While spiders are mostly harmless (and can even help reduce pest population), sharing a home with this eight-legged creature can give someone the heebie-jeebies (cue screaming from Ron Weasley of the Harry Potter franchise).
At the same time, you would not want to squish them until they are goop – that’s just heartless and evil! So, if you are looking for tips on how to get rid of spiders, we have just the thing for you. Here is a collection of some natural and DIY tips that can keep the arachnids at bay.
Use Essential Oils
Strong fragrances are often the most potent spider repellents. Plus, they leave the space smelling pleasant and homely! As such, there is no harm in giving such DIY tips to get rid of spiders!
The following essential oils are found to be particularly useful in getting rid of spiders:
- Peppermint
- Tea tree
- Lavender
- Rose
- Eucalyptus
- Citrus/Citronella
- Cinnamon
You can even cycle between different essential oils to keep the remedy effective. Simply mix 1 to 20 drops of the essential oil with some water, and spray this mixture around your house. Alternatively, if you have an essential oil diffuser (no, humidifiers don’t count) then you can add about 3 to 5 drops to a 100mL diffuser and that should do the trick.
Spray White Vinegar
If essential oils prove to be too pricey, then you can always substitute them with some white vinegar. And in case you missed the news, white vinegar is the holy grail of all things household cleaning. So, stocking up on it might just be a smart move after all!
Coming back to how to get rid of spiders using white vinegar. Mix white vinegar and water in equal parts, and transfer it into a spray bottle. Spritz it around your home (while avoiding any varnished surfaces) and wait for it to do its trick. The sour and acidic taste of vinegar, as well as the acrid odour, will chase away the spiders for good.
Clean Your Home
Spiders like to find nooks and crannies where they can hide and make a home inside your home. As such, keeping your home decluttered can uncover these hiding spots and leave the spiders scuttling away.
Organise, stack, and seal your belongings, especially cardboard boxes. At the same time, dust and vacuum your home regularly to get rid of those nasty cobwebs that otherwise offer shelter to these pesky pests. And while you’re at it, don’t forget to cover all the corners, the walls, the ceiling, and even the area under the furniture. Also, discard any overripe fruits, get rid of any leftovers, wipe the kitchen counter, and cover your dustbin as such waste may attract flies, ants, etc., which will then attract their prey – the spiders.
Read Also: Kitchen Cleaning Schedule : 30 Minutes/ 30 Days
Secure External Walls
The best way to keep spiders from entering your home is by not letting them enter in the first place! Ensure that all the external walls are sealed properly so that spiders (or any other pest, for that matter) cannot enter your home through the holes and cracks. You will mostly find such entryways near door openings and window sills. Caulk up these holes to close them.
Further, you can also install window or door screens if you enjoy keeping your doors and windows open. Just be mindful of mending these occasionally so that they don’t have holes or tears in them. You can even use weather strips to seal the area between windows and doors and their frames.
Turn the Lights Out
Lights do not attract spiders as such. However, they do attract a whole buffet of a meal for them. So, once they know that you offer them a fine dining experience, you might end up having some unexpected roommates. Use your outdoor lighting only when it is necessary.
Further, install curtains, shades, or blinds so that your indoor lighting does not filter outside. If you are to keep some light on at all times, consider purchasing sodium vapour lights as they do not attract insects as much.
With this, we come to an end of our list of DIY tips to get rid of spiders. Follow these and you might get rid of a few other pests too. While this guide on how to get rid of spiders may not entirely rid you of spiders, it will surely help in containing their population. As we said, spiders have their benefits too.
Read Also: How to Get Rid of Rats at Home
At HomeLane, we prioritise your health and wellness, which in our opinion, starts from your home. So check out our products or talk to our experts to know how you can live your best life!
