Tips for keeping spiders away from your home.

I'll start by admitting that I have an irrational fear of clowns and spiders.  I'm S.O.L. with the clown thing, but I've researched ways to keep spiders away this spring and summer.

Here's some background on my spider fear:

I'm sitting in the passenger seat of my boyfriend's car. We are driving on the highway when a spider lowers itself from the visor and I PANIC!  I jump up onto the seat and scream, "Get it! Get it! Get the spider!"  My boyfriend reaches over and squishes it in his hand.  I knew that my reaction was dangerous, but that is how intense my fear is.

Just yesterday, I was driving home from the grocery store and I saw a huge furry black spider hanging on to the hood of my car.  It creeped up onto my windshield but there was nothing I could do because I was driving.  By the time I got home, it had crawled underneath my windshield wipers.

For me, there is only one thing worse than finding a spider, and that's losing it.  I proceeded to take my groceries inside, with caution, only to find another spider in my pantry.  Because my fear for spiders is so strong, that was all I could think about for the rest of the day!  I thought to myself, "I could keep my windows closed and hide under the covers for the rest of my life or I could "spiderize" my home."  I may have just made up a new word...

Being diligent about keeping things clean is key, but if that's not working, here are some tips to keeping spiders outside:

  • Yahoo says that spiders hate peppermint oil. “It’s as easy as placing a couple drops on a cotton ball in strategic areas around the home and refresh the cotton balls as needed.”
  • My mom used to place horse chestnuts around the house and I thought she was crazy, but apparently it works!  WikiHow says, "The seeds of the horse chestnut tree, also called 'conkers,' have been used as spider repellents for ages.  Change out the horse chestnuts every other week to prevent them from rotting and causing more problems."
  • "Burn cinnamon scented candles or cinnamon oil in an oil burner." - WikiHow.  Who doesn't like the smell of cinnamon?!
  • Natural Living says to use vinegar, but I HATE the smell of vinegar.  If you can stand it, it works!  "Repelling spiders with vinegar is much like repelling them with peppermint oil, in that you fill a spray bottle with vinegar and water, and spray all the cracks and crevices around your home."
  • My mom used to buy the lemon scented furniture polish on purpose and now I know why.  "Rubbing citrus peels on areas where spiders are known to frequent, like baseboards, windowsills and bookshelves, is a great way to keep them from coming around." - Natural Living
  • Spiders enjoy ladybugs, so try to keep them out of your home.  Please don't kill them :)  - My memory.
  • My cat chases and kills spiders so if you're thinking about (hopefully adopting) a cat, now's the time!
Spiders are very important for our ecosystem, but you can try these tips to keep them out of your home.
Photo By: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Photo By: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
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So creeped out that I couldn't even use a picture of a real spider.

 

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