Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Flip

Original poster

how to keep spiders out of the house

25 replies

marshymy · 10/09/2019 08:21

I've recently become single, never lived on my own before and i'm coping well generally BUT i can not cope with this sudden influx of spiders!!

Yesterday there was a huge one on my living room wall, i opened my front door and there was another huge one on the door!! I know it's pathetic but i just freeze when i see them. My neighbour came round and removed them for me but i can't keep asking him to do this.

This morning i came downstairs and there's another huge one in my sink, i can't cope with this every day. What can i do too keep them out? i already have all windows and doors closed at all times.

OP posts:

chocolatespiders · 10/09/2019 08:26

www.heart.co.uk/lifestyle/miracle-home-bargains-spray-spider-banishing/

I have not tried this but heard people talking about it.
My children are scared and if they see one while I am out they just cover it with a glass or a Tupperware box till Mum returns to deal with it!

commanderdalgleish · 10/09/2019 08:28

Tea tree oil in a water bottle spray?

aliensprig · 10/09/2019 08:31

What's wrong with spiders exactly?

You do realise they keep your home free of flies and other pests, right?

The majority of spiders in the UK can't hurt you and will actively avoid going anywhere near you. If they do bite, it's always in self defence and 100 times less annoying than a mossie bite.

Maybe consider getting some counselling, instead of locking down your house? Save that for the zombie apocalypse!

nononever · 10/09/2019 08:35

The majority of spiders in the UK can't hurt you and will actively avoid going anywhere near you. If they do bite, it's always in self defence and 100 times less annoying than a mossie bite.

Have you ever been bitten by one? My step sister has, during the night when she was asleep and she needed hospital treatment. Initially her hand swelled dramatically then infection set in. A lot more annoying and painful than a mosquito bite.

CherryPavlova · 10/09/2019 08:35

Conkers. Collect some fallen horse chestnuts and put in bowls near the fire. They are a lovely autumnal addition and keep spiders away.
No fire? Put onto the radiator casing.

nononever · 10/09/2019 08:37

OP, we scatter chestnuts around the house, not sure it works but it helps me mentally given my dreadful phobia. Not long until it's time to collect some fresh ones.

BackToTheOIdHouse · 10/09/2019 08:48

Spiders can hurt you (I was bitten by one on my hand when I was a teenager and it swelled up and got infected). But aside from that, a phobia is very real and dismissing it by saying 'they can't hurt you' isn't very helpful.

OP, can you get a cat? Ours deals with spiders pretty efficiently when she can be arsed getting up off the sofa. I don't like killing them but somehow if a cat is doing it it seems more 'natural'. Which is a pathetic justification but I really, really loathe them.

aliensprig · 10/09/2019 08:50

Yes, I have, otherwise I wouldn't know how it compares to a mosquito bite would I I said the majority of spiders, which is true, so your step sister must have been unlucky. I'm sorry for her experience, but it isn't the norm, and it's not helpful for the OP to have scaremongering stories thrown at them when they clearly have a phobia.

aliensprig · 10/09/2019 08:53

Given the responses on this thread, it's clear that better education is needed with regards to what's worth being afraid of and what isn't.

BackToTheOIdHouse · 10/09/2019 08:56

Given the responses on this thread, it's clear that better education is needed with regards to what's worth being afraid of and what isn't

And it's clear that some people don't understand that a phobia isn't the same as deciding 'what's worth being afraid of'. Perhaps better education is needed with regards to phobias?

Didiusfalco · 10/09/2019 08:58

I had some success with peppermint oil around all the doors, cracks etc. Someone can correct me, but I was under the impression that house spiders didn’t come in at this time of year, but came out from where they already live in the house due to mating season?

nononever · 10/09/2019 09:07

And it's clear that some people don't understand that a phobia isn't the same as deciding 'what's worth being afraid of'. Perhaps better education is needed with regards to phobias?

Exactly.

I'm sorry for her experience, but it isn't the norm, and it's not helpful for the OP to have scaremongering stories thrown at them when they clearly have a phobia.

No different to you saying it's 100 times less annoying than a mosquito bite. Rather an exaggeration.

Treaclebee · 10/09/2019 09:07

I have found the red Raid spray works. £3 in supermarkets.

Cerseilannisterinthesnow · 10/09/2019 09:09

I think you’re right house spiders always live in the house but come out during mating season, that’s why they die anyway when put outside

Moomin8 · 10/09/2019 09:13

Given the responses on this thread, it's clear that better education is needed with regards to what's worth being afraid of and what isn't.

How ignorant 🙄

Op, you can get a spray from Amazon which smells like peppermint. If you spray it around the house, the spiders don't like it so they won't come out. Or you can do the same with (new) conkers. Again, they don't like the smell. I have cats and consequently don't see many spiders at all.

Spingtrolls · 10/09/2019 09:15

Get a couple of cats.
I say a couple. One of mine just watches them. His brother goes for them and gets a slap from his brother lol.

dysongirl · 10/09/2019 09:21

Myself and my 22 yr old son are terrified of spiders
My two cats just watch them scurrying along the floor and do nothing lol

sue51 · 10/09/2019 09:25

I tried putting chestnuts and acorns in a bowl but the spiders didn't know they were meant to be scared of them.

Daenerys77 · 10/09/2019 09:40

Whatever spray you use, it won't keep all spiders away at this time of year, so you need to have a reliable method of disposing of them. You can buy a long plastic tube with a tiny battery operated vacuum motor attached to suck up the creature and release it outdoors. I got mine from Lakeland Plastics but other shops sell them too.

Diagonalli · 10/09/2019 09:47

as CherryPavlova said Conkers are brilliant although I put them in the corners of each room as well as underneath radiators - apparently it's the oil that they don't like.

Heartofglass12345 · 10/09/2019 09:50

They are already in your house. They are out looking for mates. Sorry lol. My husband is the best spider catcher thank god as I'm terrified

zxcv123 · 10/09/2019 09:55

Buy a Spider Catcher. It's a long plastic stick with a catching mechanism at the end which works brilliantly. You catch the spider at arm's length to you and then remove it outdoors.

VanGoghsDog · 10/09/2019 09:55

Spider X spray (Amazon) does seem to keep them at bay.

I don't care that they are there as long as I don't see them. I'm ridiculously scared of them.

pottedshrimps · 10/09/2019 11:31

You need to fumigate the house with DDT every six weeks and that should sort things out.

spiderlight · 10/09/2019 12:23

They hate cedarwood oil and citrus oils. I wash all my hard floors with Method lemon and ginger floor cleaner and spray cedarwood oil around skirting-boards and doorways. Seems to work, touch wood!

Flip

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.