As the days get cooler and autumn starts to roll in, you may notice spiders starting to creep into your home. Whether or not you’re afraid of spiders, you have to admit- running through cobwebs in your house and finding giant spiders on the walls and cupboards is less than desirable. Use these methods to get rid of spiders naturally. Find out why they are in your house and how to get rid of them with ingredients like vinegar, peppermint and lavender oil.
Home remedies to get rid of spiders
The mornings have been feeling cooler lately and that first feeling of autumn is in the air. With the crisp fall days also comes the annual “return of the spiders”. You may have noticed it too. All of a sudden spiders are creeping around my house, out on the front porch and even in our bedrooms!
If you want to get rid of spiders naturally there are ways to do it that don’t involve toxic chemicals. But first, we need to figure out why spiders are in our houses in the first place. The answer might surprise you.
5 easy ways to get rid of spiders in your home
- Vacuum. When you see a spider or spider web, vacuum it up right away. Then empty the trash otherwise the spider is just living in your vacuum and will escape later on.
- Seal up cracks. Spiders and other pests and vermin can enter your house though the tiniest of cracks. Seal the exterior of your home to prevent them from entering.
- Keep your yard tidy. Trim any unruly hedges or overgrown trees and bushes where spiders might like to hang out.
- Clean up inside. Keeping your home tidy and cleaning and food items or crumbs will help prevent insects and rodents (see also 'How To Get Rid Of Ground Squirrels').
- Spider proof your storage. Use large plastic bins with tight lids to store old clothing and keepsakes. Unlike cardboard boxes spiders won't be able to get inside these bins.
What attracts spiders in your house?
Some spiders are attracted to moisture, so they take shelter in basements, crawl spaces, and other damp areas inside a home. Other spiders prefer drier environments such as air vents, high upper corners of rooms, and attics. The type of spider that you find in your house will depend on your location and climate. Lucky for us here in Washington State almost all the spiders we find in the home and garden are non-poisonous. They’re just creepy looking and annoying.
An interesting fact about the spiders you see in your home is that only about 5% of them have ever lived outdoors. That means that they were always in your house- they just decided to show themselves now. I know. I’m sorry to break it to you, especially if you are scared of spiders but they were there the whole time. It’s like a bad horror movie.
Why am I getting lots of spiders in my house?
A popular belief is that as the temperature drops spiders are coming into our home because it is warm and they want to hibernate inside our houses. However, that just isn’t true. The real reason spiders are making their presence known is that August-October is mating season for many breeds of spiders. Normally spiders hide out in the hidden areas of our homes but in early fall your likely to see them all over the house.
Male spiders are literally coming out of the woodwork looking for mates and homeowners have to deal with these creepy creatures.
Do spiders go away in the winter?
As the fall turns into winter it may seem like the spiders are going away. Cold weather often slows spiders down and makes them dormant. The spiders in your house aren’t really dying off or going back outdoors, they are just going back to the same places they were hiding in your home before mating season began.
What smells to spiders hate?
- vinegar
- citrus
- lavender
- mint
Homemade spider spray ingredients
- 1 tablespoon dish soap.
- ⅓ cup vinegar.
- 1 ½ cups water.
- 5 -10 drops peppermint essential oil.
- 5-10 drops lavender essential oil.
- Spray bottle.
- Funnel.
- Measuring cup.
Instructions
- Pour the water, vinegar, dish soap, and essential oils into a 16-ounce spray bottle
- replace the spray top.
- Shake the bottle a few times to mix the ingredients.
- You can spray it directly onto the spiders and spider webs.
- You can also spray it in areas where spiders like to hang out as a deterrent.
How DIY Spider Repellent Works
Vinegar is acidic and will help kill the spiders on contact. The dish soap helps the oils and vinegar mix. After the spider is dead you can wipe it up or vacuum it up.
If you are spraying the mixture as a deterrent then spiders will avoid the area because they don't like the smell of the vinegar and essential oils.
Spider Repellent Spray
Make this DIY spider repellent spray to kill spiders and prevent them from making webs in your home
Materials
- 1 ½ cups of water
- ⅓ cup of vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of dish soap
- 5-10 drops of peppermint oil
- 5-10 drops of lavender oil
Tools
- spray bottle
- measuring cup
- funnel
Instructions
- Add ingredients to a spray bottle
- Shake it gently to mix the contents
- Spray on spiders and spider webs and wipe them up.
Notes
You can also spray this mixture in areas where you want to prevent spiders.
Judy Snodgrass says
non-poisoness spiders don't bother me, but how do you get rid of gnats in your house plants without killing the plant?
adrienne says
I have a whole post on that: https://www.craftylittlegnome.com/fungus-gnats-houseplants/