Although silverfish do not bite or carry pathogens that may pose a health risk to humans, they can be nuisance. imagine arranging to take your children back to school after a long stay at home, only to discover that the bookshelf has been infested with silverfish. good luck dealing with the situation if you fear these creepy primitive pests. remember, silverfish can feed on paper, fabric, and different materials in your home. Maybe you can buy your kids new books, but you really don’t want them feasting on their favorite books and important documents. That’s why you need to know how to protect stored books and how to get rid of silverfish on clothes and books.
You don’t even have to use chemicals that can corrode your bookshelf or destroy your books. there are effective natural ways you can explore first before deciding to use pesticides.
You are reading: How to get rid of silverfish in books
clean your library regularly.
silverfish eat paper and the glue used to bind books and seal boxes. that’s why they like to be around boxes with papers and shelves. however, this can be avoided by regularly cleaning the bookcase and rearranging the shelves. It can also be achieved by putting old papers, books and cardboard boxes that you no longer use in a sealed plastic container for disposal. you can also create a void to get rid of silverfish from your wardrobe.
reduce humidity in your home
This is one of the best options on how to protect stored books from silverfish. Studies indicate that these insects thrive in warm, humid places (between 71° and 90°F and relative humidity greater than 75 percent). lowering this humidity level will make the environment unfavorable for silverfish and they will not hold. You can reduce the humidity in your space by using a dehumidifier in humid places, running the air conditioning, and making sure the bookcase is well ventilated and dry.
eliminate other food sources
silverfish like to eat foods such as flour, cereal, oatmeal, and other open food packages. the presence of these foods in the bookstore will definitely draw them in, and they will want to stay as long as food is available. keeping it clean and storing food in airtight containers will make it impossible for silverfish to stay, and your books will stay safe.
use mint and thyme herbs
This is an effective option on how to protect stored books from silverfish. you can dry sprigs of these herbs and keep them around your books to repel silverfish. they produce unique odors that make the insect uncomfortable and won’t stick around. they also contain limonene which is harmful to silverfish. you just need to extract the liquid and spray it around your bookshelves to make sure the silverfish don’t get near your books. You can also mix peppermint oil with a little water and use it to clean around the bookshelf and places where silverfish are often seen. Peppermint oil contains high concentrations of limonene and is a proven insecticide for silverfish.
Store your books on a cedar shelf
Cedarwood produces an odor that makes silverfish feel uncomfortable and stay away from the shelf. this would improve the security of your books against destruction by silverfish. If your bookcase isn’t cedar, don’t worry. you can still get some leaves and place them on the shelf to avoid silverfish as they produce an even stronger odor. If you’re wondering how to get rid of silverfish on clothes, this method will do some magic.
catch silverfish with wet newspaper
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roll up a newspaper, moisten it and place it in a strategic place where insects can easily make it their home. after two to four days, burn the paper to get rid of any silverfish left inside.
make and use citrus peel insecticide
This is one of the most applicable options on how to protect stored books from silverfish. Cut the peel of several lemons and citrus fruits, put them in a pot with enough ethanol and boil for about 10 minutes. Let the mixture soak for about 12 hours for the ethanol to fully extract the limonene from the shells, then place in a spray container and spray around your bookshelf and places where you often see silverfish. never hesitate to spray the insecticide because it poses no health risks to your family or pets.
Otherwise, if you have an overwhelming presence of silverfish, the best thing to do is call your nearest pest control expert to get these unwanted companions out of your space.
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