No one likes spiders invading their houses especially if they are making nests, hiding in your clothes, and leaving their droppings all around.
The good news is that there are many natural, effective alternatives to pesticides and spider bombs to eliminate these pests.
One popular method is to use eucalyptus essential oil.
But does eucalyptus really repel spiders? Let’s find out.
Does Eucalyptus Repel Spiders?
Believe it or not, the strong scent of eucalyptus essential oil really does work as a natural spider repellent.
For those that understand how beneficial spiders can be, using a natural remedy like this is perfect.
It can keep spiders out of certain areas without killing them and is a safe, natural product.
How to Use Eucalyptus to Repel Spiders
Eucalyptus is a popular ingredient in many health products.
In addition, eucalyptus plants are often grown indoors for their pleasant scent.
However, you can use the essential oil as an effective means to repel spider populations.
Here are a few popular methods.
Eucalyptus Repellent Spray
One popular repellent spray recipe is as follows:
- Water (6 ounces)
- Vodka (1/3 ounce or 10 ml)
- Eucalyptus Oil (5 drops)
- Lavender Oil (5 drops)
Add all ingredients into a spray bottle and shake to mix.
To use, simply spray the solution anywhere you’ve seen spiders or spider babies.
Long-Lasting Eucalyptus Repellent
Alternatively, you can use full eucalyptus leaves if you own a plant.
Just place the leaves around your furniture or in the cupboards to prevent the spiders from making webs inside.
If you don’t have access to the leaves, you can soak cotton balls in the essential oil and place those instead.
Other Ingredients to Mix with Eucalyptus
There are a lot of natural ingredients out there you can mix with eucalyptus oil to create your own custom spray.
Here are a few of the most popular options.
Citrus Oils
Spiders hate anything with a citrus scent.
This includes citronella, lemongrass, and actual citrus oils or zest.
Of these, citronella essential oil is probably the one you’re most familiar with.
Related: Does Lemon Juice Kill Fleas?
Lavender
As implied by the previous spray recipe, lavender is an excellent spider repellent.
Lavender essential oil has a strong odor that’s great for us but intolerable to many creepy crawlies.
Since lavender is known to help you sleep better, try using it to keep spiders away from you bed.
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Peppermint Oil
Peppermint essential oil is a wonderful and effective spider repellent.
You can buy the peppermint oil online or from many stores.
It can be used in sprays to repel various insects like wasps and mosquitoes in addition to spiders.
Best of all, eucalyptus is a member of the mint family and works great with its relatives.
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Tea Tree Oil
This is a popular essential oil for aromatherapy, but a few drops of tea tree oil will also repel a number of critters, including all species of spider.
Just be warned that tea tree oil is toxic to pets, so use it responsibly.
White Vinegar
You can make a powerful spray base by mixing a cup or water with a cup of white vinegar.
Add in any essential oils you’d like (citrus and eucalyptus are both great choices) for a pleasant scent that keeps spiders at bay.
See Also: Will Diatomaceous Earth Repel Black Widows?
What if You Want to Kill Spiders?
Let’s say you’re dealing with a brown recluse or black widow, the only two venomous spider species in the US.
In such cases, use your eucalyptus to avoid spider bites while laying down a death trap for any fleeing spiders.
Here are three great options.
Borax
Borax can be a really effective method that can be used to eliminate many types of house spiders.
You can simply sprinkle the borax powder in areas you’ve seen them.
However, you must be careful while using borax since it can be harmful to people and pets if consumed.
Ensure that the powder is not within the reach of children or pets present at your home.
- Add to laundry to help remove tough stains, deodorize and freshen
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- Removes soap scum, hard water deposits, and dirt
Diatomaceous Earth
This sure-fire insect and arachnid killer is both all-natural and non-toxic.
Food-grade diatomaceous earth is made from the crushed fossil shells of microscopic diatoms.
Simply sprinkle it anywhere you’ve seen a couple of spiders and it’ll lacerate them when they walk across it, causing them to die soon after.
Glue Traps
Out of all the above-mentioned home remedies, you’re probably most familiar with the humble glue trap.
This effective alternative to chemicals is simply a strip of paper or cardboard with an adhesive on one side.
You can either buy them commercially or make your own with honey or another slow-drying sticky substance.
Plant them where you suspect a spider infestation and it’ll not only catch any spiders, but also insects that will attract the arachnids to their doom.
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Very interesting articles…Thank you for the info!! I will try your spider repellent ‘recipe’ made with Eucalyptus since it is such a nice smell. My basement will be the ideal space to test this approach out to repel them due to the fact that spiders love the environment down there (I think my basement has mostly cellar spiders & wolf spiders) I will hopefully figure out how often to re-apply the mixture around the entire area to be sure it is effective.
Hi
I am curious to see if it worked for you?
I have bought some Eucalyptus oil today to see for myself as well. I might get a peppermint oil to throw in the mix to have stronger effect.