We have a lot of spiders here in the Sacramento area, especially up here in the Roseville/Rocklin region, where we have a combination of warm weather, access to nature, and just the right amount of urban regions to make our houses desirable to basically every type of spider.
There are a lot of pests here that warrant pest control solutions. But most of the time, when someone calls for pest control, it’s because they’ve seen a lot of spiders or they want to make sure they avoid spiders in the future. It’s understandable. Spiders can feel scary.
Some homeowners try to take spider control into their own hands, using natural spider repellents in order to avoid pesticides and the idea of chemicals in their home. But the problem is that natural spider repellents do not exist – at least, not in a way that is meaningful or worth attempting.
Why Do So Many People Believe in Natural Spider Repellents?
Many companies try to sell people on the idea of natural solutions for spiders and other pests, such as:
- Peppermint Oil
- Eucalyptus Oil
- Tea Tree Oil
- Cinnamon
- Vinegar
- Garlic
Some people also use things like wasabi and bitter melon to repel spiders. The great news for homeowners is that these natural spider repellents are essentially completely safe for people and pets as long as they’re not ingested. The bad news is that they don’t work.
The idea of avoiding pesticides and using natural spider repellents can feel exciting. You’re doing something “natural,” which makes it feel safer and better for the environment. The problem is that the reason we don’t use these products in the pest control world is not that they’re natural, but that they don’t work at all. In addition, most of the pesticides we use ARE natural, just not in a way that people often think. More on that in a moment.
The reason that these products have caught on is because they do “repel” spiders in a very broad sense. Spiders have a sense of smell. If you put a lot of something powerful smelling, like peppermint oil, in front of a spider the spider is likely to find it unpleasant and move away. But the smell doesn’t hurt the spider, nor is the spider afraid of it, and most of these scents lose their smell in a few hours or days.
Unless you plan on putting a product like eucalyptus oil over every inch of your house every single day, you’re not going to repel spiders. You’re just going to make your home smell very odd. Also, contrary to popular belief, these natural oils are not “safe.” Tea tree oil is toxic when swallowed, and eucalyptus oil can be fatal for pets when swallowed. Just because something is natural doesn’t mean it is safe.
Most Pest Control IS Natural
There was a time when most pest control was made up of instant death chemicals. That’s not the pest control of today. There are different solutions, each with differing levels of toxicity, but the vast majority of ongoing pest control is made up of extracts from chrysanthemums. Most of the time, when you’re getting pest control, you’re getting one of the most natural solutions you can get – a component of a flower. Sometimes it’s man made, but it’s always the same component. And this solution, unlike scented oils, lasts for months and actually kills any pests that walk over it.
You Can Try Natural Spider Repellents, But You Probably Shouldn’t
Scented oils and other natural spider repellents are a very effective way to upset a pet spider that you keep in a jar. But if you’re looking for long term pest control, it is just not that effective. For more effective pest control in the Sacramento region, contact Adapt Pest Management.
