Bellingham — As winter weather is just around the corner, creepy crawling critters will be looking for warmth and, unfortunately, sneaking into your home.
Most spiders in Washington are not poisonous, although knowing how to identify spiders and how to treat venomous bites can be lifesaving.
But how can you keep your home spider-free?
There are a few tips and tricks you can use to deter spiders and make your home less appealing, or to keep them out of your house.
Tips to keep spiders out of your house
The types of spiders in your home are likely different than those found in your garden, according to Washington State University’s Plant and Insect Diagnostic Laboratory, but there are a few ways the laboratory suggests dealing with spiders inside your home:
- Vacuuming or trapping spiders on glue traps can reduce their population in your home, and should be repeated as necessary.
- Seal up points of entry into your home that spiders can use, such as windows, doors and garage doors.
- Use a fogger or bug bomb to kill pests and spiders, and prevent them from coming back into your home.
The Farmers’ Almanac offers a few natural repellents and easy ways you can deter spiders from your home:
- Use white vinegar around your home, as the strong smell repels spiders. Mix equal parts of vinegar and water to then spray around your home. Avoid using it in small, enclosed spaces with less airflow due to the smell.
- Citrus is another natural repellent as spiders dislike the smell as much as white vinegar. Keep citrus fruits on your counter, rub used citrus peels on your windowsills and doorways, or soak peels in vinegar to then put in a spray bottle with water as a repellent spray that is less pungent than vinegar in your home.
- Spiders also hate the smell of mint. You can mix mint essential oils with water to spray around your home. You can also crush mint leaves to place in pouches or use mint tea bags around your home to repel spiders.
- Cedar repels insects and bugs including spiders. The almanac suggests placing cedar chips or blocks inside or outside of your home to repel spiders.
- Horse chestnuts are also known for deterring spiders, so placing a few chestnuts near windowsills or baseboards can help keep them away.
- Clean your home and keep it tidy, as spiders are attracted to dusty, dark and cluttered spaces.
- Some landscaping invite spiders inside your home. Avoid large plants near your home, as well as wood piles, leaves and weeds.
- Seal your home from any spiders and bugs by caulking walls and adding weather stripping to doors with gaps.
Here are a few tips from MasterClass, an online streaming service that offers professional instructional videos:
- Dirty dishes and food crumbs attract spiders, so keep your kitchen clean.
- Plant spider-repellent plants such as mint, eucalyptus, lavender and citronella.
- Remove spider webs regularly by dusting.
- Turn off outdoor lights, as they attract insects that spiders eat and can attract more spiders to your home.
- Make a natural repellent spray to use around your home by mixing equal parts or lemon juice and water or white vinegar and water in a spray bottle.
