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Ugghh!!! Silverfish!!! hazardous to stash?
sky Advanced Beginner CA USA Member since 12/4/03 Posts: 500	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 1/5/12 4:57 PM I just pulled a bag (kinda like these) of fabric out from under the bed and 5 or 6 silverfish crawled away. I've never had this happen before although I've only had them under the bed for the last few months to make room for baby gear. I've used the sweater bags for a couple of years. What should I do?
Mufffet   Intermediate VT USA Member since 8/14/05 Posts: 8914	Login to reply to this post In reply to sky Like this post Date: 1/5/12 5:13 PM They eat fabric and paper and they will infest any paper storage like the boxes you can get everywhere of cardboard - keep it all in what Joann's calls "Everyday plastic storage." How I know is the stupid silverfish in my daughter's room years ago and then did some research. Oh yea...how they love that dark fabric.... OH - forgot - get a box of boric acid granules and put it under the bed in dishes - that is if you don't let the baby crawl under there of the cats are intrigues with it - anyhow the boric acid really does them in. DD used little jar lids of the stuff here and there under the bedside table we blamed for their importation since they dated to exactly when we bought it. Then make sure to launder the fabric, and then store in plastic and get rid of the board and fabric storage items. Here is a reference: Info on the silverfish -- Edited on 1/5/12 5:20 PM -- ------ "Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." --Dalai Lama I have sewing machines
sky Advanced Beginner CA USA Member since 12/4/03 Posts: 500	Login to reply to this post In reply to Mufffet Like this post Date: 1/5/12 11:38 PM well, the baby isn't crawling yet and we don't have pets so I'll look into the boric acid. It is under our (and the baby's) bed so I don't want anything too toxic. I do have wrapping and tissue paper stored under there as well as suitcases and now fabric. Guess I'll move the fabric? Not sure where they came from as I've had that fabric stored in those bags for years without any problems. I don't think we have the money or space to replace all my sweater bags with plastic, but I may have to move some fabric out to our outside storage shed eventually. I was thinking a large rubbermade tote or two--do you have any opinions on how bug/moisture tight those are?
a7yrstitch   Intermediate TX USA Member since 4/1/08 Posts: 4386	Login to reply to this post In reply to sky Like this post Date: 1/6/12 0:55 AM Muffet, thanks for the info on the silverfish. Sky, We've had good luck in storing our suitcases in the garage in giant zip loc bags. No bugs yet, and we live in a very buggy place as some years we do not get a winter freeze. The Container Store has a great bin for splurging on one at a time. They seem to put them on sale for $29.99 at least once every year. They are very rugged and would hold up well to having a cushion put on top and a cover. Your little guy could first use it for a play surface and eventually as a bench. These are really a good investment and they have a silicone seal. When we ship from our hurricane area to our son's hurricane area, we ship in one of the bins so it is a double present. Airtight Bin Okay, the mom never goes out of a person.......... Do you have spiders in your area? It might be time to reconsider storing things under the babies bed, unless it is just a couple of big sealed containers that can be easily moved for cleaning. No point in providing hiding places for little things right where he is sleeping. As an example of just how rugged these bins are, we took the fold down table out of our camper and replaced it with two of these bins to be used as the base for the center of our bed. ------ I have no idea what Apple thought I was saying so be a Peach and credit anything bizarre to auto correct.
sky Advanced Beginner CA USA Member since 12/4/03 Posts: 500	Login to reply to this post In reply to a7yrstitch Like this post Date: 1/6/12 12:51 PM Thanks for that link for the containers. We do have a Container Store nearby. Guess I'll have to slowly work on getting various containers for our (umm.. my) various paper and fabrics. I do have too much fabric, so some of this problem could be avoided by getting rid of some of it. As for storing stuff under the baby's bed/looking into the boric acid, I was referring to the cosleeper next to our bed that he's still sleeping in, but thanks for the admonition. I was going to store his outgrown clothes under his crib in the same sweater bags (just a few things for a potential second child), but I think I'll reconsider that. We don't have many bugs and spiders, but they do creep in occasionally. Thanks for the ideas about using a storage container as a bench though--I'll definitely do that. We have a tiny two bedroom condo with no garage (only a small storage closet/shed off the patio) so we are definitely limited in where we can keep stuff. Ideally there would be nothing under the bed and no stacks of stuff along the walls/corners, but that's not going to happen. :) -- Edited on 1/6/12 12:51 PM --
sky Advanced Beginner CA USA Member since 12/4/03 Posts: 500	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 1/6/12 1:56 PM My husband found this link: Natural Silverfish Prevention I might try the cucumber peelings before buying boric acid. It'd be interesting if it works. I know it won't kill them, but it may keep them away although I guess I have to put fresh cucumber peels down every day?
Mufffet   Intermediate VT USA Member since 8/14/05 Posts: 8914	Login to reply to this post In reply to sky Like this post Date: 1/6/12 2:07 PM :) Boric Acid *IS* natural by the way....far less toxic than any pesticide, and actually considered non-toxic unless eaten, which wouldn't be something I hope you or yours would do....it is from borax...mined mineral. However here is a paper from U. Florida on the toxicity issues so that all bases are covered info-wise: UFlorida Info And as to how they get there, well they come into the house through walls etc. looking for wet stuff....or they can come into your house in something carried in, or in the egg stage in something coming in. Please sew up your stash, as it will be far worse to store it in the garage or in a shed...cringe....storing books, paper goods and fabric in such situations is not suggested, and will eventually give you mold problems is ANY moisture is present - mold loves wet-dark-warm. Mold hates light-dry-climate controlled. -- Edited on 1/6/12 2:10 PM -- -- Edited on 1/6/12 2:14 PM -- ------ "Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible." --Dalai Lama I have sewing machines

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