Silverfish: How Much Professional Treatment Costs + DIY Options

Silverfish are shiny grey wingless insects up to 20mm in length with flat bodies and tentacles at the front and rear. Blink and you might miss them as they’re nocturnal and will move fast when you switch the lights on and their flat bodies allow them to slide under floor tiles, carpets and wallpaper.

Silverfish are very common in the UK and pose no harm to humans or pets, they often hide in crevices and gaps and appear at night or when it’s dark. The first time you may see a silverfish is when you put the lights on as they scuttle away, their distinctive movement differentiates them from other crawling insects, look for fish-like movement with the rear of the body moving swaying left and right as they dart off.

These pests thrive in warm, damp conditions and can often be found in kitchens, bathrooms and basements where they feed on crumbs, grease, carpet adhesive, paper, dust and debris.

Despite being harmless to humans and pets, they can cause damage to books, newspapers, carpets and even clothes so if you suspect an infestation, you should take steps to eradicate them.

On this page you’ll find information on:

How much professionals charge to treat silverfish infestations.
Where you can get a price online in minutes.
Methods that the pros use.
Treatment schedules and timescales etc.
Steps consumers can take to stop silverfish from coming back.
DIY options that actually work.

Cost to Get Rid of Silverfish

We contacted 42 pest removal firms and asked them how much they charge to treat silverfish.

The average price is displayed in the table below:

Project:	Price:
3 visits inc inital survey	£160
Additional visits	£50
Commercial premises	Subject to inspection

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What you need to know about these prices:

They include VAT when it was charged.
They include 2 to 3 visits with the first visit including a survey to determine the best course of action.
Sprays, traps and poison is included in the price.
Dry steam treatment isn’t included in the price and is usually the last resort for problematic infestations.
As the prices are averages, those in the south and London may pay more while those in the north may pay less.

Methods That Professionals Use

Consumers often assume that professional pest control experts just use a stronger spray insecticide but that isn’t the case.

Every silverfish infestation is different and the best methods can only be chosen after a survey but the following products generally work well against silverfish:

Traps: Silverfish traps are made from cardboard and are laced with glue which traps the insects where they stay until they die. These traps don’t contain any poisons and are natural and eco-friendly but they will trap any crawling insects and also spiders.

Bait boxes and poison: Less common but can be deployed to treat silverfish.

Chemical spray: One of the most common treatments, chemicals are sprayed at floor/wall junctions, under sinks, toilets, cabinets, washing machines etc.

Heat treatment: Is often used when other treatments have proven ineffective. Steam with low water content can be used to kill silverfish anywhere away from electricity and is perfect for treating pests that hide in narrow crevices.

Silverfish Treatment Schedule

Silverfish can lay over 200 eggs in one month so any treatment plan must include a method to kill the eggs and monitor the area to see if the number of these pests is reducing.

A typical treatment plan will include three visits with additional visits priced separately.

Visit 1: Survey the area, lift carpets, flooring etc and look for signs of silverfish damage, skin shedding and crevices that the creatures may use. Treat the area with a chemical and secondary treatment such as traps.

Visit 2: This is usually to apply more insecticide, check the traps for silverfish, replace the traps and decide if an alternative method is required.

Visit 3: The final visit will determine if the methods have been successful, traps will be inspected and replaced and more chemicals put down. A report will also be provided to the customer with suggestions on changes they can make to stop the silverfish from coming back.

How to Stop Silverfish Coming Back

Silverfish thrive in warm, damp, dark conditions but they need to feed, so there are some steps consumers can take to stop them from coming back:

Remove food sources such as pasta, cereals and bread by keeping these in sealed containers.
Tidy up crumbs, paper, cardboard and dust in general.
Fix any damp issues in the home.
Use an extractor fan in bathrooms and kitchens to reduce moisture.
Use caulk or mastic to seal the gap between the wall and the floor and also any other gaps.
Regrout floor tiles if necessary.
If the property suffers from condensation, try these tips.