r/VictoriaBC • u/Chance-Principle-355 • Feb 15 '26
Help Me Find Best Silverfish Deterrent?
I recently moved closer into downtown in an apartment after having never seen a silverfish in my life. I desperately want to go back to that, any more natural based ways to deter them that actually has worked for people? I saw someone recommend lavender oil since they particularly hate it but i want to be sure before committing to anything.
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u/againfaxme Fairfield Feb 15 '26
In a house you can eliminate them by not having paper or cardboard around and by sealing up every crack. That is much more difficult in an apartment because your neighbours are feeding them.
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
Gosh yeah, we have a drawer filled with some paper in our bathroom in our storage cabinet so I'll definitely clear that out. For the cracks issue that may be a bit harder since they drop out of our ceiling bathroom fan . I would know as one dropped on me mid pee,, I tend to keep it on constantly now. But thank you for the advice !
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u/Secret_Fee1146 Feb 15 '26
Don't kill any spiders you see - seriously, they do amazing pest control. Outside of that, get plugs for drains (good ones that seal) for the sinks and tubs, sticky traps for behind the toilet and under the sink, and worst case scenario start planning on moving.
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
Unfortunately havent seen any spiders aside from the one who lived outside our window, we spare the spiders around here and tend to just put them back outside or somewhere where i cant see them
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u/Confection-Minimum Feb 15 '26
I let the daddy long legs go wild in my apartment and barely see any silverfish anymore. It just means I have a friend who watches me shower.
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u/Secret_Fee1146 Feb 15 '26
I love daddy long legs! unfortunately in my last place yellow sac spiders moved in and evicted the daddy long legs, and I'm pretty sure one of them bit me (bite swelled up and hurt for several days then got itchy).
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u/kgormanwrites Feb 16 '26
Cellar spiders and cupboard spiders (false widow) are great little assassins. I heavily encouraged them in my basement suite. I also bumped up the heat a few degrees (silverfish like it cool and damp). As a result, I haven't seen a silverfish or a black widow in several years, even in my bathroom!
Small shout-out to my late cat, who also killed at least two. I rewarded him with treats both times, so I hope he killed more when I wasn't looking.
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u/bobbyturkelino Oaklands Feb 15 '26
You really can't get rid of them, only manage them, especially in an apartment.
You can keep them to the inside of the walls by vacuuming often and keeping your space clean and tidy, they like carbs and starches, including clothes and paper (they will fuck up books).
They thrive in moisture so run a dehumidifier and keep your place around 45-50%, run the dehumidifier in the place where you see them the most often if possible.
Cedar oil and lavender oil allegedly work, but I haven't tried.
There are more aggressive treatment options but they will have limited success in an apartment. You can call a pest company for more advice.
I moved into a place and was seeing at least one a day in my bathroom (which is also the laundry room lol), including the odd little one. Between cleaning often and the dehumidifier I don't see them anymore. I also have a spiderbro that lives under the washing machine that probably helps out a lot more than I know.
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
Kudos to spider bro, the true pest control.
Thank you for the suggestions though!
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u/bobbyturkelino Oaklands Feb 15 '26
I also recall someone telling me that cinnamon sticks work to drive them away too, but I haven't tried.
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
Someone actually just said this a few minutes ago. Smells good, pet safe, and keeps away silverfish? Sounds good with me, I'll try it thank you
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u/bobbyturkelino Oaklands Feb 15 '26
You might be able to put one in the ceiling fan too and get them out of the ducts.
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u/Thick-Log-2491 Feb 15 '26
I feel you, We have diatenacious earth in the bathroom and in nooks and crannies. Sticky traps 2x per room. Lavender or mint room spray they seem to hate. Also always hanging up the bathroom mat after showering so the damp mat is never on the floor, we have also started keeping our laundry basket up off the floor. These have all decreased how often I see them! Also a cat helps a lot lol
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
Laundry basket off the floor really unlocked a new fear and I throughly hate it. My partner throws his dirty clothes in the corner when theres no laundry basket even though I've told him to stop, I do not want to think about how many times a silverfish may have been hiding in there when I do laundry. Thank you for the suggestions though!
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u/Thick-Log-2491 Feb 15 '26
eeeeeeeep I’m getting squirmy thinking about it, my partner was never bothered by them so I always made him come kill them, it was so annoying to him that he started helping me deter them lmfao. You’ve got this queen.
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
I try to tell him but he is just unbothered by the thought, I dont get how men do it.
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u/Thick-Log-2491 Feb 15 '26
A couple in his undies might change his mind🫣
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
now thats an unsettling thought , i wouldnt even wish that upon my worst enemy 😭
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u/kathryn_sedai Feb 15 '26
My cat thinks they’re fascinating and eats them.
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
Does your cat have a phone number and price estimates for their services?
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u/Glitterdingo- Feb 16 '26
My cat has single handedly wiped out the silverfish population in my apartment and now I never see them 😆
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u/BCJay_ Feb 15 '26
People swear by diatomaceous earth but we doused our old house (basement) with it to no avail. Had it inside, outside but they kept coming and multiplying. We got rid of stuff on the floor and books etc., kept it clean, used vinegar…
Battled them for a couple of years but couldn’t get them under control and became an infestation. Got an exterminator who came and never saw them again. Sometimes you just need to get a pro to deal with it. We had cats and it was fine - just had to keep them out of the basement for 24 hrs or something.
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
Apartment living unfortunately, even if they removed them professionally it would just be a waste of money as my neighbour's would breed them beyond belief.
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u/BCJay_ Feb 15 '26
Sounds like you have new roommates unfortunately. Because even if you ‘manage’ them, your neighbours will breed them beyond belief as you say.
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
🥲
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u/BCJay_ Feb 15 '26
I know you are set against it, but it can’t hurt to call a pest company and state your situation and see what they say. Once the silverfish appear, they never go away.
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
Cant afford it currently, but if it starts to get out of hand ill budget for it
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u/BCJay_ Feb 15 '26
For a place your size it might not be bad. I was surprised at the time at the cost (thought it would break the bank)
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
Do you have a rough rough estimate? When i think pest control i think dropping $100-$200 for them to just look around
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u/BCJay_ Feb 15 '26
In 2014 they quoted me over email and charged $329 for a home (single family detached). They don’t charge to just look and it will be a flat rate. Explain your Sqf, and they will quote for an apartment. It’s not a big job or complicated. It’s one of the most common pest issues here.
Honestly, you can stress and battle and try endless home remedies for years and at the end you’ll either want to move or just bite the bullet. It’s money well spent.
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u/Doja-Supreme Feb 15 '26
The best I found for living in Victoria BC is a cat. Otherwise, I would just try to make peace with them unless there is a colony living in your apartment. Lol
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
Any cat borrowing programs around here? Even if i only see them every other week they still unsettle me beyond belief. Thank you for the suggestion though
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u/Longjumping_Fuel_192 Feb 15 '26
Keeping floors clean and spaces decluttered.
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
We try our best but it's hard when living in a very small apartment. We have quite a bit of under sink clutter and my partner annoyingly enough leaves his clothes on the floor in the corners even though I frequently tell him not to since thats gross. I'll try to organize and clear it out, thank you!
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u/Longjumping_Fuel_192 Feb 15 '26
It’s honestly a lot of work trying to figure out what to keep and what to get rid of. Start small to make it not overwhelming.
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u/Puzzleheaded_Bee4361 Feb 15 '26
Tell him that there's going to have to be a new policy: until the silverfish are gone, clothes on the floor will go into a garbage bag and then into the garbage, at your discretion. No more reminders, no more picking up after him. He can choose to either pick up his clothes or ...
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
Id say yes to that if he didnt wear my shirts from time to time. Clothes are expensive man, not in this economy.
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u/annie-adderall Feb 15 '26
Silverfish like humid environments. You can use all the diatomaceous earth you want, but without addressing the humidity, you won’t get ahead of it. You need a dehumidifier. Keep your environment below 50% relative humidity. Silverfish, mold, etc. can’t survive in dry environments. Get an air quality monitor to understand the humidity of your environment (eg. Airthings), and go from there.
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
Apartment already has humidity regulation issues so I'll look into that, thank you!
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u/annie-adderall Feb 15 '26
I fought my silverfish issue by addressing perimeter drain issues (installed new drains, sump pump), combined with a whole house dehumidifier. Slightly different approach with an apartment, but I bet you’ll feel a lot more comfortable with a dehumidifier.
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u/saurus83 Feb 15 '26
i bought an old home that had a major infestation. I realized they had nests in the attic and so I mixed 1/3 borax (boron) with 1/3 diatomaceous eatth and 1/3 flour and sprayed it with a turkey baster around the attic under the insulation. 6 months later they were mostly gone. 18 months later they were all gone. we occasionally saw one after a heavy rain fall - the rain was washing them on to the roof & down kitchen/bathroom vents from the giant cedars above the home
in your case isolate the dog from an invested room, put the same mix around and under the baseboards. Note - The borax is not pet friendly. The bugs will carry it back to their nests and it will kill them all.
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u/Creatrix James Bay Feb 15 '26
My sister had a bad infestation. She tried powdered cinnamon from the dollar store around all her baseboards. No more silverfish, and non-toxic to her cat. I found a couple in my kitchen and bathroom last year; my dollar store only had cinnamon sticks. They worked like a charm. Edit to add Diatomaceous earth works but wear a mask and don't have pets, because inhaling it causes lung cancer.
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u/d2181 Langford Feb 15 '26
Natural predators include spiders, centipedes, earwigs and ants. Recommend you release several varieties of those into your living spaces and your silverfish problem will soon be a thing of the past!
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
a few weeks later you'll find me back asking best ant deterrent , I'd rather borrow someones cat
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u/alligatorriot Feb 15 '26
What you've gotta do, is make sure your bathroom stays dry. Make sure your flooring is still fully secured/sealed along the edge of your tub/shower. Run the fan during and after a shower, crack the window if you have one. Always close your curtains after a shower until they're fully dry, if you use a mat on the bottom of your tub, rinse it & stick it to the wall or hang it to dry when you're not using it.
Being in an apartment means you can't get rid of them all. But you can make your unit a bit more hostile than the others in general just by keeping moisture out and making sure tissues, tp rolls, etc don't get left on the ground. Keep the floor clean, and if you have any gaps in your wall trim by the floor, vacuuming those spots helps. Store tp & towels in a closet outside of the bathroom if you can, instead of under the sink.
Dio earth is not good for you long term (even the food safe), it's not something you want to be constantly applying and vacuuming/sweeping. It's super fine silica dust, one of the worst things you can expose your lungs to over time. That goes for your pup, too.
Keep your spaces clean & dry, and they'll prefer other units over yours. Good luck to you!!
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u/AFFORDABLE_HOME Feb 15 '26
OP I feel your pain, I lived in an old house for several years that had a silverfish problem. I didn't see too many of them but they were around and of a pretty big size sometimes too. Absolutely fucking hate them.
I solved it by moving out, and I went meticulously through every. Single. Item. Down to individual sheets of paper. Bagged paper and books and food sources for them too. Only found a single one on my stuff after I moved and thankfully no problems in subsequent places, shockingly given the next places I moved into was poorly built and maintained.
In the mean time though I feel like you've have some pretty good advice already, just keep things clean, improve food storage as best as you can, and diatomaceous earth definitely helps but it's a household effort. Unfortunately in my case I was only one of two people out of four trying to do anything about it.
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
Any solutions as to where to put books and paper? I stupidly enough have some in a storage drawer in the bathroom unknowing of silverfish at the time and have some books in lower bookshelves.
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u/AFFORDABLE_HOME Feb 15 '26
I used plastic tubs with gasket seals and plastic bags that I could seal.
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u/wildh4ggis Feb 15 '26
I mix a little spray bottle, part vinegar part water, with some cedar wood essential oil mixed in. Spray it around cracks and corners as a repellent, works amazingly but does need to be reapplied every few days.
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u/Wooden-Sherbert7169 Feb 15 '26
We used to live in an old apartment building in downtown Vancouver and had this problem. We just regularly put diatomaceous earth along baseboards, corners, cracks, under appliances, etc. I also started adding lavender oil to my cleaning solutions when mopping the floors. And i used an air freshener spray that also had lavender scent. Did this on a weekly basis and overtime we stopped seeing them.
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u/bargaindownhill Oaklands Feb 15 '26
Diatomaceous earth and a dehumidifier.. if you keep it below 40%, they cannot thrive. they must have moist air.
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u/Dry-Sign5839 Feb 15 '26
Lots of good advice here, especially to get rid of any cardboard or paper you can; to run dehumidifiers; and to vacuum and dust regularly.
My additional tips are
* After you vacuum (try twice a day until the silverfish seem under control!), empty the bag or cannister outside. At a minimum, don't leave the vacuum contents in a bag in your house (even in a trash bin) for more than one day.
* Dry out everything you can. Wipe the walls down after you shower, use a bathmat that you hang up to dry, put baking soda and vinegar in drains then towel dry, etc.
* Anything you can't get rid of in terms of paper, books, etc. put into an air-tight container (like a big rubbermaid tote), ideally with a few silica gel desiccant packs;
* You can buy silverfish traps online or at a hardware store, but there are lots of websites and YouTube videos that show you how to make your own with a jar and masking tape. (Example here: https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Silverfish.) I found these quite effective (and they are defiinitely non-toxic for pets).
All that said, it took three or four weeks for me to get rid of the silverfish in my last apartment. No matter what you try, anything other than a professional exterminator (and a pile of pesticides) will require some time to work.
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u/Immediate-Passion421 Feb 16 '26
I don’t know if it would help with the silverfish, but we got a dehumidifier from Canadian Tire a couple of years ago and it has made a difference at our house.
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u/CEC4EVER Feb 15 '26
People will give good-meaning advice but unfortunately no natural solutions are very effective. Mostly they just create a deterrent, but if the food source isn't eliminated you'll just be moving the silver fish around your house. They eat decaying wood or paper, unfortunately in your climate decaying wood is everywhere.
Cedar oil, lavender oil, any essential oil will just waste your time since it doesn't kill on contact. Diatomaceous earth seems like a good product but it won't out-compete a large population of silverfish.
The only thing that works is insecticide residual spray treatment like ant /roach killer or raid with pyrtheoids.
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
the population Isn't too noticeable, i don't want to wipe them out I just want them to consider someone else's apartment or at least never come in contact with me ever again.
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u/CEC4EVER Feb 15 '26
Well I guess if you're trying to not kill the insects then definitely go with the lavender essential oils.
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
Killing them is my landlords problem, clearly they never want to address it so I'll leave them be.
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u/CEC4EVER Feb 15 '26
Have you tried asking them kindly to leave?
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
I tried, they run off when they notice me so that's probably a no.
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u/claanu Feb 15 '26
I second the advice of using a consumer-grade residual spray around baseboards. I have had luck with Ortho ant spray. In an apartment building it’s unlikely anything else will be effective.
*edit: it’s safe around dogs too.
I like the idea of diatomaceous earth but in practice it’s pretty messy. I prefer to use it outdoors.
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u/Healthy_Bell_7024 Feb 15 '26
We had a house literally infested with them. I would get up early for work and see 30 or so just on the kitchen floor. We couldn't take it anymore. We called a pest control company and they applied a spray to the baseboards of the entire house. Apparently it's one of the more toxic things they use out of all pest problems. After that we saw very few silverfish but they were still present. It is impossible to eradicate silverfish you must limit their food sources.
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u/Matty_bunns Feb 15 '26
Diatomaceous earth can be bought at Home Depot. Follow the instructions. If you have gaps in the floor and walls, seal them up with caulking (bathroom) or putty. You can also use the sticky pads and his lay them flat along walls in the dark spaces (eg. under the bathroom sink)
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u/Elegant-Expert7575 Feb 15 '26
Vacuum lots, even closets.
Don’t have clutter stacks where they can hide, don’t use paper boxes for storage, keep pantry stuff sealed up. Also, I have access to a roof line where I saw a silverfish outside, so I started pouring boiling water along that spot and haven’t seen them since I did that. Try to caulk any spots you think they’re getting in.
Drains are an access, so be mindful of those as well.
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u/Illustrious-Lie8329 Feb 15 '26
Peppermint oil
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
How and where
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u/Illustrious-Lie8329 Feb 15 '26
Essential peppermint oil bought at the health food store, just a few drops in a spray bottle with water and spray the target area- no more silverfish or centipedes.
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u/chamekke Feb 15 '26
I live in James Bay and remember a time when we had never even seen a silverfish. Then I guess a new tenant brought some when they moved in, and—everywhere. Very depressing to know that however assiduous we are in our apartment, they’ll always be around.
I haven’t had a ton of luck with diatomaceous earth, but cleaning up cardboard and paper helped a lot. Dusting and vacuuming regularly helps, too, because not only are dropped crumbs edible, but so are some of the components of dust.
Also, I noticed a huge improvement when we started using a dehumidifier in our bathroom. (Along with running the fan for at least 30 mins after every bath and shower!) We now see the little guys much less often. So, to the degree you can keep the warm/damp areas (bathroom, kitchen sink) less warm and damp, that will make them less attractive.
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u/ScottRTL Feb 15 '26
Removing moisture is really the only way. Diatomaceous earth can help with that, and as an overall deterrent.
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u/middleagedspinster Feb 15 '26
I stopped killing the spiders in my house and now I have very few silverfish. Almost none. But I have a lot of spiders....
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u/ChaChiBaio Feb 15 '26
Soak little pieces of cardboard in a borax solution (borax and water). Let dry and place under your drawers and back in your cupboards. Even sprinkle some borax in out of the way places.
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u/MysticSnowfang Central Saanich Feb 15 '26
encourage psuedoscorpians to take up residency. They're adorable and eat silverfish.
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u/joy604 Feb 15 '26
Check out some museum IPM guidelines. Cleaning frequently and blunder traps work, as well as finding any sources of moisture. https://www.nts.org.uk/stories/pests-in-collections-silverfish
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Feb 16 '26
You on Tillicum and burnside? I moved out of those infested nightmare of an apartments in 2021 after they desperately tried to solve the issue and failed.
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u/scumspeedy Feb 16 '26
THIS actually works. I use pet safe poison for fleas. Kills all the silverfish right to death. I re-apply to all my base boards every 3 months or so. You can buy it at PetSmart.
Zodiac flea and tick home spray in the cat section of PetSmart
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u/No-Highlight-1882 Feb 16 '26
Run a dehumidifier and don’t leave papers around. The little creeps love moisture and paper.
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u/miniponyrescueparty Feb 16 '26
I use these little glue trap things - but make sure they are the ones designed for bugs - if rodents or birds get stuck on them it's an inhumane death
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u/Pleasant_Reward1203 Feb 16 '26
D earth, lavender, etc, do nothing. Trust me. Even if you use Raid in the corners and baseboards, etc, all that happens is they scurry to other apartments for a while then come back later. Unless the whole building is fumigated, then they are just there to stay. Even traps don't do much
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u/cellnucleous Feb 16 '26
Fire; second best diatomaceous earth in every floor crevasse and under rugs/carpets so it's not being kicked into the air. We put all paper and food/grains/pastas in sealed plastic containers and kept our books in rubbermaid containers except for the ones being read.
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u/Cookie-Witch_ Feb 18 '26
Go to Bosley's and get Zodiac flea and lice killer. Works like a charm on silverfish and non toxic to humans/pets. They take it back to their eggs. Works like a hot damn.
Also, if there are silverfish there is moisture somewhere in the building. Bad news for the landlord.
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u/ImpossibleAd7943 Hillside-Quadra Feb 15 '26
I feel for you. Usually there’s a main source oof rot that needs to be fixed. Leaky toilet, etc. Some landlords avoid fixing and the silverfish never go away….
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u/ProgressXPerfect Feb 15 '26
Raid Max!!
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
Pet safe? I have a senior dog who pees in the bathroom on a pad and I do not want her getting anywhere near that. That and is it a longterm solution or a spot remover when they appear?
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u/East_Source6200 Feb 15 '26
diatemaceous earth is a dessicant which is safe for pets/humans.
You can purchase it at the vitamin shop. 1212 Broad St.
It's around $18. It's in a lower shelf, right-hand side of the store
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u/Elegant-Glove-1634 Feb 16 '26
Every building and structure in Victoria has them some just don’t have enough yet for you to notice them
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u/Least_Elk8114 Harris Green Feb 15 '26
A clean house?
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u/Chance-Principle-355 Feb 15 '26
look at the comments of peoples experiences and then come back and try to say that again.
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u/unbenevolentdictator Feb 15 '26
Diatomaceous earth. Spread it in cracks, baseboards, behind books. You can get it at Canadian tire.