Keep Spiders Out of Your Bedroom

If an intense sense of fear and panic washes over you when you see or even think about spiders, then you have arachnophobia.

Arachnophobia is no joke, estimated to affect up to 6.1% of the global population, making it one of the top 3 common phobias.

What does arachnophobia feel like? It feels like an intense sense of impending danger. It makes you jump and raises your heartbeat. You get a sense of warm rushing blood as your body as adrenaline pumps through your veins. 

In severe cases, arachnophobia can freeze you to the spot or make you run out of the room. Most people want to destroy the spider, so grab a shoe or something else heavy and squish it, whack it, or trap it for release.

When you think about it, arachnophobia is irrational because spiders and incapable of harming you (at least, the house spiders found in the UK are). However, this doesn’t change the primal fear they instil in you!

The best way to deal with arachnophobia is to keep spiders out of your bedroom, and there are a few tricks you can use to do just that.

Peppermint oil

The overwhelming smell of mint repels spiders. They hate it! Why isn’t it so clear. But it probably has something to do with the fact spiders smell and taste with their legs, so they avoid places where they might crawl in something unpalatable.

This study found that peppermint oil elicits a strong repellent response in several spider species, so it is definitely worth a go.

To try the peppermint trick:

• Buy peppermint essential oil and a water spray bottle.
• Add 20 drops (1ml) of peppermint oil to 200ml of cold water.
• Shake to mix and spray your bedroom floor all over, concentrating the spray in corners and edges.

The peppermint scent will last around two weeks and won’t damage your flooring. Spray your floor every few days to maximise its impact.

Citrus oil 

Spiders are also thought to hate citrus, so citrus oil might do the trick. Citrus oil is made from fruit peel, and spiders are known to walk right around it. Use the same instructions as for the peppermint oil and respray every week.

Chestnuts

The same study that found peppermint oil to be an effective spider repellent also found chestnuts can repel some spider species.

Conkers (horse chestnuts) are said to be one of the most effective spider repellents. Some say this is an old wives tale, but conkers are known to reduce spider sightings in houses. The only trouble is conkers are seasonal.

Seal window gaps 

Spiders fit into the smallest spaces because they have eight independent legs and can leverage their body in interesting ways. They can also walk anywhere! Add an attraction to heat, and you can see why windows are key access points.

You can stop spiders from getting into your bedroom by sealing up windows, especially single glazed windows and sash windows. Even double-glazed windows let spiders in if the seal is gone, so no window is safe.

Try hovering your hand across the window to use a candle to identify any draughts and cold spots. If you feel one, look for gaps in the seal and the edges of the window where it meets the wall. Seal up all the gaps you see.

Ultrasonic repellent

Ultrasonic repellent devices emit an ultrasonic sound that is inaudible to human ears and is said to repel spiders and insects by disorientating them.

Spiders don’t have ears but instead feel vibrations through surfaces with hairs and receptors on their legs. The ultrasonic sound creates a vibration that spiders hate, making them get up and leave the room.

While the jury is out on ultrasonic repellents, they are worth a go. The only study of note is this one with ticks, which found less than 19.5% repellence.

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