Borax (Hydrous sodium borate – Na2B4O7 · 10H2O), boric acid, diatomaceous earth & silica gel are all effective least-toxic pesticides against roaches and silverfish. Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a mixture of ground up diatoms from fossils or lake bottoms, which can be used to combat roaches and silverfish as it robs them of moisture and breaks apart their skin. Unless directly inhaled, it doesn’t pose a threat to humans, but keep away from children and pets. DE is most easily applied with a duster, and because roaches like hiding in cracks and very small gaps, these should be sprayed with DE and then sealed to prevent roaches from coming out, as DE can take up to 2 weeks to become effective.
Silica gel is a silicon dioxide substance made from sand, and its absorptive properties allow it to absorb up to seven times its weight in water. The little packets inserted in shoeboxes and handbags contain silica gel, so if you save them, you have a free least-toxic deterrent for silverfish. Because it’s often used to dry flowers, silica gel is available at most art supply and craft stores. It’s most effective in dust form when used to fill cracks in walls or foundations. Silica gel won’t harm humans or animals through skin contact, but it can cause lung damage if inhaled, so use a mask when applying.
The use of roach pheromones in least-toxic pest control is becoming increasingly widespread. Pheromone traps are usually saturated with species-specific pheromones that lure them into a glue-based trap where they get stuck. No pesticides are used, and pheromones have no impact on humans. Because the traps are designed so that only roaches can enter, there’s no risk of inhumanely killing other pests, such as mice, that can get stuck. Pheromone traps, while effective, work best when used in conjunction with other methods of pest control, such as DE or boric acid baits (see below).
Through an integrative pest management (IPM) approach, however, you can prevent infestations from going beyond your control and avoid having to use traps until absolutely necessary.
IPM: Roaches
Roach
Roaches come into your house looking for food and water, so deprive them of it as much as possible. If they can’t find it, they’ll usually starve or they’ll be tempted to eat poisonous baits, which you can make yourself (see below).
First, focus on sanitation. Keep food in tightly sealed containers, and keep pet dishes off the floor at night. Never leave your dishes undone, and buy a garbage can with a tightly sealed lid. Roaches love moisture, so check regularly for drips around pipes and plumbing fixtures, and fix leaks as soon as they arise. Check for moisture around refrigerators and houseplants. They also love paper and dark spaces, so keep your house free of stacks of old newspapers and magazines, cardboard boxes and used grocery bags.
Vacuuming your kitchen will help eliminate roaches and their eggs, but if someone in your family is asthmatic, make sure they’re out of the house while the vacuuming takes place to prevent their exposure to stirred-up roach dust. If you’re using a vacuum cleaner with bags, use a bag that’s already half full. An empty bag lets too much dust out. It also may help to clog the bag with flour or cornstarch when you put in a new bag; pour a cup of flour or cornstarch on the floor and vacuum it up.
If you’re not sure why or how roaches are entering your house, sprinkle some talcum powder along your baseboards at night and look for roach tracks the following morning. Once you determine their entry point, seal the cracks in the foundation or baseboards through which they might be entering. This is especially helpful in preventing wood roaches from entering the home.
Before caulking, treat the cracks with boric acid powder or diatomaceous earth. Also, sprinkle a mixture of borax and sugar along their trail. The roaches will eat it, return to their nest and die. Sprinkling Epsom salt along the trail will deter roaches from returning. If you find that roaches are entering through pipes or vents leading in from the outside, cover them with wire screens, which can be purchased at your local hardware store and customized to fit your vents.
Epsom salt, if eaten, is also toxic to roaches. For an easy, no-chemical bait, fill a small bowl with Epsom salts and place wooden strips up to the bowl for easy roach access. The magnesium in the Epsom salts will upset the biological system of a roach and prevent feeding, and the roach will die.
Here’s another easy-to-make recipe for roach bait, but be sure to keep this out of the way of children and pets.
1 cup boric acid or Borax
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup ground oats
Mix the ingredients in a piece of folded cardboard to make it more attractive to cockroaches.
IPM: Silverfish
Silverfish
Silverfish are attracted to a wide variety of food, including glue, wallpaper paste, bookbindings, paper, photographs, starch in clothing, cotton, linen, rayon, wheat flour, cereals, dried meats leather, sugar and molds.
These bugs like humidity—they prefer levels of 75 to 95 percent—so if you find that your books and other important papers are being eaten by silverfish, get a dehumidifier to help lower the humidity in the room. Look for other ways of reducing humidity as well, such as fixing leaks and maintaining pipes. Get rid of old, unwanted stacks of newspapers, magazines, books and fabrics. If you find that your bookshelves are infested with silverfish, remove all books and vacuum both the shelves and the books. Packets of silica gel can be placed on shelves to help lower humidity. Due to their susceptibility to extreme temperatures, silverfish in books can be killed by placing the book in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds. With the exception of older, more fragile books, most books can undergo microwave radiation without severe damage, although it may soften the glue in paperback books temporarily. Don’t, however, microwave books with gilded edges or those decorated with metallic paint, as that will cause your microwave to spark and potentially cause a fire.
To prevent food products from becoming infested, make sure that you store flour, sugar and cereals in airtight containers. If silverfish find their way into containers anyway, putting the individual containers in the freezer overnight will kill all stages of life. The following morning, empty the contents of the containers into a garbage bag, seal the bag tightly and discard it.
An easy silverfish trap can be made from a glass jar covered with masking tape. Wrap the glass jar entirely with masking tape, and bait the jar with wheat flour or a piece of bread. Place it wherever you see evidence of silverfish. The silverfish will climb up, drop inside and be unable to get out because they can’t crawl up smooth surfaces.
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I woul like to know if these silverfish jump..and if they buy cause i have a 7 months baby..
Thanks for the sharing! Your blog actually assisted me.
Be sure to keep your counters and sinks dry at night because they love humid areas, especially since it’s almost summertime!
I wish I could find out what to use on houseplants. The above remedies may prove toxic to both the critter and the keeper.
One thing I recomend is that you empty your dishwasher frequently. Roaches are attracted to the left over food particles and damp area a dirty dishwasher provides.