Got Silverfish in Bathroom? We’ll explain why in this guide for 2023
Have you woken up to use the bathroom recently, only to flip the lights switch and see little bodies scurry across the bathroom floor? Your first thought might’ve been roaches, but these little bugs looked silver or gray in color. What were they? Those are silverfish in your bathroom.
If you’re freaked out, we get it. Having these little insects scurrying about the bathroom when you’re groggy-eyed and trying to make it to the toilet can give you the creeps. But, we’ll explain why they’re in the bathroom in this guide.
What are silverfish?
Silverfish are small, shiny, silver or gray insects with scaly bodies and long antennae. They run quickly but they don’t fly because they don’t have wings. Their bodies are flat and oval-shaped, much like a fish on its side (hence why they’re called silverfish), and they grow to be about ¾-inch long.
Silverfish have been around for a long, long time. Some experts believe silverfish roamed the earth more than 100 million years before dinosaurs. This means that they’re excellent survivors, and they’re using your bathroom to continue their legacy.
These pests are also very fast crawlers, and they seem to slither away. For these reasons, catching silverfish can be very difficult.
Are silverfish harmful?
While we’re sure you don’t want a silverfish crawling up your leg while you’re on the porcelain throne, the truth is that these bugs are mostly harmless. They can’t bite humans and they don’t carry diseases or pathogens.
If you’re going to run into a midnight bug, these are some of the best. They’re essentially a nuisance pest, rather than dangerous pests like cockroaches, wasps, bed bugs, and some spiders. But, silverfish can eat cotton clothing, silk, towels, bath mats, toilet paper, and other household items.
Why are silverfish in bathroom?
Silverfish prefer dark places and humid spaces. The moisture in the bathroom from showers, condensation, leaky faucets and pipes, and splashes increase the humidity in these rooms, attract silverfish, creating the perfect hangout. This is actually one of the most common causes for pests in a home.
They’re mostly nocturnal insects, so it’s highly unlikely you’ll see them as silverfish hide during the day. During this time, they’re usually hanging out under bathroom cabinets, cracks in trim and walls, under bathtubs, or even under tiles. These are excellent hiding spaces for these nighttime pests, as they often trap moisture and are rarely disturbed.
They may also lay their eggs in these areas. Silverfish are able to lay eggs as soon as they reach adulthood, and they’ll choose undisturbed areas to do so. This makes silverfish eggs hard to spot, potentially leading to a silverfish infestation.
Do silverfish live in drains?
No, but they’re often found in sinks and tubs, leading many people to believe they actually live in drains. However, the reason they’re found in these areas is they cannot climb smooth vertical surfaces. So, they walk across the counter or rim of the tub and fall in, and they can’t get out.
What do silverfish in bathrooms eat?
Silverfish diets consist of starches, carbohydrates, and some proteins. They’re also one of the insect species that can process cellulose (in addition to termites), as well. Their diet is not so dissimilar to that of carpet beetles and their larvae. So, what does all this mean for a bathroom?
Silverfish in bathroom will eat paper products, such as toilet paper, tissue paper, and paper towels. They’ll also snack on cotton and silk, such as the towels and linens stored in a bathroom linen closet. If there’s a stack of magazines or a newspaper in the bathroom, they’ll eat that too.
Not even the wallpaper glue or the bath mats are safe, as silverfish eat and digest these items, as well.
Signs of a Silverfish Infestation
The silverfish themselves are hard to find, which makes recognizing the signs of a problem is difficult until they’re out of control. There are signs that a silverfish infestation is well underway, but early enough to prevent silverfish infestations from growing:
- Chewed clothing and paper products. These items are staples in the silverfish’s diet, so finding them with tattered edges, irregular holes, and tears are all signs of infestations.
- Molted skins. As silverfish grow, they molt and shed their skin. This can occur up to 60 times in a silverfish’s lifespan, so even a small infestation can be identified by the presence of molts.
- Silverfish eggs. Finding silverfish eggs can be a task, as these insects are very good at hiding. However, these eggs are initially soft and white, measuring about 1 mm long, with an elliptical shape. However, within a few hours, they toughen and turn yellow.
- Multiple silverfish sightings. Silverfish are nocturnal and masters of hiding. If you’re seeing a few silverfish (more than 2), there’s a good chance that you’re dealing with an infestation.
How to Prevent Silverfish Infestations in Bathrooms
The truth is that preventing silverfish from getting into a bathroom is a difficult task. These insects are extremely good at hiding and crawling through extremely small cracks. But, with some preventative measures, it’s possible to prevent a silverfish infestation.
Seal up any cracks in the home
Head outside and look for areas where silverfish can get into the house. This could be cracks in the foundation, gaps around windows and doors, spaces around dry vents that lead to laundry rooms, or around penetrations for oil filler necks, sewer vents, and other pipes that let silverfish crawl inside basements or the house easily. Once you identify them, seal cracks off with silicone caulk, steel wool, or a concrete patch job.
Don’t forget to check out any crawl spaces that might exist. Crawl spaces are often the perfect below-grade transportation areas for silverfish and other insects, and the high-moisture content in these areas compounds the issue.
Reduce moisture
The best way to avoid silverfish infestations is to manage the moisture in the bathroom, as silverfish live in warm, humid environments. Run a dehumidifier at night, and ensure that the exhaust fan is running any time someone is showering or bathing. While it’s hard to avoid humidity altogether, managing the levels will help with keeping silverfish at bay.
It’s also imperative to get a handle on actual moisture problems. These can include leaky pipes, leaky ceilings, standing water, and inoperable ceiling vents. Remember that active moisture attracts silverfish and other insects, so keeping the bathroom dry is key to getting rid of silverfish and avoiding a pest infestation.
Hide the food
Just as you have to remove the food from a drugstore beetle issue before you can solve it, you have to do the same for silverfish. Silverfish love to snack on cellulose and paper, so try hiding items like paper towels, toilet paper, and other similar materials in plastic totes to stuff the bathroom closet. If the infestation is really bad, consider doing the same for towels, sheets, and other linens.
If you have a bathroom laundry hamper, consider removing the clothes from the room altogether. A silverfish will be just as happy to snack on cotton clothing as they would a roll of Charmin.
Block silverfish hiding places
Another option to help avoid a silverfish infestation is to block off the potential hiding places where silverfish tend to shelter. This includes small crevices under or behind baseboards, loose grout, spaces that allow them to travel under the tub, and small gaps under bathroom cabinets. Be sure to pay special attention to around water supply pipes, as these gaps can be the perfect places for many bugs to travel back and forth from basements to bathrooms without being detected.
How To Kill Silverfish
The following are some of the most common methods for killing silverfish, but we’ll go even further into detail in the next post. Note that planning to kill silverfish by means of smashing or smushing can be fruitless, as their hardened shells can protect them from quite a bit of impact.
- Sprinkling boric acid in silverfish hiding spots.
- Sprinkling Epsom salt around the bathroom
- Distributing cloves and bay leaves around the bathroom and house can deter and get rid of silverfish (but it doesn’t kill them)
- Using diatomaceous earth
- Setting silverfish sticky traps (these are particularly handy for renters with pest issues)
- Using essential oil like cedar oil (again, essential oils probably won’t kill them)
- Removing them with a vacuum cleaner
- Setting newspaper traps
Using these methods, homeowners can limit infestation numbers, repel silverfish, and avoid future infestations within a few days. Also, beneficial insects like earwigs can help limit infestation numbers, as well, as silverfish are a main source of food for these insects.
If you do decide to DIY it and feel pretty comfortable in the process, you might even consider starting a pest control business of your own.
FAQS
How do I get rid of silverfish in my toilet?
The silverfish probably aren’t in your toilet as much as they’ve fallen into your toilet. Silverfish can’t climb smooth vertical surfaces, so once they fall in, they can’t get out. Simply flush the ones in the toilet, but be aware that there’s a possibility of an underlying silverfish infestation.
Should I be worried about silverfish?
In terms of health and safety, no, you don’t have to worry about silverfish. In fact, if you’re wondering if silverfish bite, the answer is no. They also don’t carry or transmit disease. However, an infestation will lead to thousands of molted skins in time, and these can trigger asthma symptoms, so it is important to get rid of silverfish.
Why do I suddenly have silverfish in my house?
A sudden increase in silverfish could be the result of several eggs hatching at once, or a sudden change in the humidity or moisture level in the house, as silverfish prefer warm, humid places.
Does one silverfish mean more?
It certainly can. and it can also mean attracting other bugs, like earwigs. One adult silverfish can lay many eggs, and silverfish eggs can hatch in 19 to 32 days. For this reason, infestations can take hold very quickly. Luckily, with some diligence and boric acid, diatomaceous earth, or sticky traps, as well as controlling humidity levels, this should be easy to get back under control.
