8 Natural Ways To Keep Spiders Away

I have been itching (literally) to write a post about how to keep spiders away…mostly because I find them to be creepy and ugly (not to mention walking through their webs makes my skin crawl).

Plus, just one bite from certain species of spiders can either injure you or become fatal.

However, I do recognize that they kill other bugs and are good for the environment (so they’re a sort of “necessary evil”).

As such, I’ve come to a truce with these eight-legged creatures and will therefore be instructing and practicing ways to keep spiders away and out of my home without using nasty chemicals.

Now before I start this list, I can’t in good conscience tell you how to get rid of spiders without first making sure you know how to identify dangerous ones.

True, these are great and effective methods to keep them at bay, but there’s still a chance a spider could get in regardless and (God forbid) bite you – so you need to know whether you’ve been poisoned or not.

Here’s a video to help:

8 Natural Ways to Keep Spiders Away

1 – Lavender Oil

Spiders hate the smell of lavender (especially the strong scent of the oil), which makes it a great deterrent for them. Simply drip the lavender oil around holes in the walls and areas you see them most often. You can also drip them into the water in flower vases to help increase the proximity of the smell.

2 – Turmeric

Turmeric powder is an excellent insect killer – turns out spiders are allergic to it (who knew!). Dash some throughout your garden and in your kitchen to keep the creepy crawlers at bay.

3 – Tomato Leaves

Go to your garden (or to a neighbor’s) and pick a few leaves off a tomato plant. When combined with water, they create a useful repellant for spiders.

Note: Keep the bottle in the fridge to keep it effective for weeks.

4 – Salt

Although we eat salt and don’t think twice about it, it actually kills spiders when it gets into their system. Combine salt with water and spray around spider-friendly places in your home, such as holes, cracks, windows, and vents.

5 – Lemons

Turns out spiders hate citrusy smells (yet another difference between me and the arachnids) and will do anything to get away from it. Use this to your advantage by continually using lemon-scented floor cleaners and hand soap to keep them away. You can also dry the peels, crush them into a power and then combine them with water to make a citrusy spider repellant.

6 – Vinegar

There are few things spiders hate more than vinegar (except for maybe birds). Simply add a cup of vinegar to two cups water for an excellent spider-banishing vinegar spray. Use this around points of entry, like doors and windows.

7 – Peppermint Oil

Remember how I said spiders hate citrusy smells? Well, turns out they hate peppermint too (I knew they didn’t have many redeeming qualities). Sprinkle peppermint oil around holes and cracks in walls to keep them in hiding. And maybe eat some Thin Mint girl scout cookies while you’re at it, just for good measure.

8 – Scented Candles

This is a big one – you know how I said spiders hate strong, delicious smells? Well, keeping your wife/girlfriend’s scented candles around the house will really keep them away. Use citrusy scented candles, as well as citronella, peppermint, and lavender scented ones.