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Wednesday 8 September 2021

Spiders everyone is talking about them !


At the moment there are many articles (including this one) about spiders in newspapers, magazines and the internet. Now some of us do not mind spiders, (the one above looks quite friendly) but many of us do not like spiders in the house! If you would like to find out how to get rid of spiders in the house and how to prevent spiders from coming in, keep on reading!

The below are all natural ways to get rid of spiders that won't cause them, or you, any harm.

Most species of spider are harmless to humans but if you're one of the many people who doesn't like to share their home with any eight-legged friends – but don't want to resort to causing spiders any harm – follow these top tips for keeping arachnids at bay.

As days get shorter, leaves change colour we may begin to dream of heart-warming soups... there's little doubt that autumn is upon us. However, with this change of season comes an element that many of us find less desirable – the annual migration of spiders from our gardens to our homes.

As the spiders flee dropping temperatures and travel further afield in search of a mate, autumn represents the time of year you're most likely to encounter an eight-legged visitor scuttling around your home.

Spider Catcher
The spider catcher is a battery-operated vacuum which gently picks up the spider and allows you to take it outside without hurting it.

Essential oils
Spiders are repelled by strong scents that, happily, many of us already use as home fragrances. Peppermint oil is a particularly popular remedy, just add 15 to 20 drops of the essential oil to a spray bottle filled with water and spritz around the house. Other good options for this include tea-tree, lavender, rose and cinnamon. Changing the oil that you use regularly can help to ensure that the remedy continues to be effective.

Vinegar
Should the essential oils not work, this is another version of the same remedy. Fill a spray bottle with half white vinegar and half water and spray in corners, cracks and crevices to ward off spiders. Be careful to avoid varnished surfaces as vinegar can be somewhat harsh on their appearance.

Get cleaning
Spiders like to have places to hide and one of the best ways to prevent this is by keeping your house neat and tidy through regular tidying, cleansing and de-cluttering. Opt for plastic storage containers rather than cardboard boxes as these are harder for spiders to crawl into. Also dust and vacuum regularly to rid your house of unwanted webs.


Protect the exterior of your house
Make sure spiders don't get into your house in the first place by moving anything that they would be likely to hide in away from any exterior walls. This could include leaves, grass clippings, vegetation, compost or woodpiles. Check door openings and window sills for any cracks that spiders could crawl through and seal these with caulk. Also fix torn window screens and cover vents and chimneys with fine mesh.

Plant a eucalyptus tree in the garden
As well as being low maintenance and smelling wonderful, the strong medicinal scent will repel spiders. If you don't have room for a eucalyptus tree, you could plant mint or lavender underneath or near windows, as again the strong smell will drive spiders away.

Citrus
Spiders supposedly hate all citrus scents, so rub citrus peel along skirting boards, window sills and bookshelves. Use lemon-scented cleaners and furniture polish, and burn citronella candles both inside and outside of your home ( be safe, always take care with candles, especially if there are young children around)


Turn off your lights
While light itself doesn't attract spiders, it does attract the insects that spiders feast on so turn off the outside lights to prevent spiders coming near the house. Stop indoor lights from shining through outdoors by using opaque blinds and shades. If you do need to keep the lights on, use yellow sodium vapour lights as these are less likely to attract insects.

Conkers
Old wives' tales have it that spiders are repelled by chestnuts. While not scientifically proven to work – like a peppermint spray is – scattering a few conkers on windowsills and in the corners of rooms certainly won't do any harm and many people swear by it as a spider deterrent.
Warning! Conkers can be poisonous so please consult your vet before putting these in your home if you have pets.


Cedar
Another scent that spiders are said to detest is cedar. Hauling a cedar plant into your home isn't exactly practical, however, there are many products on offer to give this one a try. Many stores offer a range of (cedar) options to hang in wardrobes or put in drawers or corners. Sand them down every now and then to refresh the scent, what's more the woody aroma is said to repel clothes moths too.

Garlic
Known for its vampire-repelling properties, turns out spiders don't like the smell of this pungent bulb either. Depending on how strong a scent you yourself can cope with, either put whole cloves or crushed cloves into a spray bottle filled with water and use to scent the corners, floors and skirting boards of any room prone to receiving unwanted guests.


Words from the internet and article here

… and I just couldn't resist sharing this Spider Web Cake! It's a low carb, sugar free cake and could be perfect for an Autumn gathering or Halloween ...


more details here

As regular readers know, this blog brings a variety of articles, studies, thoughts, music and recipes! It is presented in a magazine style - we hope something for everyone. Our main focus is about the Low Carb Higher (Healthy) Fat lifestyle, LCHF for short, and you can read/find out more about that here

I do hope that within this post above you may find some helpful tips, and also be encouraged to get your cooking apron on and try the recipe (and others that are within the blog) … but please note, not all recipes may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

All the best Jan

42 comments:

Elephant's Child said...

We have three eucalyptus trees in the yard - and they are often festooned with spider webs. They don't seem to be bothered by that smell at all.

Lowcarb team member said...

Elephant's Child said...
We have three eucalyptus trees in the yard - and they are often festooned with spider webs. They don't seem to be bothered by that smell at all.

Hello 'EC' many thanks for your comment.
I think spiders webs are a work of art and I do like seeing them outside, so perhaps in a way the eucalyptus is working!

All the best Jan

peppylady (Dora) said...

Haven't seen spider in a while.
Coffee is on and stay safe

Lori Miller said...

I got the mail out of the box one day, when I looked down at the envelopes I was holding and saw a big spider sitting on them. So I put cedar sticks and cotton balls soaked with clover oil in the mailbox. Didn't help. Maybe brown recluses like aromatherapy! Those and black widows love dark places--put your shoes on with care if you leave them outside!

Christine said...

Thanks for these great tips!

Tom said...

...I've never had a big problem with spiders.

Debbie said...

great information...all extremely useful to me. i make spider web cupcakes for halloween, they look very similar to the cake. the kids love them!!

Hootin Anni said...

These are all great tips. Being that our area is sub-tropical, spiders are a year 'round problem.

Cute cake

Ananka said...

I love spiders so much, they are amazing creatures. I get a lot in the house and try to save them from the cats. I would feel bad letting my cats get them! I usually hold them and then put them outside. No nasty ones in Scotland! I remember at work there was a spider and a girl tried to stamp on it, I told her no! Lifted it up and put it outside.

I saw a couple today, when I was out my walk. One had its web between 2 blades of tall grass and he was sitting on it! Perfect photo op lol and was chatting away to it while trying to get a decent photo!

HappyK said...

We have some spiders around but not causing any problems. Most I see are outside.

J.P. Alexander said...

Gracias por los consejos hay que cuidar la casa sin daƱar a esos insectos. Se ve muy rica tu receta. Te mando un beso

My name is Erika. said...

Interesting post. I don't mind spiders, and I leave them to catch little bugs in the house. Of course if they were big and scary spiders, I might not. Smile.

kathyinozarks said...

great post-I would love to have a eucalyptus tree but I don't think they handle winters? I need to look that up

CJ Kennedy said...

Spiders make me sing the high notes and to do a little dance. I like the suggestion of the essential oils

sandy said...

I enjoyed this. We have spiders that get in and if they aren't the biting poisonous kind both Mike and I try to help get them back outside. Sometimes it doesn't happen though .

helpful article, thanks.

DUTA said...

My wonder agent against spiders and any other intruders is vinegar. I use white synthetic vinegar in spray bottle. It's cheap and effective.
Your spider cake looks yummy!

DVArtist said...

I personally don't mind spiders. If I see one in the house I catch it and take outside.

William Kendall said...

I've never noticed an issue with them in my building. I guess it helps that I use blackout curtains.

Pom Pom said...

Hi Jan! I'm not a big fan of spiders but I'm braver than I used to be! I do think peppermint works! Thank you!

Jeff said...

I should share this with my daughter... while a vegetarian, she detests spiders and wants me to kill them. Sometimes I do (especially black widows), but often like last night, I send them out into the yard.

Anita said...

Thank youšŸ˜ŠI dont like spiders so this is helpful tipsšŸ˜Š

handmade by amalia said...

I love that all your tips are natural and safe. Can't wait for autumn to arrive, spiders and all.
Amalia
xo

Valerie-Jael said...

The nights are getting cooler here and my first spider came to visit, but I removed it and hope it stays outside now! Valerie

Fun60 said...

I don't mind spiders and welcome them in the garden. However, the size of spiders in the house seems to have doubled over the last few years. I will try some of your suggestions.

Margaret D said...

I'm personally not that fond of spiders.
Good article you have written there.

Salty Pumpkin Studio said...

Not as many spiders this year. The jumping spider use to peek from under the patio table when I sat down. but that was early a summer.

Victor S E Moubarak said...

Is that cake likely to attract spiders?

I like the vinegar idea ... never seen a spider in a Fish & Chips Shop!

Do Eucalyptus trees survive outdoors in the UK? I'll check this idea out and buy one in a pot.

God bless.

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

Great information and post on Spiders.
The cake looks fun! Take care, enjoy your day!

Rose said...

I had heard of some of these deterrents but learned some new ones.

R's Rue said...

Great tips. Thank you for sharing šŸ¤©

Sondra said...

I love to see spiders outside, but not inside...I try to trap and release when possible...I will have to try some of your deterrent ideas. Have a great weekend.

DeniseinVA said...

Great article, I am bookmarking this. Memories of big hairy spiders on the wall of my bedroom. Scream...I was young. Dad always came in armed with an empty cereal box and a seagull's feather retrieved after being dropped in the garden. He would brush the spider into the box and take it outside to live another day. I do the same now. Consider them a friend as they are a natural way of getting rid of other unwanted pests. Of course, nowadays they are much tinier than the ones I remember, and I certainly wouldn't want a black widow or brown recluse in the house, which we never had to worry about when I was a child.

Bill said...

Thanks for the tips, I'm not a fan of spiders. :)

Ygraine said...

WOW, what a fantastic post...and definitely one for the arachnophobe like me!!
As autumn approaches each year, I become increasingly nervous! šŸ˜±
And these brilliant repellents sound like a sanity saver for me!! Lol
I have longed all my life for a non cruelty method of deterring them from coming indoors...so my most heartfelt thanks!šŸ˜ŠšŸ˜Š
Oh, and I love the cake too...will try baking one for Halloween!

Have a fabulous weekend, dear friends.

Hugs xxx

Anne (cornucopia) said...

I definitely do not like these "monsters" inside the house. But that Spider Web Cake looks great for Halloween, which is coming up soon.

Kim said...

Spiders are a big no for me!! I think it's something about all those legs...willes!!

David M. Gascoigne, said...

I don't even want to be rid of my spiders. i am really quite find of them. I remember a few years ago checking into a field camp in Colombia and being told that a tarantula had been spotted in my room. I was quite miffed that I never saw it, and it was certainly quite considerate in not bothering anyone at all.

Conniecrafter said...

I have a daddy long leg in my bathroom and I told hubby about it, he hangs out in the corner, hubby says to let him go that he keeps away the other bugs, now I don't know what to do, LOL

pam nash said...

Since spiders are supposed to bring good luck, I always try to scoop any inside up and dump them outside. If I'm fast enough, broom and dustpan; otherwise using a tissue works.

baili said...

we have such insect issues in rainy seasons
usually we use spry bought from market though i saw my mother using some of these ways to keep away insects when we move to the village
thank you for informative sharing as always

Teresa said...

No tengo miedo a las araƱas, cuando veo alguna en casa intento sacarla fuera. Besos.

Jeanie said...

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this post! They're really prevalent here now --it must be the season. And especially at the lake, though I haven't been home all that much this summer. I will use lots of these remedies!