Every October I used to find spiders in the bathtub, behind the curtains and in every corner of the basement. They are harmless and even useful, but I would still rather they stayed outside. What changed things was not a product but a habit: once a week in the fall, I walk around the windows and doors, close the gaps they use to get in and wipe a simple peppermint spray along the edges. Many people find spiders avoid strong smells like peppermint, though the evidence is mixed, so the real work is done by sealing and tidying. Together, they make a clear difference.
What you need
- 2 cups (500 ml) water
- 15 to 20 drops peppermint essential oil
- 1/2 tsp (2 ml) liquid dish soap
- 1 spray bottle
- 1 tube and 1 roll clear silicone caulk and weatherstripping tape
- 1 vacuum with a crevice tool
How to do it
- Vacuum first. Run the crevice tool along window frames, door frames, skirting boards, behind furniture and in ceiling corners. Remove webs and egg sacs, then empty the vacuum outside.
- Check where spiders get in: gaps around window frames, the space under exterior doors, holes where pipes and cables enter the walls, torn screens. Seal small cracks with clear silicone caulk and add weatherstripping or a door sweep under doors that let light through.
- Mix the water, peppermint oil and dish soap in the spray bottle. The soap helps the oil blend into the water. Shake well before every use.
- Test the spray on a hidden spot of each surface, as oils can mark some paint and fabrics. Then lightly mist or wipe it along window sills, door thresholds and the corners where you usually find spiders. Do not spray it directly on plants, fabrics or food areas.
- Repeat the peppermint wipe once a week from September to November and after cleaning, since the smell fades in a few days.
- Outside, move firewood, leaf piles and clutter away from the walls and switch porch lights to yellow bulbs, which attract fewer of the insects spiders hunt.
Good to know
- Essential oils, including peppermint, can be harmful to cats and dogs. If you have pets, rely on sealing and vacuuming and skip the spray where they walk or sleep.
- Fewer insects inside means fewer spiders: fix leaky taps and keep food sealed.
- To move a spider out, place a glass over it, slide a card underneath and set it free outside.
- Clutter in basements and closets is a favorite hiding spot; plastic bins with lids beat cardboard boxes.
No poison, just a walk around the house each week with a spray bottle and a tube of caulk. Give it a month this fall and see how many fewer visitors you find in the tub.
