How To Repel Spiders Naturally

There are few things I hate on earth more than spiders.  Knowing that they are looking at me with 8 eyes is enough to give me the creepy creepers!!  I hate having any spider in my house, but especially poisonous ones!  The above picture is a brown recluse.  The brown recluse and I go way back.  As a girl I was bit by one in the leg and had the poison cut out by the doctor - a memory I don't think I'll forget anytime soon.  This past May, brown recluses were so bad in my home that I was finding 2 or 3 a day!  I knew I had to do something, and I didn't want to expose my home to toxic chemicals.

I will stop and say that I'm thankful that brown recluses are "reclusive";  they are afraid of humans and would rather stay out of our way.  I've read of a "banana" spider in Brazil that is very poisonous, aggressive, and territorial - yikes!  Even though brown recluses are shy and try to stay out of your way, I certainly don't want them around!

In my research, I found an easy spray that repels spiders, and kills them if you spray them directly.  I sprayed this spray on a brown recluse and watched it die on my wall.  Now, I will admit that I didn't spray it just once, but before you think I simply drowned the spider, I've tried spraying a spider several times with water and it did not kill it.

Here's the simple recipe:

2 tsp. Peppermint Oil

1 cup of water

Directions:

Pour peppermint oil and water into spray bottle and shake well.  Spray directly on spiders, as well as around windows, doors, edges of the room, etc.  It is important to use this larger amount of oil per water.

Spiders hate peppermint oil and will try to find another home.  I saw a definite decrease in spiders after starting this spray.  

Other useful hints to get rid of spiders:

• Place Catchmaster Traps in corners of the rooms and under furniture.  I've caught several spiders this way.
• Have lighter-colored walls and floors
• Reduce clutter - spiders love things under beds and corners of the rooms.  You will for sure find spiders in a cluttered home.
• Clean and dust on a regular basis

Not only is it possible to repel spiders without toxic chemicals, your house will smell like Christmas in July. :)   Do you have successful ways you repel spiders naturally?

 This is linked to:
Raising Arrows   The Modest Mom   A Mama's Story   What Joy Is Mine   The Better Mom
Growing Home    Time-Warp Wife    Far Above Rubies 
Women Living Well    Raising Homemakers    Deep Roots At Home    A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
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