Do you panic when you see a spider? Maybe you do and maybe you don’t, but you probably are not a fan of the creepy crawlers. Not all spiders are scary, though. Some actually benefit your home by controlling indoor insects like fruit flies. When you see a black widow, you want it gone and you want it gone as soon as possible.
When you want pests out of your home, you most likely reach for chemical insecticide sprays. Most household bug sprays contain plant-derived chemicals, known as pyrethrins. Interestingly enough, these chemicals were originally isolated from chrysanthemum flowers and are not harmful, generally. They can, however, cause life-threatening breathing problems if you inhale them.
When it comes to stronger insecticides (think commercial farm-grade), they contain far more dangerous substances. Some of these chemicals include organophosphates, carbamates, and paradichlorobenzenes (mothballs).
Spiders Dislike Peppermint Oil
Spiders do not like peppermint oil at all. Because they taste with their legs, peppermint oil is an effective way to keep them out of your home. Another theory is that essential oils contain monoterpenoids, which are fumigants. That may play a role in the insecticide properties. A 2010 thesis found that peppermint oil effectively repelled Argentine ants for up to one week after application. The study concluded that essential oils were viable alternatives to chemical repellents. There aren’t a lot of studies to back up this claim, but there is a lot of anecdotal evidence that supports the fact that peppermint oil can get rid of spiders.
Dish Soap
Does dish soap make the surface slippery and spiders lose their balance on it when they crawl over it? No, this is 100% fiction and we hope you did not think that was the reason. Dish soap, when mixed with the distilled water and peppermint essential oil, disturbs the egg cycle of spiders. Additionally, spiders dislike strong scents, as is the case with peppermint essential oil. So a lemon- orange-scented dish soap will enhance the intensity of the aroma. This should keep spiders away!
Before you start spraying the DIY anti-spider spray all over your house, make sure to remove food sources. Spiders will not live in a place that has an inadequate amount of food. Wash your fruits and vegetables and clean up any crumbs or food bits on your counters. Wash out your trash bins, clean your stovetop, and run garbage disposals. Make sure you sweep under your tables or counters, where crumbs may hide. Do your due diligence to clean up and that will help keep spiders and other insects away.
3-Ingredients Spider Spray
Ingredients:
- 2 cups distilled water
- 20 drops peppermint essential oil
- 1 teaspoon dish soap
Instructions:
- Pour the water, peppermint essential oil, and dish soap into a spray bottle, screw on the top, and shake well to combine.
- Spray around window sills, crevices, and corners where spiders like to hide. You can spray these areas weekly to help repel spiders from your home.
- If you don’t like the scent of peppermint essential oil, feel free to use eucalyptus, tea tree, or citronella essential oils instead. You can experiment with different mixtures to see which ones are the most effective.
- Because children and pets are sensitive to essential oils, be mindful of this and do your research about which ones to avoid and which ones to use.
