When there are silverfish bugs in the home a common concern is silverfish clothes damage. Many people think of damage from silverfish and ask the question, do silverfish eat clothes? Unfortunately silverfish damage to clothes is one of many ways silverfish cause problems. Read on to learn how to protect your clothes from silverfish bug damage.

Silverfish clothes damage can happen to any clothing that meets the silverfish bug dietary needs. Such clothing and fabrics usually contain carbohydrates like starches or adhesives.

Small irregular holes and yellow stains on clothing are usually signs of silverfish clothing damage. Holes from silverfish eating clothes may initially go unnoticed until a closer look is taken.

Some clothing manufacturers use carbohydrates such as adhesives in the manufacturing process of clothing. In other cases we use starch on clothing to remove wrinkles. Starched clothing can be attractive to silverfish as a food source.

Stains on clothing are frequently overlooked as a cause of silverfish damage to clothes. Clothing stains and spills are a food source for insects like the silverfish insect. Spills and stains on clothing can be a feast for silverfish when it contains carbohydrates like sugar or starch.

Although silverfish bugs can eat other clothing such as leather they are known to prefer fabrics such as cotton, linen, and silk. Silverfish clothes damage to these items can be rather expensive.

Where Silverfish Prefer To Live In Your Home

Silverfish tend to stay close to a food source so you may want to check the environment surrounding your clothing. Are closets damp or humid? Are there papers or clothing lying on the floor? Are there a bunch of old books stacked in the clothing closet?

Silverfish like dark humid conditions. A dark humid closet is not only attractive to silverfish but it can cause mold and mildew to grow. Mold and mildew can attract more bugs to your closet resulting in silverfish damage to clothes. Paper and other items stacked on the floor or on shelves is a comfortable environment for silverfish. Making the environment uncomfortable is the first step to getting rid of these pests.


There are a number of steps that can be taken to avoid silverfish damage to clothes. Keeping starched clothing in a zip bag or airtight container can protect clothes from bugs. You may consider keeping valuable leather and furs in professional storage.
Avoiding silverfish clothes damage requires most of the same steps that are taken to rid the entire home of silverfish bugs.

Giving silverfish little or no reason to be in your closet or clothing drawer is an important step. Following are some effective steps to take.

1. Eliminating hiding places and areas where they can hide and lay their eggs is one important step to take to fight silverfish eating clothes. Remove old papers and unused cardboard boxes.
2. If you do have a damp closet use a closet dehumidifier to get rid of the moisture that silverfish find attractive.
3. Vacuum and clean in your closet frequently making sure to vacuum cracks and crevices. Vacuuming can suck up some stray silverfish and eggs laid in cracks.
4. Get yourself some silverfish sticky traps to place in your closet or clothing drawers. Sticky traps not only catch silverfish it gives you some idea as to the amount of silverfish traffic in your closet. 
5. Silverfish are primarily outdoor creatures but often enter homes through cracks.  Silverfish can enter the home through very small cracks and crevices. Check your home for small cracks where silverfish can enter. When you find small cracks fill them with expanding foam or caulk.

Learning how to avoid silverfish clothes damage will save you the aggravation and expense of replacing clothing. Silverfish bugs can be a big nuisance and all kinds of items in the home.

To learn a step by step way  to control the silverfish bug and get silverfish out your home fast take a look at this silverfish control guide