’t terms that should be used interchangeably.
As for the best solution, you should read this article. You’ll find many tips there. Generally, the best idea would be to make the environment undesirable for these pests, which would prevent the problem long-term, without putting you at risk for anything.