5 Ways You Can Clear Your Home of Brown Recluse Spiders

Brown recluse spiders have a violin-shaped mark on their back, with the wider end of the violin just behind the spider’s head. These marks have earned the spiders the nickname ‘fiddleback spiders’. Despite the cute nickname, these spiders actually have a venomous bite and have serious health repercussions for humans. The fact is even made scarier when you consider that an adult brown recluse spider is the size of a quarter.

We got our exterminators to come up with 5 home remedies to abate an invasion from brown recluse spiders.

Keep Your Home Clean

The first step to preventing and potentially getting rid of any pest infestation is to keep your living spaces clean. Brown recluse spiders usually make themselves at home in cupboards, cabinets, closets, beneath furniture, and other secluded corners of the house. Fix a long-handled attachment to your vacuum and clear the webs and egg sacs. The long handle enables you to reach all the inaccessible corners of your home.

Prepare Spider Repellent

The acidity in vinegar is fatal to brown recluse spiders. Exterminators suggest bottling some raw vinegar (could be anything white to apple cider) in a spray container and spraying liberally on your curtains and upholstered furniture. It’s even more effective if you can corner the spider and spray the vinegar directly on it.

Spray Strong Scents

Spiders in general are not fans of strong smells, brown recluses are no exception. Potted indoor eucalyptus played on windowsills can be a strong deterrent to spiders. However, eucalyptuses often tend to grow too big for indoors and need to be replanted in the backyard. If your room doesn’t get a lot of sunlight, it is even more unusual for your plant to thrive. An easy alternative is to use essential oils. In addition to eucalyptus, you can also use lavender, peppermint, or tea tree. Make a concentrated solution of essential oils with water and spray generously anywhere you suspect the spiders like to frequent.

Brown Recluse Insecticide

Insecticides are another popular way to rid brown recluse spiders. Insect exterminators, however, warn that insecticides will need to be in direct contact with the spiders to be effective. As a result, these will only help if you have already tracked down the spiders’ hold-up. Insecticides if used properly can eliminate entire populations or at least considerably thin them when used properly.

Use Diatomaceous Earth

If you are not big on dousing your house with chemicals (especially if you have young kids or pets), diatomaceous earth can be a great way to tackle a spider infestation. Diatomaceous earth is basically a crushed sedimentary rock and can be easily found online or in stores. The powdery earth degrades the exoskeletons of the brown recluses, eventually leading to their death. Diatomaceous earth may not be the quickest solution but it sure is an effective one.

Should You Call an Insect Exterminator?

Mother Nature’s Pest & Lawn has been in the pest control business for over four decades. We are Oklahoma’s largest locally owned pest control company. No one can match our superior customer service, dedication, and convenient scheduling.

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