Even though spiders are one of nature's best pest controls eating bed bugs, flies, and mosquitos, all at no charge, you may not want to encounter them in your home. If you can't bear the thought of a spider, there are natural spider repellents that will help reduce the spider population inside your home. Here are 17 ways to get rid of spiders in your home naturally.
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Clean Regularly to Remove Spider Egg Sacs
One of the best ways to reduce the number of spiders in a home is thorough, regular cleaning. A vacuum is the best way to remove spider webs and egg sacs. Take the time to look under furniture and dark corners for the sacs that will produce dozens of spiders. Be sure to empty the vacuum dust cup or dispose of the bag outside.
Reduce Clutter in Storage Spaces
Spiders want to be left alone and like dark, quiet areas like closets, basem*nts, and attics where there are plenty of places build undisturbed webs. Cardboard boxes are particularly attractive to a spider because it can find other insects to prey on. You can reduce the number of spiders in your home by getting rid of clutter and using insect-proof storage boxes.
Remove Outdoor Debris
Providing a welcoming environment near your outside doors can attract more spiders that tend to move inside. Keep firewood, outdoor storage, and yard debris away from entrance doors and your home's foundation.
Maintain Outdoor Plantings
Trim shrubs, vines, and tree limbs near your home so they don't provide a place to hide or bridge for the spiders to come into the house.
Install Window Screens
Properly fitting window screens, screen doors, and door sweeps keep spiders and insects out of the home. Inspect screens yearly to make sure that there are no holes.
Seal Home Cracks and Gaps
It only takes a tiny sliver of an opening for a spider to make its way into your home. Check doors and windows for gaps and use caulk or insulation to seal them properly. It's also a good idea to check garage doors, crawl space entrances, exhaust vents, and outside siding for areas where insects can make entry.
Install Proper Outdoor Lighting
Spiders like to hang out where other insects congregate. White, conventional light bulbs are a magnet for flying insects. If you like to leave a light on outside at night, install yellow or sodium vapor light bulbs that are less attractive to night-flying insects.
Turn Off the Lights
Whether they are inside or outside, lights that are on at night attract flying insects and the spiders that prey on them. Turning off lights at night can help get rid of spiders in your home.
Spray With Mint Essential Oil
The internet is filled with information about scents that deter spiders from entering the home. Fortunately, entomologists have studied the effects of essential oils and concluded that mint oil is one of the few oils effective in keeping spiders out of the house. Mix a few drops of the oil in distilled water and spray around doors and windows. Repeat often as the scent fades or the area is cleaned.
Use a Chestnut Oil Spray
Chestnut essential oil is also found to be a deterrent to spiders. Add a few drops to a spray bottle of water and spritz around entrance areas to your home.
Use Sticky Traps
Sticky traps capture both spiders and the insects that like to eat. The traps contain no chemicals but can be effective when placed in areas where spiders like to shelter or feed on prey. You can also use traps like Zevo that use blue and UV light to lure flying insects and spiders seeking food to a sticky surface.
Reduce Other Insect Populations
To get control of common house spiders, you must reduce their food sources. They are looking for insects to eat, not you. Use natural or chemical pest control to reduce the number of flies, gnats, and mosquitos.
Encourage Outdoor Spider Predators
Keeping outdoor spider predators like frogs, birds, and lizards healthy will help reduce the number of spiders in your home.
Sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth at Entrance Points
If you have a heavy infestation of spiders, consider sprinkling diatomaceous earth around doors and windows. The powdery substanceis made from the fossilized remains of aquatic creatures called diatoms.
Put the earth in a thin layer in any cracks or crevices where you think spiders are entering the house. The diatomaceous earth has tiny barbs that cause wounds that draw out body fluids from the spider causing them to die in a few days.
Spritz the Spider With Salt Water
Salt water will not keep a spider out of your house but you can kill most spiders if you douse the spider with a salty spray. Mix one tablespoon of table salt in a cup of water in a spray bottle and shake to dissolve. Aim for the spider and spray. You will need to clean up the residue when the salt dries.
Use a Vinegar and Water Spray to Kill a Spider
A vinegar solution sprayed around the house will not keep spiders away. However, a direct hit with a 50:50 vinegar and water solution from a spray bottle will kill the spider.
Relocate the Spider
The most humane method to get rid of a spider is to capture it and relocate it outside. Slip a jar over the spider and slide a piece of paper under the jar. This will trap the spider inside so you can take it outdoors. Point the opening of the jar away from you and let the spider crawl out onto a bush, tree, or grassy area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does vinegar work to control spiders?
Vinegar does not work to keep spiders out of the house. However, it can kill spiders if they are hit with a direct spray of a solution of 50 percent distilled white vinegar and 50 percent water.
What smells do spiders hate?
Entomologists have discovered that spiders will avoid the scent of mint or chestnut essential oil. These can be mixed with water and sprayed around windows and doors where spiders might enter a home.
Read Next: 11 Easy, Natural Ways to Keep Fleas Away from Your Home
Read the original article on The Spruce.
