In this article, we will learn ways to get rid of spiders. While spiders help to keep pests like mosquitoes and flies away, but still nobody wants to have them in their home. Spiders are quite a troublesome to share your home with and many people are also afraid of them. According to a research, about thirty-one percent of the U.S. population is afraid of spiders, and this condition is termed as arachnophobia.
Plus, spiders leave dead insects and lots of webs inside the house, and some of them can even be dangerous for you, your family and pets. Most of the spiders live outdoors but in search of food or shelter they often make their way inside your house. They enter the house through cracks and underneath doors. This problem is more common during late summers and early fall. If you find spiders setting up camp in your bedroom or hiding out in your closet, you can use some non-toxic methods to get rid of them safely.
Methods to Get Rid of Spiders
1.) Vacuum Cleaning to Get Rid of Spiders
It is more important to keep your house clean and clutter-free to prevent from any kind of insect infestation, including spiders. It is also important to clean the common spider-attracting places, such as piles of newspapers and old magazines, stacks of storage boxes, crowded under-sink storage, and under-bed storage. While vacuuming, make sure that you get rid of the spider webs, along with their egg sacs.
Directions:
- Every week, vacuum behind and beneath the bed, sofa, cupboards, nightstands, chairs and other furniture to clean up any webs.
- To clean the air ducts and registers, you can use your vacuum’s hose attachment.
- In order to clean ceilings, light fixtures and corners, you can go for an extension dusting pole.
- Your bookshelves should be clean and clutter-free .
- Cover your kitchen chimney and vents with fine mesh insect screens.
- Fill all the cracks and holes with caulk to prevent spiders from finding their way indoors.
- Old equipment, keep boxes and other items should be stored neatly on shelves, especially those objects which are kept in garages and basements.
2.) Peppermint Oil to Get Rid of Spiders
When it comes about repelling spiders, the best option is to try at home is peppermint oil. Spiders cannot tolerate its strong smell and it makes them, run away from your house.
Directions:
- Pour 3 cups of water in a spray bottle. Mix 1 teaspoon of dishwashing liquid in it to help spread the water equally on the surfaces you intend to spray it on. Add 1 tablespoon of peppermint oil in it. Shake the spray bottle nicely. Spray this solution on all the places where you expect the spiders to be. Repeat this once in a day for a few days.
- You can also get rid of spiders by soaking a few cotton balls in peppermint essential oil. Then keep them in the gaps and cracks around doors and windows of your house. Until you stop noticing spiders in your house you have to change cotton balls daily.
- In your kitchen garden, you can even grow peppermint plants.
3.) White Vinegar to Get Rid of Spiders
Like peppermint, spiders are also sensitive to the strong pungent smell of white vinegar. So, white vinegar is an ideal solution to drive away all the spiders from your home quickly. Its acetic acid can even kill and burn spiders upon contact. Moreover, this nontoxic method is safe for you, your family or your pets.
Directions:
- Add equal parts of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle.
- Spray this solution on all the areas where you expect spiders to hide.
- Also, you can spray it directly on any spider you see.
- Repeat once in a day until the spiders are gone completely.
4.) Diatomaceous Earth to Prevent Spider Infestation
Diatomaceous earth (DE) is the powder which is made up of naturally found fossils of a microscopic water creature called diatoms. This powder can help solve all kinds of pest problems, it also includes spiders.
This DE is known to have tiny, microscopic razor-sharp edges which cut through the skin of spiders when they walk over or through it. Once it starts working, the fluid leaks out of the spider’s body which suffocates them to their death.
Directions:
- Put a fine layer of DE around corners, cracks, basement, windowsills and wherever you notice these pesky creatures in your house.
- You can also spread DE lightly around the area of your home to keep spiders from entering in.
- Repeat the process once in a day until the problem is solved.
- Note: Do not let the DE wet or it will not work.
5.) Eucalyptus to Remove Spiders from Home
To get rid of the spiders in the house, you can also use eucalyptus. Spiders don’t like its strong smell and they will soon start looking for a new residence. Both essential oil and eucalyptus leaves can be used to drive away spiders from your house.
Directions:
- Put dried or fresh eucalyptus leaves in your closets, shelves, and drawers or any other place where you suspect to have spiders.
- Spray windowsills and entryways with a solution of half a cup water and 20 drops of eucalyptus essential oil.
- Add few drops of eucalyptus oil in the corners, cracks, and other spider-prone areas.
6.) Horse Chestnut to Get Rid of Spiders
To deter spiders, you may also try horse chestnuts. This is one of the most popular home remedies to get rid of such pesky insects. Horse chestnut shells have a chemical compound which is toxic to spiders.
Directions:
- To make this remedy work, start by poking some holes in a few horse chestnuts. Instead of poking you can split chestnut in half to release their odor.
- Place them in each corner of the house and also in the places where you often notice spiders.
- You can use chestnuts instead of horse-chestnut, fruits or the walnuts of the Osage orange tree.
7.) Tobacco to Get Rid of Spiders from Home
Tobacco is another effective remedy to force spiders to get away from your home. These annoying creatures cannot tolerate the smell of tobacco and this is the discouragement for them from entering the house.
Directions:
- Soak two tablespoons of tobacco in a cup of hot water for about 25 to thirty minutes.
- Strain the solution and add a juice of a lemon in the water. Spray this solution all around the house.
- You can put chewing tobacco around the areas where you have noticed these pests in your house
- Repeat it daily until you are sure that your place is free of spiders.
8.) Salt to Remove Spiders
One efficient and natural, remedy to eliminate spiders from your house and prevent any future infestation is salt remedy. The plus point of this remedy is that it is cheap and easily available.
Directions:
- Dissolve one ounce of salt in one gallon of warm water.
- Until the salt dissolves completely, steer the solution continuously.
- In a spray bottle pour the saline mixture.
- Shake and spray it directly on a spider to kill it.
- Spray the solution around the entry points and as well as on their nests.
- Repeat the process daily for several days.
9.) Citronella to Get Rid of Spiders
Citronella is another useful home remedy to get rid of spiders as well as mosquitoes. Spiders are sensitive to the smell and try to get away from it. Also, citronella is safe and non-toxic for humans and pets.
Directions:
- Take a spray bottle and fill it with water. Add five to 10 drops of citronella oil and a tablespoon of lemon dishwashing liquid in it.
- Shake it well and spray it on every area or place where you generally notice spiders. Repeat the process once daily.
10.) Keep Outdoor Lights Off to Prevent Spider Infestation
To discourage spiders from entering your home, you need to keep your outdoor lights off. Light attracts bugs which are tempting and easy food source for spiders to thrive on. So, when the outdoor lights are off, spiders try to enter in your home for its food. Other than turning the outdoor lights off, you should also block the indoor lights with the help of opaque blinds or shades. You can also switch to yellow sodium vapor lights. This will discourage insects from getting inside which in turn prevent spider infestation.
Additional Tips
- Try to keep vegetation far from your house. This is because it serves as a perfect hiding spot for spiders.
- Also, try to get rid of stones, leaves or other debris from the perimeter of your house.
- Avoid keeping firewood around the foundation of your house.
- Avoid leaving grocery bags in a pile.
- Do not keep dirty dishes in the sink overnight.
- Repair or replace all the broken screens of doors and windows.