Understanding why they’re there is the first step to getting rid of them for good.

Why Bathrooms Attract Silverfish So Easily

Silverfish are primitive insects that thrive in warm, damp, and dark environments. Bathrooms provide exactly what they need to survive and reproduce.

The main reasons silverfish end up in bathrooms are moisture, humidity, hidden food sources, and easy access points.

1. High Humidity and Moisture

Silverfish need moisture to survive. Bathrooms are often the most humid room in the house due to showers, baths, sinks, and poor ventilation. Even when surfaces look dry, moisture lingers in the air, behind tiles, under flooring, and inside wall cavities.

If your bathroom regularly feels damp, steamy, or slow to dry after use, it becomes an ideal habitat for silverfish.

2. They Feed on What You Don’t See

Many people think silverfish only eat paper, but their diet is broader than that. In bathrooms, they feed on:

• Mould and mildew
• Soap residue
• Hair and skin flakes
• Glue behind tiles or wallpaper
• Cardboard packaging stored in cupboards

Even tiny amounts are enough to keep them alive. You may have a spotless bathroom and still unknowingly provide food.

How Silverfish Get Into the Bathroom

Silverfish don’t appear out of nowhere. They usually enter through small gaps and then stay because conditions are right.

Common entry points include:

• Cracks in tiles or grout
• Gaps around pipes under sinks
• Skirting boards
• Floor drains
• Wall cavities shared with kitchens or bedrooms

Once inside, they hide during the day and come out at night, which is why most sightings happen after dark.

Why You Keep Seeing Them Even After Cleaning

Cleaning helps, but it often doesn’t solve the root of the problem. Silverfish don’t live on visible surfaces — they hide deep in crevices, under flooring, behind units, and inside walls.

If moisture levels stay high, silverfish will continue to return, even if you kill or remove the ones you see. That’s why people often say, “I keep finding silverfish no matter how much I clean.”

Are Silverfish a Sign of a Bigger Problem?

Not always, but they can be a warning sign.

Silverfish often indicate:

• Excess moisture or condensation
• Poor ventilation
• Hidden mould growth
• Small structural gaps allowing pests inside

In older properties, they may also suggest issues behind tiles or under floorboards that haven’t been noticed yet.

Are Silverfish Dangerous?

Silverfish are not dangerous. They don’t bite, don’t spread disease, and aren’t aggressive. However, they can:

• Damage paper, books, and wallpaper
• Trigger allergies in sensitive individuals
• Multiply quietly if conditions stay favourable

So while they’re not a medical threat, they are a persistent nuisance.

Why Silverfish Are Active at Night

Silverfish avoid light. They are nocturnal and extremely fast, which is why they seem to vanish instantly when you turn the light on.

At night:

• The bathroom is quiet
• Humidity remains high
• There’s less disturbance

This is when silverfish leave their hiding places to feed.

How to Reduce Silverfish in Your Bathroom

To stop silverfish from returning, you need to make the bathroom less appealing to them.

1. Reduce Humidity

This is the most important step.

• Use an extractor fan during and after showers
• Open windows whenever possible
• Wipe down wet surfaces
• Consider a dehumidifier if moisture is persistent

2. Fix Leaks and Condensation

Check for dripping taps, leaking pipes, and water pooling under sinks or around toilets. Even small leaks provide enough moisture for silverfish to survive.

3. Seal Entry Points

Seal cracks in tiles, grout, skirting boards, and around pipes using appropriate sealant. Silverfish can squeeze into very small gaps.

4. Remove Hidden Food Sources

Avoid storing cardboard, paper, or old packaging in bathroom cupboards. Clean behind toilets, under sinks, and inside cabinets regularly.

5. Improve Ventilation

Bathrooms without proper airflow are silverfish magnets. Improving ventilation alone often reduces sightings significantly.

Do Home Remedies Work?

Some home remedies may help temporarily, such as:

• Baking soda traps
• Diatomaceous earth
• Cedar or lavender sachets

These can reduce numbers but rarely eliminate an infestation completely, especially if silverfish are nesting inside walls or floors.

When to Consider Professional Help

If:

• Silverfish keep returning despite cleaning
• You see them in multiple rooms
• The problem has lasted for months
• You suspect hidden damp or wall cavities are involved

then professional treatment is the most effective solution. A proper treatment targets both the insects and the conditions that allow them to survive.

Final Thoughts

Finding silverfish in your bathroom doesn’t mean your home is dirty. It usually means there’s moisture, warmth, and shelter — exactly what silverfish need. Until those conditions change, they’re likely to keep coming back.

The good news is that once humidity is controlled, access points are sealed, and hidden food sources are removed, silverfish numbers drop quickly.

If the problem persists, it’s often because the source is hidden — and that’s when professional pest control makes the difference between temporary relief and a long-term solution.