The U.S. has recently been plagued by some serious weather systems. This means spiders are likely lurking. While spiders usually reside outdoors, they can become a huge nuisance once they decide to build their webs inside your home — or, worse, in your kitchen.
Luckily, there are many home remedies to manage these critters. Keep them at bay with these 10 all-natural spider repellents.
1. Peppermint essential oil, dishwashing liquid. Add 3 cups water, 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1 tablespoon peppermint essential oil to a spray bottle. Shake and spray. Just remember, this formula is a spider repellent, not a spider killer. Watch how to prepare this in the video below:
2. Cinnamon. Sprinkle cinnamon around the perimeter of your house to prevent spiders from coming inside, as recommended by Common Sense Homesteading.
3. Minty cotton balls. Dip cotton balls in mint essential oil and place them underneath or outside your home, says Common Sense Homesteading.
4. Chestnuts. Common Sense Homesteading recommends keeping chestnuts on your windowsills to deter spiders.
5. Saltwater. Common Sense Homesteading says saltwater is an excellent spider killer. Spray a solution made from 1 gallon of warm water and 1 ounce salt directly onto spiders and spider nests.
6. White vinegar. Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar and water, and use the mixture to spray in cracks and crannies, says Natural Living Ideas.
7. Citrus peel. Rub citrus peels on baseboards, windowsills and bookshelves to prevent spiders from coming into the house. Natural Living Ideas says spiders detest citrus with such fervor that even lemon-scented furniture polish will do the trick. Watch the video to see how this works:
8. Cedar hangers. If you find spiders lurking in your closet, switch to cedar hangers, as suggested by Natural Living Ideas.
9. Tobacco. Spiders know to stay away from tobacco. To make an effective spider repellent, Oh Simply suggests mixing tobacco with water and spraying it on entrances.
10. Coconut oil. It really does cure everything, doesn’t it? Oh Simply says mixing one part coconut oil with two parts water can prevent spiders from intruding.