Raise your hand if you think spiders are literally the worst. You can’t see me, but my hand went shooting up lighting fast. I am 100% not a fan of spiders, but they absolutely thrive during this time of year because of the heat. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t need any spiders crawling around in #mytinybungalow. Because I’m guessing you don’t want any eight-legged creatures invading your home either, I’ve been doing some research lately on the best way to naturally keep these guys away. As much as I hate them, I don’t necessarily want to kill them, and calling pest control can get a little pricey. And store-bought repellents have all kinds of crazy chemicals in them, which frankly freak me out more than the spiders do. So what’s the alternative? Natural remedies using essential oils.
After a quick search of the interweb and talking to some essential oil enthusiast friends, there are actually several ways to go about using natural, plant-based oils to rid your house of spiders. And it’s your lucky day because I’m going to share exactly what you need to do in this post.
How To Get Rid of Spiders Using Essential Oils
Essential Oils that Act as Spider Repellent
Spiders’ taste buds are actually located on the tip of each of their legs (idk why, but this feels so weird to me?!). So this means they pick up tastes from everything they walk on. If they walk on something that doesn’t taste good, they’ll stay away. So what oils should you use to deter spiders? Here’s my best list of suggestions whether you have a couple or a whole spider infestation:
- Lemon oil
- Orange oil
- Tea tree oil
- Lavender oil
- Peppermint oil
What’s the logic behind these oils repelling spiders? Apparently they really (and I mean *really*) hate citrus, so that’s why you see lemon and orange at the top of the list, but spiders supposedly hate the taste of all of the oils listed, so that’s what makes them effective.
If you have a citrus blend you love — usually morning and/or energy blends are very citrusy — I recommend utilizing it in this situation. Or, rumor has it peppermint works pretty dang well, too, so if it’s the holiday season, or you want your house to smell like it is, it’s a good option as well. The most important thing here is to choose the oil you like the smell of most because your house will definitely carry the scent.
Homemade Spray
The next step in this process is to make your spray. I ordered up some of these cute 16 oz amber glass bottles to store my homemade repellent in. You want to choose amber because essential oils should be stored in darkness so they can retain their potency. But if you already have clear glass bottles, they’ll work too, just be sure to store your repellent (and any other concoctions you make) in a dark cupboard. You can also make a pretty label too so you’ll never forget what’s in your bottle!
All you have to do now is drop 5-10 drops of your chosen oil into your bottle, fill the rest with water and then also add a few drops of your favorite dish soap. The dish soap helps everything combine and work together because of the whole oil and water separate thing. Give the bottle a good shake and you officially have homemade, all-natural spider repellent!
To use your anti-spider spray in your home, spray it in all the usual places spiders use to enter the house — around window edges, baseboards, door creases. If you have a current infestation, I’d start by spraying a couple times a week. If you’re just trying to prevent an intrusion, go for once a week in peak season (summer months).
Diffusing Essential Oils
There are lots of therapeutic benefits to diffusing oils, but this is another good way to naturally keep the spiders away. If you already diffuse oils on a regular basis (at least one of the scents mentioned above) then you’re already doing yourself a big service by keeping those pesky spiders away.
Body Repellent
And lastly, if you’re noticing you have spider bites (probably my worst nightmare), try applying essential oils directly onto your skin before bed. Of course, make sure you’re using lemon oil, tea tree oil, peppermint oil or one of the options above. You can basically use it like lotion and just rub it into your skin like you would any other moisturizer. Just remember that they are oils and a little can go a long way! Pro tip: you can actually use essential oils to help treat and heal existing spider bites as well. Baking soda also works wonders for a spider bite; simply make a paste of baking soda and water, then add a few drops of your favorite essential oil and apply to the bite.
Another hack, especially if you’ve seen spiders lurking in your bedroom or other areas of your house, is to soak a cotton ball in one of the repelling oils and place it under your bed or in a common area for spiders to hang out like under a table or somewhere cool and dark.
And that’s it! Super simple and will actually make your house smell so good. Has anyone tried this before? I want to hear how your experience went.
