Silverfish are annoying little insects that can cause considerable damage if left unchecked.

Since the diet of silverfish can include such diverse things as paper, sugar, coffee, carpets, clothing, glue found in book bindings, cotton, silk, and even synthetic fibers, they are capable of inflicting a lot of damage.

Although silverfish can be destructive and annoying, they do not transmit disease. The natural predators of silverfish are house centipedes, earwigs, and spiders.

Fortunately, there are some easy ways to get rid of silverfish. Here are 7 ways to prevent silverfish from becoming a pest.

1 / Lining closet shelves with newspapers will keep silverfish out of closets.

2 / Clean the inside of the drawers with eucalyptus oil.

3 / Put some camphor blocks at the bottom of your wardrobes to keep silverfish away.

4 / After cleaning the door rugs, spray the back of them with a little mineral spirits to repel them. As an added bonus, this will also keep fleas away.

5 / Put a few drops of turpentine oil (also called turpentine brandy or pure turpentine and should not be confused with mineral turpentine, which is a completely different product) at the bottom of the dressers, cupboards and drawers. This will not only discourage silverfish but moths as well. This is especially effective in the summer months.

6 / Sprinkle some Epsom salts in the areas where silverfish have been seen. This is useful in drawers, cabinets, bookcases, etc.

7 / Placing whole cloves and unwrapped soap cakes between your clothes or in a pocket of your coats will repel silverfish.

These methods are not only simple and effective, but also inexpensive to combat the silverfish threat.