Spiders have their place in the world, and we can certainly appreciate them for keeping away pests like flies or mosquitoes, but that doesn’t mean you want them setting up camp in your bedroom or hiding out in your closet.
For a lot of people, the sight of an 8 legged critter scuttling down the wall is enough to send them into an all-out spider hunt until they can relax-or perhaps they just don’t find them pleasant company.
Either way, there’s no need to turn to insecticides or pesticides, there’s plenty of natural deterrents you can use to keep spiders away from your home. Trust us, there’s more to shudder at in a bottle of chemical pest control spray than at the spider you’re trying to get rid of….
Ingredients:
Pure essential oil-either peppermint, tea tree, citrus, or neem,-warm water, and dish soap (eco-friendly, please.)
Why essential oil: It’s all about the oil here. EO’s like peppermint, tea tree, and citrus have intense smells that spiders, as much as we find them pleasant, find them unpleasant and overwhelming. This is just speculation on my part, but spiders use their two tiny front legs (called pedipalps) for a few reasons, one of which is to assist in feeding-really, they’re more like arms. I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want to dunk my fingers in essential oil and then stick food in my mouth, which is what would happen if a spider marched all over essential oil. Whether or not that plays a part I don’t know, but spiders just don’t like them.
Why dish soap: The soap breaks apart the oil molecules in the water, making for a more consistent solution
Recipe for All Natural Spider-Stay-Away-Spray
You will need…
-5 to 7 drops of peppermint, tea tree, citrus, lavender, or neem essential oil
-a reusable spray bottle
-liquid dish soap
-warm water
-a dash of white vinegar* (optional)
Directions
Put 5-7 drops of peppermint oil in a spray bottle (about 16 ounces is good), and fill mostly to the top with warm water. Add a squirt of dish soap, place the top on, and give the mixture a good shake. Before using, use the hose attachment of your vacuum to suck up any egg sacs or old webs. Test on an inconspicuous area, and then spray in the corners of window frames, along door cracks, or in dark dingy places spiders may be hiding out. You can also add a dash of white vinegar to the mixture, but keep in mind this could affect some fabrics and surfaces.
Rest easy: You don’t swallow spiders when you sleep
It probably won’t change your mind about having them in your house, but you can sleep soundly knowing that the idea behind “swallowing spiders” in your sleep is nothing but a complete and utter urban myth that has been besting us for decades.
That’s not to say there haven’t been isolated cases of an unfortunate person who woke up with an insect in their ear, and at some point in time someone probably has swallowed a spider while asleep, but really. The poor little buggers aren’t on a suicide mission to get eaten (I mean first we call them ugly, and then we insult their intelligence? C’mon. jumping into the mouth of a giant isn’t on their agenda. ) If they do end up in an ear or mouth, the dude was just confused.
You may also want to learn how to get rid of ants.
P.S. Take a look at the Everyday Roots Book. It’s a Book that we created to help you replace the toxic products and medications in your home with healthier, all-natural alternatives. It contains 215+ effective home remedies and covers everything you will need to protect your family and save money every month.
By Claire Goodall – Claire is a lover of life, the natural world, and wild blueberries. On the weekend you can find her fiddling in the garden, playing with her dogs, and enjoying the great outdoors with her horse. Claire is very open-minded, ask her anything – Meet Claire?
