Protect your home from spiders with indoor, pet-safe spider repellents.
Spiders are beneficial insects to have in and around your home, as long as the spiders living near your home do not produce toxic bites or cause allergic reactions among human residents. Only four species of spiders in the United States pose health threats, while more than 3,500 remaining spider species simply benefit the home and humans by eating other pest insects. However, despite their beneficial qualities, the fear of spiders is a common phobia, leaving many homeowners looking for safe indoor spider repellents. Does this Spark an idea?
Ultrasonic Repellents
Ultrasonic pest repellents work effectively at repelling a wide array of animal and insect pests including bats, mice, skunks, rats, squirrels, fleas, ticks and spiders. These repellents do not include poisons, chemicals or traps, but simply rely on ultrasonic sounds to drive away pests. Ultrasonic repellents plug into indoor and outdoor electrical outlets, as well as cigarette lighters in vehicles to repel spiders and other irritating insect and animal pests. Certain brands of ultrasonic repellents may work effectively in areas and homes as large as 3,500 square feet.
Peppermint Oil
Many commercially sold, natural spider repellents include peppermint oil as the main, active ingredient. This natural, pet and child-safe repellent uses its strong odor and skin-irritating properties to keep spiders at bay. Dilute peppermint oil in water and spray the diluted oil along the interior and exterior perimeters of your home to prevent those eight-legged intruders from entering your home.
Wasabi
An experiment conducted by Justin F. Jorge, for the 2011 California State Science Fair, indicates that wasabi powder, combined with baking soda and diluted in water, is effective at repelling spiders. Isothiocyanates, produced when wasabi cells are disrupted, repel animal and insect pests by causing eye irritation. This occurs naturally when pests try to eat wasabi leaves and stems, but can also be manipulated through the use of wasabi powders and oils. Spray a wasabi blend along the perimeter of your home, especially around windows and doorways, to prevent spiders from moving in.
Bitter Melon
Jorge's experiment also included spider repellent made from bitter melon blended into a juice and mixed with water. Spiders included in Jorge's experiment were able to tolerate a peppermint-based, commercial spider repellent for four seconds longer than the bitter melon solution. This spider repellent can also be sprayed along the perimeter of your home to prevent spiders from entering your home.
Considerations
To further prevent spiders from gaining access to your home, locate and fill cracks and crevices in walls and foundations, along doors and windows and along the roofline of your home. The Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides recommends keeping your home clean and securing storage boxes to prevent spiders from taking refuge inside the home. A clean home, free of other insects, is not an appetizing home for spiders.
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