Natural Pesticides for Spiders
Spiders are actually beneficial to gardens and homes, feeding on flies and other insects that may do harm both indoors and out. Fall's cool temperatures send spiders scurrying indoors, so they can be warm during winter. Spiders take up residence in undisturbed areas like basements and attics. Most spiders are harmless unless they are black widows, brown recluse or hobo spiders. Pesticides are usually ineffective, but other deterrents are effective. Does this Spark an idea?
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Citrus
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Spiders hate the scent of citrus fruits. Place dried lime, orange or lemon peels in the garden or areas where they enter the house. Use citrus-scented cleaning products to mop floors, dust furniture and clean countertops. Apply lemon- or orange-scented furniture polish on windowsills and inside sashes. Get all around door frames, inside and out.
Herbal Applications
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Spiders don't like strong-smelling herbs like mint and lavender. Plant lavender and mint around baseboards to deter spiders or put the oil of lavender or mint on cotton balls and strategically place them where spiders are known to inhabit the house.
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Natural Deterrents
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Place chestnuts around baseboards and inside windowsills. Not only do spiders hate chestnuts, they also dislike Osage oranges and horse apples. Osage oranges drop from trees in the Midwest and are hard, green and bumpy. They usually dry with no detectable odor to humans, so place them in corners to keep spiders out of a room. Combine white vinegar and a few drops of chili pepper oil in a spray bottle and spray spider webs.
Commercial Deterrents
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Diatomaceous earth is gritty, and spiders hate to walk on it as do bedbugs. Sprinkle baseboards, windowsills and doorsteps to keep out spiders. Purchase sticky traps and keep them in corners of rooms. Spiders will get stuck and not be able to get loose.
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References
Resources
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