Last Updated on February 20, 2018 by Diane Hoffmaster
Spring is coming and with it comes insects of every shape and size. Knowing how to keep spiders out of the house and ants out of the kitchen is important to keep your home bug free in the spring. I feel guilty actually killing the poor defenseless things and just want them to not come inside at all! Is that too much to ask? If you want to know how to keep spiders out of the house, look no further because I have done some research! Keeping spiders out of the house, especially using this DIY spider spray, can protect you from spider bites and the sheer terror that comes with seeing a giant wolf spider!
Table of Contents
How to Keep Spiders out of the House
Clean your home:
Want to know how to keep spiders out of the house? Housework. Yes, I am sorry to say you are going to have to get out the broom and the vacuum cleaner and start tidying up the place. Spiders are coming in looking for food and shelter. If you have lots of clutter and food bits that attract ants, your home is a spider habitat! Don’t forget to organize the garage as well. My husband was bit by a wolf spider that took up residence in his sneakers on the garage floor. It was a terrifying experience for him and spider bites HURT!
Grab the vinegar:
Spiders feast on smaller insects. Those smaller insects are usually attracted to bits of food debris in your house. Cleaning your house with vinegar will get rid of the food crumbs and erase any scent trails those tiny bugs have left behind to attract their friends. Fewer ants and roaches mean fewer spiders.
Ditch the clutter:
By clutter I don’t really mean your kids soccer gear or your pile of books. Look for things like piles of paper recycling, stacks of paper bags, scrap wood in the garage, and stacks of cardboard boxes. Spiders like dark, cluttered areas so store your extra stuff in large plastic tubs or donate it to a good home. Preferably one that likes spiders. Check out these home organization ideas for some ideas on how to declutter!
Seal up the house:
Spiders are tiny so you need to seal up whatever holes you find in your home. Patch up screens in windows with a screen repair kit and caulk around doors. In order to keep spiders out of the house, you need to stop leaving their little, tiny doors open! Even the best spider repellent wont work well if your house is not sealed up properly.
Cover air vents:
Use a fine mesh to cover air vents and prevent spiders from coming inside. Allergy air vent covers are great at blocking pollen but they also keep spiders out of the house.
Examine the outside of the house:
Learning how to keep spiders out of the house will only be successful if you move them away from the outside of your house! Move stacks of logs away from the side of your home, trim the shrubs a few feet away from your siding, and remove any webs from the exterior of your home. If the outside of your house is spider-unfriendly you will attract fewer of them to your yard.
Make a natural spider spray:
Certain essential oils are great for repelling spiders. Strong scents like peppermint, citrus, and tea tree oil are great at getting ride of bugs. Making a DIY spider spray is a frugal way to get rid of spiders without exposing your family to harsh chemicals .
How to Keep Spiders out of the House: Natural DIY Spider Repellent Spray!
Natural Spider Spray
Ingredients:
15 drops of essential oil: Use a combination of peppermint, tea tree, citrus, lavender, or neem essential oil
2 to 3 drops liquid soap
2 TBSP white vinegar
water
Large spray bottle
Directions:
Add the essential oil, liquid soap, and white vinegar to a large spray bottle. Fill almost to the top with water and mix gently. Spray on surfaces like counters, walls, floors, etc to repel spiders.
How to Spider Proof Your Home
There are many ways to spider proof your home, including the tips above and the spider spray I recommended. If you are looking for more research on how to keep spiders out of the house, check out the video below!
Have any other tips on how to keep spiders out of the house?
Spiders hunt by sight and/or feel. They don’t hunt by smell. Essential oils have to be applied strong enough to irritate the joints near their ‘toes’, between the segments of their exoskeleton. That makes the applications strong enough to potentially harm pets. It’s best to keep spiders out of the house by keeping their prey out as much as possible.
I grow mints, Slender Mountain Mint, Spearmint and Peppermint. Wolf spiders hunt on the ground all through the patches. Beautiful Orb spiders build their webs all through the mint stalks. Jumping spiders jump and climb all over the mint. What are they after? Other prey that isn’t bothered by odors, wasps, bees, flutterbies (butterflies), flies and many more.