Spiders are natures built in pest control for the planet, they kill and eat a multiple of species of harmful insects that would otherwise take over by the masses, but knowing that does not make it any easier when you see one crawling across the floor of your bedroom,walking up your wall in the middle of the afternoon, or hanging about in your shower while you’re attempting to rinse your hair (with one eye open)! Here is an easy, do it yourself spider repellent recipe that will help keep the spiders outside where they belong . . .
Some spiders in the home are completely harmless, but others- like this pretty (& rare) Black & White Black Widow Spider, can be deadly to children and those with comprised immune systems.
Although you cannot see her hourglass from this shot, I can assure you, it’s there. I took hundreds of photos of her! Around our home we’ve frequently spotted Black Widows, Brown Widows, Brown Recluse as well as a multitude of harmless garden spiders.
Homemade natural spider repellents may be applied more frequently as they do not contain harsh chemicals that are unsafe for pets or children.
You’ll Need:
5 Drops of Essential Oil (Choose One: Citrus, Tea Tree, Lavender, Cinnamon, Peppermint or Citronella)
5 drops Dawn Dishsoap or Castile Soap
1 qt Water
Combine all the ingredients in a spray bottle, cover tightly and shake well to blend. To use, apply liberally to areas where spiders have been spotted, particularly along baseboards, corners of the rooms, etc.
The mixture can be applied to a cloth and wipe along various surface such as the backs of counter tops and windowsills to deter entrance.
To deter spiders from lingering in your garden and flowerbeds, save the peelings from your citrus snacks (lemon peels, orange peels and tangerine peels), tear them into pieces and sprinkle them liberally throughout the flower beds to repel them. This trick also helps keep neighborhood cats from using your garden as a litter box.
If you’re not fond of citrus smells or do not have essential oils on hand, here is a Spicy Alternative Recipe.
You’ll Need:
1/2 c. vinegar (white or cider)
2 Tbs Hot Chili Powder
1 qt water
Combine all in a 1 quart spray bottle (available at the dollar store), tighten the cover and shake well to combine. Spray directly on existing webs and areas the spiders have recently been spotted. Keep this mixture away from pets as will irritate their sensitive noses.
Big Batch- How to Repel Spiders from the Lawn & Garden
Bring 1 Gallon of water to a boil, add an entire package of cheapie (no-name brand) pipe or chewing tobacco, immediately turn it off and then let it soak until the water completely cools.
Strain it carefully into a clean container. To apply it to the entire yard, place 1 c. of the “Tobacco” juice in a hose end sprayer, add 1/2 cup of cheap lemon dish soap (such as Joy) and attach the garden hose. Spray the yard and garden liberally to repel spiders, mosquitoes and other nasties.
View Additional Natural Spider Repellent Recipes & Tips:
great article! i was particularly happy to see a couple of remedies instead of just the one. essential oils are sooooo expensive…sometimes you really do need an alternative.
i am experiencing a great deal of spiders, and like you said, they have a job—–outside!
i am looking forward to helping them stay on track!!!!
thank you very much! i have never seen so many different kinds of spiders and bugs in one location in all my life. will be getting these ingredients today and going to work.
years ago i worked at a pool company. shipments of supplies came in from all over the country…and along with came the spiders!:-( blehh! would have been nice to have this recipe back then.
my son is currently in ok.. he has seen black widows so far.. he has been told there are brown recluse also.
so i will definitely let him know of this ..
thank you!!
thank you, life here in kentucky is wonderful, full of natures bounty in plants, trees, animals, birds and probably every spider and mosquito known to man. i will definitely be trying these recipes.
last summer i killed well over 20 brown recluses! I will definitely give some of these repellents (probably multiple ones) a try! Love living in rural Arkansas, but between the spiders, ants and now mice nature is invading my space.
this is awesome! i put the hop pepper mix on the fence where the neighbors dogs stand up and bark at me. after application, the first dog hopped up and quickly hopped away, the second had to try twice to get the hint.
good to have several alternatives. i am in ky and we sometimes go through many brands of repellant before we find one that works. this will be a much cheaper alternative and safer for our pets.
was wondering if you have to dry the citrus peels before putting them in the garden or not
Could you label the photos so we know what each of the spiders are?
FYI- the ‘repellent’ in the tobacco water is nicotine. It is poisonous to humans and pets in higher doses, so take care. In many commercial strays you will see neonicotinoid.
That is like the nicotine.
I’d like to know if this worked for any of you who tried it. I heard a lot of buzz about peppermint but I’ve seen spider webs on my peppermint plants so I’d rather wait and see if it is working for others before forking over the money for the oil. The other question I have is how often have you found you need to reapply?
I learned a trick for stopping spiders and wasps in their tracks, I use aqua net hairspray. Just spray the offender, wait a second for him to stiffen up and then sweep it up or vacuum him up. I also add peppermint essential oil to my floor cleaning solution which helps deter them from visiting the house.
Do watch the use of vinegar when spraying plants. the pH level in vinegar can cause some plants harm. The citrus oil and peppermint oil solutions are safest for use around plants.