Eucalyptus Spider Repellent

Spiders play an important role in our ecosystem, as they feed on insects and other arthropods. It’s a bad idea to harm most kinds of spiders, since worse insect pests would overrun your garden in the absence of these predators. Spiders in your home or on your body can be unnerving, however. To repel spiders without killing them, you can use eucalyptus.

Function

The herbal scent of eucalyptus is pleasant to humans, but it repels spiders without harming them. Since eucalyptus is a natural repellent, you can use it on your body and in your home without compromising your health or the health of family members and pets. In addition to repelling spiders, the scent is known to repel insect pests such as cockroaches, fleas, mosquitoes, silverfish and flies.

Spray

Spray eucalyptus repellent on your body, bedding and in your home where you notice spiders building webs. You can make your own spray with alcohol and essential oils: In an empty spray bottle, combine 200 ml of water, 10 ml gin or vodka, five drops of eucalyptus oil and five drops of lavender oil. Shake your spray bottle before each use to mix the essential oils with the water.

Branches

You can find eucalyptus branches at many craft and home decorating stores. Lay the branches on windowsills or place branches in a vase in a corner or doorway to repel spiders and prevent them from building webs or crawling around in these locations.

What to Expect

Eucalyptus will keep spiders away from target areas without harming them. Since the plant won’t kill spiders, they may retreat or remain outdoors, where they will continue to breed and build nests. Though most spiders are beneficial, other varieties — brown recluse and black widow spiders, for example — are potentially deadly. If you notice one of these spiders in your home or yard, it is best to kill it with a chemical pesticide.