In the US, around 5% of people have a fear of spiders. Even the ones that don’t usually find them uncomfortable to look at!

It’s even worse when they invade the home. In northern Virginia, there are certain times of the year that see a sudden movement of spiders getting comfortable inside.

Removing them can be difficult, especially if you don’t want to kill them. The best thing to do is be preventative and keep spiders out of your home before they ever move in.

This is how to prevent spiders in your house.

1. Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil is a great method of spider prevention that’s completely natural!

By mixing peppermint oil with water and spraying it in the places you tend to see spiders, they’ll stay away. There’s a lot of speculation about why this is, but the truth is, no one knows.

It may just be because they have a strong odor.

You can also get a peppermint plant to keep in the corner where you sometimes see spiders. This should effectively keep them out. 

2. Cover Gaps

Spiders don’t magically appear inside of your house. Even the common house spiders had to get in somehow.

You can prevent spider infestations by sealing up the cracks. If there’s a crack in the wall or a gap in the door or window, you should fill them. 

Spiders can get through tiny gaps, but by filling the ones you can see, you’ll make it harder for them to come inside.

3. Clear Clutter

Most spiders like small corners and spaces they can hide in. Spiders don’t like to be out in the open, as this puts them in danger.

Good spider prevention is clearing clutter, to give them fewer small spaces to hide in. You should also clean the house thoroughly, which gives them fewer attractants to come towards in the first place.

Sometimes, a good deep clean and tidy is all your house really needs to keep the spiders away.

4. Citrus

If you don’t have peppermint and need something in a pinch to spray, citrus is a great option. It’s another thing that there’s plenty of evidence spiders don’t like.

Put some drops of lemon or orange juice in a spray bottle with some water and lightly spray it all over the house. Make sure to target the corners you see spiders or spaces where you think they might be coming in.

This is a nice, safe way to keep spiders out that doesn’t harm them at all.

This Is How to Prevent Spiders

If you do even one of these things in your northern Virginia home, you’ll significantly reduce the number of spiders in your house. If you do a couple in combination “” such as reducing clutter and spraying some citrus “” you’ll see hardly any spiders at all.

Spiders are not common pests that infest homes, but they can be a nuisance to see. If you are having pest control issues and need some help, contact us at Planet Friendly Pest Control today! We’re locally owned, customer-focused, and will do our best to help you.