Support needed - spider related

[Dontfartbackinanger]

DH away for weekend. I’m at home with 18 month old dd and the cat. Have long standing spider phobia but it’s slightjy better after hypnotherapy. It is house spiders that most scare me.

Just had put dd down for nap. She had just fallen asleep when a huge house spider crawled across the room. It left then came back. Then crawled across her books to the wall. I left to get a glass bowl and piece of card (wasn’t sure if would be brave enough to catch it but needed to keep quite cos of sleeping baby). When got back it was by the radiator and it then crawled down between the water wipes box and skirting board so I took the opportunity and squashed it between the 2. I think it’s dead. I’ve just gone to check and I’m almost 100% sure it’s dead as it was partly stuck to the water wipes box.

I know it’s silly and I’m sorry I have (hopefully) killed the spider but I’m so shaken.

I have to do bedtime in the nursery tonight as DH not back till tomorrow. I always stay with dd till she’s asleep and sometimes that takes a while so I’ll be sat in the dark on the floor. I’m so scared.

Please help anyway you can.

I really want a gin or cigarette (haven’t smoked for years) but I’m pregnant.

Main issues are:

• is it definitely dead?
• how do I cope with bedtime?

It’s dead if it’s partially stuck to the box, so you can reassure yourself there.

Do you have peppermint oil or oranges in the house? Spiders hate both, so either peppermint oil along the skirtings or orange peel in the corners where they come in would help deter them.

I can completely empathise OP, I have a really debilitating spider phobia and it’s horrific.

If all else fails and you’re too scared could you put DD in your bed for tonight?

Thank you thank you thank you. Do you really think it is dead? I want to check again but I know I should wait now. I’ll hoover it up after she’s awake if it is dead.

Does that really work though? Th peppermint. I don’t have any but could get some probably. I watched a bbc video earlier randomly (before spider) and it said the chestnuts thing is a myth.

She wouldn’t sleep in my bed but I could put the travel cot up in my room.

I hate it. It is so debilitating. My husband is frightened of heights but at least he can avoid those.

Throw a tea towel on top of it and then give it another wallop? You can get a device from Amazon that emits a high frequency noise and spiders hate it. I have one in my kitchen and it’s worked wonders!

It’s kind of at the bottom
/side of the water wipes box you see. Stuck to the side. When I checked I pushed the box against the wall again. It’s not in a walloping position and I don’t want to wake the baby.
So typical that this happens why DH away.
That device sounds good. Is it compatible with kids? I know children can hear at a higher frequency than adults.

Aye the peppermint/orange thing works. Without details we had an invasion of massive house spiders in our old house last year that had me in bits so I tried that and it worked!

So far it’s working in the new house too!

Aye if it’s stuck to the box (as in not in one piece) it’s definitely dead. X

Ok. I’ll get some peppermint! It is in one piece though I think but when I moved the box it moved with it IYSWIM. Just spoke to DH in tears. He’s helped and he thinks it’s dead too.

Thanks for sparing the details! Glad that worked for you.

I’m going to try and have a shower now. Got so sweaty from the fear and my mouth is so dry. X

It doesn’t want to hurt me. It’s scared of me. It’s probably dead. I can cope with this. Spiders help because they catch flies and things.

That’s just what my DH said. Thought it might help to write it down.

It is dead.
It can't hurt you
You don't need to do anything about it, you can ignore it until DH comes home.

Honestly if I were you I would buy some Raid in the red can. It kills on contact and also for a month sprayed in doorways etc, and is safe once dry.

FWIW I don't like killing spiders at all, but I know someone who had a similar debilitating fear. She did a spider fear course after making a holy show of herself in a boardroom. Even now she keeps a poison at home in case there's any she can't bring herself to deal with. It has put her in control of the situation and now most spiders are let out rather than squished.

I can't imagine it would have survived the squishing. I use Indorex anti flea spray every few months all through the house. I do it as I am leaving the house so any smell has gone by the time I get home. Hardly an spiders for years. And those that have made it in are usually dead by the time I see then. I feel your pain.

I really don’t like killing them either. It’s the first I’ve ever killed. I usually get DH to remove.

I will get some raid. Thanks. I didn’t know about that.

It was a tough situation cos of my baby as well. I felt I couldn’t leave her in the room with it you see.

Thanks everyone. I know it’s completeky irrational but phobias are terrifying. I think I’ll look to have more hypnotherapy I think. I’d love to just think oh look there’s a spider.

So many good tips. Thank you!

Could you hoover it up using a long attachment once the baby's awake and then it will be gone?
I'm scared of spiders and instead of using a glass and card I usually use a cup or a plastic Coloured beaker that I can't see through not being bales to see the spider makes it easier for me to remove

grow that is exactly my plan! I definitely can’t leave it there. It’s a dyson so I’ll be able to see the inside of the cylinder but I’ll try to cope with that. I can’t lesve it there.

I just hope the body is there and it is dead.

Postman? Mine once removed a very large hairy one for me.
He laughed when I asked him. He wasn't laughing when he saw it.

Had shower. Wearing shoes and non swishy clothes. Eating chocolate and v sugary tea!

Ok. Dd is awake. I’m going in. Please let it be dead.

If it is any comfort I used to be very afraid of spiders but recently I’ve realised that I’m not any more. I did the glass and card thing for the very first time last week. When I lived alone I had cats who dealt with most spiders or I hoovered them up and then sprayed fly spray into the hoover.

It was dead! Very dead. I had to use “max” suction and kind of scrape it off with end of long suction pipe thing.

Feel a tiny bit better.

1-0 to you! I have some spider spray which kills them instantly (I'm not proud of that as spiders do a lot of good) will send u a pic of it

Oh thank fuck! Well done OP!

That horrible jittery heart in throat feeling is not nice at all!

Well done! Seriously. Phobias are so debilitating but you've taken so many steps by looking for it, squashing it and then being able to do back and hoover it.