Even though most spiders are harmless to humans, a lot of people still recoil in fear when they see one. Most people don’t want the creepy little critters scurrying around their home. Of course, you can buy bugspray that will kill spiders and insects. But what can you do if you don’t want to use chemical pesticides? Here are ten natural ways to keep spiders out of your home.

1. Clean up the Clutter

Step one to eliminate spiders from your home is not giving them anywhere to hide. Spiders love to find places they can crawl into and hide away in. Then, they come scuttling our when you are least expecting it. Keep your home clean and clutter free. Then, spiders won’t spin their webs and make your home their home.

2. Tidy Up the Yard

You don’t want spiders camping out on the perimeter of your home either. If you allow them to, it’s only a short walk through an open door or a crack in the wall, and they are in your home. Remove any clutter that is piled up against the wall of your home and cut back any vegetation. If you create a spider-free zone around your home, it will reduce the number of spiders that come inside.

3. Fill in Any Gaps

The best way to keep spiders out of your home is to not give them a route in. Spiders will usually stay outdoors. But in the fall, when it’s time for spiders to mate, the male spiders will come indoors looking for a female. If you have any cracks in the external walls or gaps around pipes, that’s an open invitation for spiders to wander in. Go around your home and fill in cracks and plug any holes. Fit draught excluders to your doors as well, so that spiders can’t crawl in underneath the doors.

4. Buy an Ultrasonic Spider Repellent Device

Ultrasonic pest repellents are non-toxic, safe, and they work. They emit a very high-frequency ultrasound that will deter insects and other pests. You won’t be able to hear the sound, and it won’t affect pets either. The spiders and other bugs, though, will beat a hasty retreat to get away from the high-frequency noise.

5. Get a Cat

A more natural way to rid your home of the eight-legged pest is to get a cat. A cat may not be able to catch all the spiders in your home, but it will chase those that it sees. If a cat catches a spider, the arachnid’s end will not be a pleasant one, but it will dispose of the little beastie for you.

6. Peppermint Oil

Spiders hate the smell of peppermint. Spiders smell and taste things through organs on their legs. They will avoid walking over areas that smell of peppermint. To take advantage of spider’s dislike of mint, mix a few drops of peppermint oil with water. Spray that around the perimeter of your home and around the door; this will create a no-go zone that spiders won’t want to cross.

7. Citrus Fruits

Spiders also dislike the smell of citrus fruits. If you rub some orange peel around your windows and doors, it will make spiders think twice about coming in. You can also use citrus essential oils in a spray or in a diffuser to stop spiders coming into your home.

8. Cedar

Spiders aren’t too keen on the smell of cedar either. If you spread some cedar mulch around the perimeter of your home, spiders won’t cross over it. You can also use cedar essential oil inside and outside your home to repel spiders.

9. White Vinegar

Vinegar will help stop spiders creeping into your home. This is because spiders dislike acetic acid as much as they dislike citric acid. Spray a mixture of equal parts of water and white vinegar around the areas where spiders might get in your home. Spray it into corners where they might spin a web as well. If you want to disguise the smell of the vinegar, mix in a few drops of lemon essential oil. That will make your spider repellent smell fresher. It will also boost the spider repelling power of the spray.

10. Chestnuts?

A lot of people believe that chestnuts will keep spiders out of the home. That’s why you will sometimes see a row of chestnuts along a window ledge. There is no scientific evidence to explain why this might work. Even so, there is more than enough anecdotal evidence to make it worth trying. After all, it wouldn’t be the first old wives’ tale that turned out to be true.

Conclusion

Although many people have a fear of spiders, most spiders are harmless to humans. In fact, more people die every year from bee and wasp stings than from spider bites. Even so, that doesn’t mean that you want spiders in your home. The above tips will keep spiders and insects out of your home without using toxic pesticides.   That’s good news for the environment and great news for the arachnophobes.

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