Fremont Artists’ Lofts: Silverfish Prevention for Paper Goods

The Fremont Artists’ Lofts are a creative hub where drawings, prints, collages, sketchbooks and archival papers live alongside paints, tools and the everyday detritus of studio life. For artists who store finished works, studies and reference materials in loft studios, silverfish are a frequent and insidious threat: these small, wingless insects feed on starches, cellulose and adhesives — everything from paper pulp and bookbinding glue to paste and some watercolor papers. Left unchecked, an infestation can mean missing pages, ragged edges on prints, and permanent loss of irreplaceable sketches. Protecting paper goods is therefore both a practical maintenance issue and a preservation imperative for any artist community that values its work and collective resources.

Understanding why silverfish flourish is the first step toward prevention. Silverfish prefer dark, humid, undisturbed places: basements, closets, shelving where boxes of paper sit for months, leaky corners and behind baseboards. They are nocturnal and can persist in buildings where humidity is high and clutter provides hiding places and food sources. Because many studio environments — with dense storage, cardboard boxes, and occasional water leaks — mimic the conditions silverfish favor, targeted environmental and housekeeping changes can dramatically reduce risk.

The best response at Fremont Artists’ Lofts is an integrated pest-management approach that emphasizes prevention, monitoring and non-damaging remedies before any chemical control. Practical steps include reducing humidity with ventilation or dehumidifiers, repairing leaks, replacing cardboard storage with sealed archival boxes or plastic bins, storing valuable works in flat files or acid-free folders, removing food and paper scraps, and using sticky traps to monitor activity. For individual items suspected of infestation, isolation is critical; many studios can use cold treatment or controlled freezing for unvarnished, robust pieces, but high-value or fragile works should be handled only with conservator guidance. For persistent or widespread problems, building-wide coordination with professional pest control — informed by the need to protect artworks — will be necessary.

This article will outline specific prevention checklists tailored to studio life, safe storage and handling practices for different paper media, monitoring techniques that any artist can implement, and a step-by-step escalation plan for when professional intervention is needed. With a combination of informed studio habits, building-level maintenance, and targeted responses, Fremont’s artists can keep paper goods safe and ensure that creative work survives — intact and accessible — for years to come.

 

Identification and signs of silverfish infestations

Silverfish are small, wingless insects with a tapered, carrot-shaped body and a silvery-gray sheen; they move in a distinctive, wriggling, fish-like way and are most active at night. Common signs of their presence include irregular, notched or chewed edges on paper, books, labels, and mat boards; small, semicircular or ragged holes through pages or along bindings; and fine dust-like droppings or scales (frass) that look like pepper or tiny grains. You may also find shed skins, yellowish or greasy stains where they’ve grazed adhesives or starches, and faint feeding tracks on wallpaper or the verso of framed works. Because silverfish avoid light and prefer tight hiding places, actual sightings are more likely at night or when you disturb storage enclosures, and fresh damage often appears along margins, corners, and where paper contacts adhesive or cardboard.

In a communal artist-loft environment such as Fremont Artists’ Lofts, the risk to paper-based artworks and supplies increases because of varied storage practices, mixed-use spaces, and microclimates created by cooking, bathrooms, or intermittent heating and ventilation. High-value or easily damaged items—sketchbooks, limited-edition prints, unframed works on paper, mat boards, handmade papers, and paper-backed frames—are particularly vulnerable. Inspect storage areas regularly: look inside flat files, archival boxes, under shelving, in rolled art tubes, behind framed work, and in cardboard packing. Early detection is essential—establish simple nightly or monthly checks, record any findings, and use nooks near baseboards and dark corners as focal points for inspection since silverfish prefer tight, undisturbed spaces close to moisture sources.

Prevention should combine environmental control, proper storage, housekeeping, and targeted monitoring. Keep relative humidity consistently low (generally in the 30–50% range) and well ventilated to reduce the damp microhabitats silverfish prefer; use dehumidifiers or improve HVAC control where needed and promptly repair leaks and plumbing that create humidity. Store paper goods in archival, acid-free folders and boxes or sealed polyethylene or metal cabinets rather than cardboard for long-term storage; use polyester (Mylar) sleeves for individual works and keep items off the floor and away from exterior walls. Maintain a rigorous cleaning routine—vacuum crevices, remove paper debris and food residues (including starchy glues and pastes), and seal cracks and gaps that provide harborage. For monitoring and low-toxicity control, use non-toxic sticky traps and consult an art conservator or licensed pest professional before applying chemical treatments to avoid damage to artworks; when infestations are confirmed, coordinated Integrated Pest Management (IPM) that prioritizes prevention, documentation, and conservator-approved interventions is the safest route for protecting paper-based collections in a shared loft setting.

 

Environmental control: humidity, temperature, and ventilation

Controlling humidity, temperature, and ventilation is the single most effective nonchemical strategy to reduce silverfish activity and protect paper-based artwork. Silverfish thrive in damp, poorly ventilated environments and are most active when relative humidity (RH) is high; keeping RH consistently below about 50% (ideally in the 30–50% range for paper preservation) sharply reduces their ability to survive and reproduce. Stable, moderate temperatures (roughly 18–22 °C / 65–72 °F) with minimal daily and seasonal swings also help preserve paper and adhesives and make conditions less favorable for pests. Use reliable hygrometers and temperature monitors in studios and storage areas so you can track conditions over time rather than guessing from feel.

For Fremont Artists’ Lofts: Silverfish Prevention for Paper Goods, implement both building-scale and tenant-level measures. At the building level, ensure HVAC systems are serviced and balanced, maintain dehumidification in basements or other damp shared spaces, and keep bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans working and vented to the exterior. Tenants should avoid drying wet materials indoors, store paper works off concrete floors and away from exterior walls that may sweat, and use shelving to allow air circulation. Insulating cold surfaces, sealing gaps where humid air can enter, and repairing leaks or rising damp promptly all reduce localized pockets of high humidity where silverfish congregate.

Combine environmental controls with a simple monitoring-and-response plan so Fremont Artists’ Lofts residents can act quickly if conditions deteriorate. Place mini hygrometers in individual studios, communal storage rooms, and any infrequently used spaces; set action thresholds (for example, investigate if RH climbs above 55% or if condensation appears). If thresholds are exceeded, steps include running portable dehumidifiers, increasing ventilation, drying or relocating vulnerable paper items into sealed archival boxes with desiccants, and checking for plumbing or roof leaks. These preventive measures reduce reliance on pesticides, minimize damage to artworks, and form the core of an integrated silverfish-prevention strategy tailored for artist live-work buildings.

 

Archival storage and handling for paper-based artworks

Use archival-quality enclosures and thoughtful handling to both preserve paper works and reduce silverfish attraction. Store items in acid-free, lignin-free boxes or folders; interleave with unbuffered or buffered archival tissue as appropriate for the paper type (use unbuffered for sensitive photographs). Use stable, inert sleeves made from polyester (PET), polypropylene (PP), or polyethylene (PE) rather than PVC, and avoid pressure-sensitive tapes and adhesives on the object itself. Support flat works on rigid museum board or in shallow drawers to prevent folding or edge wear; store larger pieces flat or, if rolled, on archival tubes with interleaving tissue. When handling, work on a clean, dry surface, wear nitrile gloves for highly absorbent or friable media (or clean, dry hands for many papers to avoid losing tactile sensitivity), and always provide full support to avoid creasing or tearing.

Design storage layout and housekeeping to limit silverfish food sources and favorable microclimates. Keep paper goods off the floor (use metal shelving), away from exterior walls and plumbing fixtures, and avoid stacking directly against cardboard or other cellulose-rich materials that are unmanaged. Maintain steady environmental parameters — ideally relative humidity in the mid-30s to mid-40s percent and stable temperatures around 18–22 °C — because silverfish thrive in higher humidity; use dehumidification, improve ventilation, and close gaps that permit moisture intrusion. Seal cracks, baseboards, and utility penetrations; remove dust, paper scraps, food, and starch-based residues (old adhesive, glues and paste) that attract silverfish; and store collections in closed archival boxes or sealed housings to create a protective microclimate rather than leaving loose paper exposed.

For Fremont Artists’ Lofts specifically, pair archival best practices with a simple integrated pest management (IPM) protocol shared between tenants and building management. Schedule routine visual inspections and record condition reports; place sticky traps and monitoring cards around storage/shelving areas and check them regularly to detect early activity. Quarantine all incoming or recently worked-on paper items in sealed archival folders or clear sleeves and inspect before integrating into long-term storage. If infestation is suspected, isolate affected pieces immediately, avoid spraying pesticides on or near paper, and consult a conservator; safe, non-chemical remediation options include professional freezing treatments (double-wrap in archival-quality plastic, freeze at recommended museum protocols and allow gradual thawing) or targeted professional pest services. Finally, educate tenants about not eating near collections, reducing clutter, and reporting moisture or pests promptly so building-wide maintenance (dehumidification, sealing, repairs) and conservation actions can be coordinated quickly.

 

Cleaning, maintenance, and building repairs to eliminate harborage

Routine, thorough cleaning is the first line of defense against silverfish in spaces that house paper goods. Remove loose piles of cardboard, newspapers, scrap paper, and other cellulose-rich debris that provide both food and shelter; replace cardboard storage with sealed archival boxes or plastic bins when possible. Vacuum regularly along baseboards, under shelving, inside closets and behind furniture to remove eggs, shed skins, and food particles — use a vacuum with a crevice tool and dispose of the contents promptly. Keep work and storage surfaces well-lit and dust-free, and avoid storing paper directly on the floor; elevate shelving even a few inches to reduce access and damp exposure. In individual studios, use silica gel packets or other desiccants inside sealed storage to lower local humidity in boxes and zippered archival sleeves for especially valuable pieces.

Building maintenance and targeted repairs eliminate the environmental conditions and entry points that allow silverfish populations to establish. Inspect and seal cracks, gaps around pipes, electrical conduits, baseboards, and utility penetrations with appropriate sealants; install or repair door sweeps and weatherstripping to reduce access from common corridors or crawlspaces. Address moisture sources promptly — repair leaking plumbing, condensate pans, roof leaks, and poorly draining gutters, and ensure crawlspaces and attics are properly ventilated and insulated to prevent damp pockets. Keep HVAC systems maintained and filters changed to promote air circulation; consider centralized dehumidification or tenant-level dehumidifiers to maintain lower relative humidity in studios and storage areas. Regular maintenance tasks such as repainting or sealing porous wood, replacing badly chewed or water-damaged trim, and repairing tile/grout where humidity can collect will remove long-term harborage.

At Fremont Artists’ Lofts, a coordinated building-wide approach combining tenant practices and landlord maintenance will best protect collective and individual paper collections. Building management should schedule periodic inspections of common areas, storage rooms, and building envelope elements, maintain a fast-response repair pipeline for leaks and structural breaches, and provide tenants with clear storage guidelines (e.g., use sealed archival containers, avoid cardboard, keep storage off floors). Encourage an integrated pest management (IPM) culture: educate residents about signs of infestation, require prompt reporting, maintain sticky traps in strategic non-art areas for monitoring, and document inspection findings and remediation actions. For active infestations or if preventive measures fail, bring in a licensed pest professional experienced with cultural-property concerns so any chemical treatments are targeted and safe for paper collections; this combined strategy minimizes harborage, reduces silverfish pressure, and helps preserve the integrity of artworks and archival paper goods in the lofts.

 

Monitoring, traps, and non-toxic/targeted pest management options

Regular monitoring is the foundation of an effective silverfish prevention program. Deploy non-toxic sticky (glue) traps and baited traps in dark, undisturbed areas where silverfish hide and travel: along baseboards, behind shelving and radiators, inside closets and storage rooms, under workbenches and in basements. Position traps edge-to-edge with walls and in corners where insects follow natural travel routes. Check and replace traps on a set schedule (weekly at first, then monthly if captures are minimal), record catch numbers and locations, and map results to identify hotspots so interventions can be focused rather than building-wide. Simple visual inspections of stored paper goods, shelving undersides, and floor cracks during trap checks help catch early signs of feeding, frass, or cast skins.

Prioritize non-toxic and targeted measures that protect paper-based artworks while addressing pests. Good housekeeping and environmental control (stable RH around 40–50%, prompt leak repair, keeping storage off concrete floors) reduce suitability for silverfish. For direct treatment of affected paper items, freezing (in a domestic freezer at around –18 to –20 °C for 48–72 hours) can reliably kill insects in infested objects, but must be done with appropriate packing and acclimation to avoid condensation or damage; consult a conservator for fragile or mixed-media works. Other low-tox options include using silica gel to control humidity in sealed enclosures, placing archival-quality, pest-proof boxes or polyester sleeves around vulnerable items, and vacuuming shelves and crevices with a soft-brush attachment to remove eggs and debris. Physical desiccants (food-grade diatomaceous earth) and point-applied desiccant dusts can be effective in cracks and voids away from paper but should never be applied directly onto artworks. Avoid spraying broad-spectrum insecticides on or near paper—if chemical control is needed, contract a pest-management professional experienced with cultural-property treatments and insist on targeted, documented applications away from stored materials.

For Fremont Artists’ Lofts specifically, institute a simple integrated pest management (IPM) protocol coordinated by building management and supported by tenant practices. Management should install and maintain traps in communal and high-risk areas, schedule monthly inspections, monitor humidity with inexpensive data loggers and run dehumidifiers where RH regularly exceeds 55%, and keep a central log of trap catches and actions taken. Provide tenants with guidance and basic supplies: a small number of sticky traps for studio corners, archival boxes and polyester sleeves for paper works, and clear instructions for reporting sightings immediately. Set escalation thresholds (for example, repeated captures in the same suite or more than a few specimens in a month) that trigger targeted interventions: freezer treatment of isolated items, focused cleaning and sealing of harborages, or professional anoxia/desiccant treatment when infestations threaten collections. This combination of monitoring, tenant education, environmental control, and carefully chosen non-toxic treatments will minimize silverfish risk while protecting the paper-based artworks housed in the lofts.