Picture this: It's been a long, tiring day, and all you want is to get some quality sleep when suddenly, you feel a creepy sensation of a bug crawling on your skin! You jump out of bed and immediately turn on the lights. You edge ever closer to the bed, the level of apprehension growing. Holy smokes! A long-legged skinny creature sits there, staring at you.
Finding a spider in your bed at night can be scary! Though their creepy looks will freak many out, please note that these creatures are mainly harmless! Actually, they avoid humans by all means, and you can be sure that the spider didn't come to get you.
Spider bites are extremely rare! But that does not mean that you should let the creepy invader ruin your night. Perhaps you have run out of repellents and are now wondering, does Vicks keep spiders away? Yes. You can use Vicks as an economical and effective spider repellent.
How Does Vicks Keep Spiders Away?
Vicks is a vapor rub manufactured by a U. S based company, Procter & Gamble. This over-the-counter topical ointment is essentially created to suppress colds and coughs while also relieving minor muscle and joint aches.
Vicks vapor rub contains three active ingredients camphor, eucalyptus, and menthol. If you know anything about eucalyptus, its that it features a sharp camphoraceous smell with hints of citrus and mint. Although humans find this smell especially pleasing, spiders can't stand it!
Spiders also dislike the smells exuded by most essential oils. More specifically, the smell of menthol is too intense for the pesky pests! Homeowners can take advantage of the strong odor released by Vicks to keep spiders away.
Remember that though Vicks can keep spiders away, it is not a reliable method to exterminate an entire spider infestation. So, you will need to contact a pest control expert if you have a spider infestation in your home.
How To Use Vicks To Keep Spiders Away?
Vicks VapoRub is an extremely versatile product. Besides using it to keep spiders away, Vicks can also relieve itching from bug bites, for instance, mosquito bites.
Use Vicks in the following ways to keep spiders away effectively:
- Apply small dabs of the topical on your ankles, neck, knees, inner elbows, and behind the ears. Rub gently on the area. Please note that you don't have to apply it all over. The strong odor will repel spiders and keep them away.
- Use Vicks as an effective DIY method to keep spiders away from your clothes. You can achieve this by applying small dabs to the corners of your wardrobe.
- Use Vicks to keep spiders away from your bedroom and bed by applying the product on your bedroom walls, corners, and under the bed (specifically at the sides of the bedsheet). The strong menthol odor will make the spider release itself and keep off that area for good!
Why Do Spiders Get Into My House?
Spiders can try to turn your home into theirs for many reasons. And because you would rather prevent a spider invasion than cure it, it's imperative that you know why spiders get into your house. This way, you will figure out the best measures to take to keep the three-legged creatures away.
The are many factors in your home that can invite spiders inside, the most obvious-but not so obvious being:
- Clutter: Spiders are so good at hiding! The presence of clutter, including books, magazines, and other unused items in your house, offers them more hideouts to make homes and raise their young ones.
- Insects: Spiders are carnivorous, feeding on insects like crickets, roaches, flies, mosquitoes, ants, fleas, and more. If your house is harboring a smorgasbord of insects, spiders will keep finding ways to attend the feast.
- Stagnant water: Spiders can live for a surprisingly long time without water. But, they need to drink water at least once every few days to stay alive. If your home offers a ready source of water, for instance, leaking faucets, spiders will invade.
- Easy entry points: Cracked walls and gaps around windows, doors, and pipes allow spiders seeking shelter to crawl into your house.
How Did Spiders Get In My House?
Perhaps you have seen spiders in your home and are confused about how they got in? There is a good chance that spiders are making regular visits to your home via the following entry points:
- The most obvious spider entry point is through open doors and windows.
- Cracks and gaps around the foundation
- Holes around piping and air vents
- Spiders can also hitchhike by stowing away in objects being brought into the house, like new boxes, firewood, camping equipment, and toys coming from the yard.
Where Do Spiders Hide In and Out Of The House?
There are different spider species, each of which prefers to hide in different environments:
- Some species are attracted to moisture. You will mostly find them hiding in the damp areas in the house, like basements and crawl spaces.
- Some common house spiders spend their entire lives indoors. They prefer the drier, quiet, and hidden areas like attics, vents, and upper corners of rooms.
- Because spiders try to avoid human contact as much as possible, you will often find them hiding in places with lots of clutter, storage areas, garages, sheds, and forested places.
How To Keep Spiders Away From Your House
Because spiders are more beneficial than harmful, experts advise humanely keeping them away without killing or exterminating them.
You can effectively keep spiders away in the following humane ways:
- Seal up all the potential spider entry points mentioned above. You can use mesh screens on air vents and caulk/steel in gaps such as where pipes enter the house.
- Ensure doors and windows close properly. Inspect weather stripping and screens to replace worn ones.
- Be extra vigilant and thoroughly inspect all items before introducing them into the safe confines of your home.
- Vacuum your home thoroughly and regularly to eliminate clutter and keep away insects altogether.
- Get rid of spider-hiding spots discussed above, including books, magazines, and unused boxes.
- Consider professional pest control services to get rid of spider populations in and around your home.
What Can I Spray On My Porch To Keep Spiders Away?
Spiders can take shelter on your porch for many reasons. For instance, if there are flies and other bugs, spiders will spin tons of webs to catch insects to feed on. The best way to reclaim your porch from these non-aggressive invaders is by spraying vinegar or peppermint.
Our creepy friends totally dislike peppermint. Prepare a spray by mixing peppermint essential oil with water in a spray bottle. Generously spray the solution in places where spiders frequent for effective spider control results.
Alternatively, you can keep spiders away from your porch by mixing an equal amount of vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray the spider repellent directly on spots where spiders like to hang out. Vinegar will keep spiders away by repelling them.
How To Keep Spiders Out OF Bed While You Sleep
When it comes to keeping spiders out of your bedroom, you have many options. Firstly, you can seek help from a professional pest control company, and they'll do all the dirty work for you.
Alternatively, you can go the DIY way. There are many simple yet effective ways to keep spiders out of your bed. Below are the best ways to get rid of spiders in bed:
Don't Put Stuff Under Your Bed.
Spiders like dirty and untidy environments. Putting things like boxes, books, and shoes under the bed provides them with enough hideouts.
Raise Your Bed From The Floor
You can use bed risers to increase the distance between your bed and the floor, making it hard for spiders to climb on the bed. Ensure the bed is not pushed into a corner, as it makes it quite easy for spiders to get into your bed sheets from the cracks in the walls.
Do Not Eat In Bed
The high chances are that you will leave food crumbs in your bed. Food crumbs attract bugs like cockroaches, ants, and flies. This insect will eventually attract spiders to your bed. So unless it's very necessary, for instance when you're sick, eating in your bed is a bad idea.
Wash Your Bed Sheets Regularly
The best way to get rid of spiders in bed sheets is by washing them regularly (once every 7 days). Remember that even though you do not eat in bed, your sheets will be dirty with grime and dead skin cells, which roaches love! For the best results, wash the sheets using tea tree oil or other essential oils that act as natural insect repellents.
How To Naturally Get Rid Of Spiders From Your House
Peppermint Oil
Peppermint oil is a cost-efficient way to get spiders out of your house. This natural and effective insecticide delivers a one-two punch as it also repels other invasive pests. You can prepare a spray by mixing equal amounts of peppermint oil and water in a spray bottle and treating places where spiders frequent.
Citrus Scented Candles
Spiders extremely hate the smell of citrus and will not get close to places with citrus odor. Your best option is to burn a citrus-scented candle and keep spiders away while also promoting a pleasant smell in your house.
Vinegar
Vinegar acts as a natural, safe, and effective insecticide. Vinegar contains highly volatile acetic acid that repels and kills spiders. Mix vinegar with water and spray the solution around your house while paying keen attention to the dark corners.
Does Vinegar Get Rid Of Spider Eggs?
Vinegar works wonders when getting rid of spiders and spider eggs. If you want to eliminate spider eggs fast, prepare a solution of equal parts of water and apple cider vinegar. Spray directly and close enough to the fragile spider eggs to break down their sacs and kill them.
Do Dryer Sheets Keep Spiders Away?
Dryer sheets generally contain many ingredients, including linalool commonly found in many plants like lavender and coriander. This ingredient naturally repels most bugs, including spiders, weevils, and German roaches.
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