
No one wants to share their home with spiders. If you’ve spotted more than your fair share of spiders lately, you may realize you have a spider infestation on your hands. In this case, we recommend you call an exterminator in Nashville to get to the bottom of the problem fast, but there are some things you can try on your own before you place the call.
Here are some DIY spider control tips to try at home.
Do a Deep Clean of the House
Clearing those cobwebs will go a long way towards reducing the spider population in your home. Clean every corner of the house to get rid of them, but don’t stop there. Declutter each room so they have fewer places to hide. Doing this on a regular basis will discourage spiders from making webs in out-of-the-way places.
Remove Food Sources
Spiders often get into your home through the most innocent of means, such as on your fruits and vegetables, in your luggage and inside packaging. Carefully inspect plants that you bring into your home, as spiders like to hide in the leaves. Wash your fruits and vegetables before eating, as spiders can hitch rides in lettuce and other produce items undetected.
Wipe down trash cans and stove tops, and clean your garbage disposal. Sweep crumbs from under tables and keep the counters clean. Also, be sure to stay on top of other pest removal practices, as spiders rely on other pests as food sources, and they actually are the food source for many larger pests.
Apply Peppermint Oil
Spiders don’t like the smell of peppermint. Place 15 drops of peppermint oil and water in a spray bottle. Spritz it on furniture, in closets, and in corners of your house where spiders tend to hide. Add some drops of to a cotton ball and leave them in corners where you always seem to spot spiders. Bonus: your house will smell great.
Hide Chestnuts
Spiders also don’t like the smell of chestnuts. Put them in basements and attics, and on windowsills and door frames. Chestnuts may be a better choice than peppermint oil if you don’t want residue left behind.
Use Cedar
Cedar is another natural spider repellent. Use cedar hangers in your closet or store your clothing in a cedar chest. You may also want to place cedar blocks inside your drawers and dressers.
Try a DIY Spray
In a spray bottle, place a half cup water, half cup vinegar, two tbsp. of liquid dish soap, and 20 or so drops of thyme oil. This mixture will prevent spiders from attaching their silk webs to any sprayed surfaces, says Better Homes and Gardens.
Or, you can try mixing water and liquid dish soap, which is known to disturb spiders’ egg cycles. Choose lemon, orange or lime scents, as spiders don’t like those in particular.
Play Some Music
Sounds ward off spiders, so blast some music while you’re cleaning or cooking. Because spiders have poor eyesight, they rely on vibrations to detect their next meals. Thus, the vibrations from music interfere with their ability to know when it’s chow time, and they will move to a quieter area.
If none of these remedies works, you will have to call in the experts. They are trained in the methods and techniques with the highest rates of success for spider removal.
Contact Professional Spider Treatment Specialist in Nashville, TN
If you have had no luck with your DIY attempts at spider control, make the call to our Nashville pest control technicians at 615-502-2855 for your get free quote.