How to Use 20 Mule Team Borax to Get Rid of Silverfish

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Things You'll Need

  • 20 Mule Team Borax

  • Gloves

Silverfish love books--for lunch, that is.

Silverfish are voracious little creatures that devour some of your most prized items: books, fabrics and even family photos. They love sugar, but also eat glue, hair, dandruff and their own molted shell. These insects are hardy, living up to eight years and surviving a year without eating. Although many pesticides are effective, 20 Mule Team Borax Laundry Detergent or Laundry Booster provide an all-natural, effective solution.

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Getting Rid of Silverfish With Borax

Step 1

Decide where to apply Borax.

Determine where silverfish live.

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Step 2

Protect your skin with gloves.

Put on gloves, as Borax can cause skin irritation. Sprinkle it behind books, in crevices, in cabinets and closets, on windowsills and under carpets where silverfish are seen.

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Step 3

Borax protects indefinitely.

Leave the Borax indefinitely. The silverfish like its sweet taste, crawl through it, then eat the substance while grooming their legs. Unlike other pesticides, the continued presence of Borax also kills larvae and discourages re-infestation.

Tip

Borax also kills cockroaches and ants.

Warning

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has not authorized the use of 20 Mule Team Borax as a pesticide.

Sprinkle 20 Mule Team Borax only in areas that will be out of reach for children and pets. Although all-natural and relatively safe, Borax has low levels of toxicity.

Use Borax outside with caution, as it can also kill plants.

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