13 Natural Ways to Rid Your House of Spiders

13 Natural Ways to Rid Your House of Spiders

13 Natural Ways to Rid Your House of Spiders
OakleyOriginals via flickr

Sure, it may be normal to have a spider show up every once and awhile in your home, but as the weather changes, you may see more invaders than you’re comfortable with. Spiders may either try to enter your house to escape the cold outdoors, or in warmer conditions, you may be opening up to spiders by airing out your house with unscreened windows and open doors. How can you keep those spiders away while keeping your home fresh?

Here are 13 natural ways to rid your house of spiders.

1. Make an essential oil repellant.

Here are some helpful and beautiful smelling oils which will keep your house smelling fresh and discourage spiders from entry: –

Mix 5 to 7 drops of one of these oils (or a mixture of different oils) with a splash of liquid soap, and a dash of vinegar. Combine in a spray bottle and then fill the rest with warm water. Spray this mixture around any possible point of entry for your spiders such as windowsills, door frames, and floor boards. You can also spray a bit in the corners of your home, in closets, or in spaces where spiders could potentially hide.

essential oil

2. Keep your house clean

Keep your house clean by dusting and vacuuming regularly. Spiders love to get cozy amongst clutter, so keep your areas tidy and clean with regular cleaning. It’s basically an invitation to see a spider web and not do anything about it so be diligent about sweeping up those webs any time you see them.

Keep your house clean

3. windows and doors

Spider proof your windows and doors. Keep any possible entry of spiders down by making sure your windows and doors are sealed. Also check your screens to make sure no areas have gotten loose and made an opening for spiders.

window screen
photo: magicseal.com

4. Clean up your yard.

Wood piles and bundles of leaves can make nice spider homes, so be sure to avoid extra debris like this in your yard when possible. Spiders also love tall grass, so keeping a trimmed lawn may help cut back on the problem. Outdoor storage can be a great thing to have, but spiders can also find refuge here. To avoid them making a home in your shed, properly seal up windows and doors.

Wood piles

5. Plant trees

It’s a surprising fact, but some trees can actually repel spiders. Trees which emit pleasant smells can often discourage spider populations. Eucalyptus is a great tree for such a task. It requires minimal maintenance while it’s lovely scent does double duty, delighting your nose and repelling spiders.

eucalyptus shrub

6. Use a vinegar in a spray bottle

Vinegar is one of the handiest things to have around your house for a variety of reasons. One is that they can also help deter spiders. Just mix some vinegar in a spray bottle with water and you will have a handy spritzer to keep the spiders at bay. Use around your windows, doors, or any other place which is a vulnerable place for spiders to enter. Try this all natural vinegar-based spider repellant: Mix one cup of apple cider vinegar with one teaspoon oil. Then add a half cup to a full cup of pepper. Finish it off with a teaspoon of liquid soap. Then spray generously around problem areas.

spray bottle
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7. Citrus Peel Rub

A citrus peel rub can also do the trick. Areas like baseboards, windowsills, and other spots with tiny openings can become spider-proof with a little citrus rub. Lemon is probably the most effective option. Even using a lemon-scented cleaner or furniture polish can help cut down on your spider population.

Citrus Peel Rub

8. Cedar

The scent of cedar also repels the creepy crawlers. Placing cedar mulch outside your house can also aid in keeping the spiders away. Spiders hate the pleasant scent. You can even use cedar blocks inside your closet, drawers, or other spider hiding places. It’ll double as a great aromatic addition to your home as it keep spiders out.

cedar mulch

9. Chestnuts

Chestnuts work in a similar way. Spiders are known to avoid chestnuts, so placing a few on windowsills, baseboards, or other areas will help to keep you spider-free. Another great thing about this hack is that chestnuts last a long time without spoiling, so once you have them set up, get ready to be rid of spiders for quite awhile.

Chestnuts

10. Tobacco

Tobacco also keeps spiders at bay. While it may not be the cheapest option, tobacco is an effective solution to your spider problem. Merely sprinkle around the trouble areas in your home or soak the tobacco in some water to make it extra pungent.

11. Put your pets to work

Cats are great allies in the battle against spiders. Of course, cats can be a hard species to predict, but they almost always hop at the chance to hunt down a spider. True, they may bat the poor thing around for awhile, but most cats won’t even need your encouragement for the task.

Cats

12. Hedge apples are a good last-ditch solution. These toxic “apples” are very common to find in the yard, and although you will definitely want to keep your children and pets away from them, they can be handy in keeping away spiders. If you handle them in your yard, use gloves and wash your hands afterwards.

13. Borax is another effective option. Borax comes in handy for many dirty jobs around the house, and it also works to ward off ants and spiders. You don’t want your children or your pets getting into this, so be cautious about where you use it and who has access to it.

Borax
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Use one of these helpful hacks or try a few to get your house smelling fresh. Soon enough, you’ll be free of those leggy invaders. If you are not aware of what type of spider you are dealing with, it is also an important step to identify if they are poisonous or not. Keeping clean, tidy, and trimmed is always a good policy when dealing with this issue, so you may be able to take care of this problem little by little by practicing these habits.

12 comments

  1. Jeannie Dellinger

    Thank you for all these beautiful ideas.

  2. When using the sprays on window sills etc, how often does it need to be reapplied?

    • 2-3 times a week to start with, But just see how it goes if you find they come in after 3 days , spray every other day until they get the message.

  3. You forgot food-grade diatomaceous earth! Apply it liberally around the exterior perimeter of your house and create a powder “poof/spray” bottle from a water bottle by poking a small hole in the cap and squeezing the middle of the bottle to make the power spray out. Then coat all yard plants/trees liberally. It works on all insects, is 100% non-toxic to pets/humans, and works really well. It is amazing for veggie gardens to keep out harmful bugs, unfortunately it also keeps out the good ones, so you need a good fertilizer.

    The only downside is it will look like it snowed in your yard for a day or two until it soaks in/spreads out. I repeat the process every month in the summer and am blissfully pest free! I do use the peppermint/water solution inside for the occasional ant invasion, that works amazingly well also!

  4. I would not recommend using tea tree oil or borax if you have pets or young children. Tea tree oil is deadly, as well as borax. It’s just not worth the risk.

    • Tea Tree oil is NOT deadly. I use regularly on myself as well as my dog when camping in a mixture to prevent the whole tick thing….we are still alive

      • I agree, tea tree oil is not deadly. I use it on my children. One drop on the nape of the neck helps repel head lice. We have used it for years. Pediatrician recommend! !!

      • Tea tree oil is deadly to cats. It is definitely not recommended to use on pets.

  5. Putting a few OAK Tree Nuts (the kind you can’t eat)
    around where spiders are and they disappear.

  6. You forgot Fire. Fire will rid your house of spiders!

  7. borax is not toxic for pets. My vet recommends it for flea control in the house.