Whether it's their long, hairy legs or the way they seem to emerge out of the woodwork, spiders give many homeowners the creeps. You probably want to keep these creepy crawlers out of your home, but exterminators and professional products can be just as harmful to pets and children as they are to spiders. There are natural ways to keep these pests away without clouding up your home with harmful pesticides.

Prevention

There are a number of preventive measures you can take to keep spiders out of the house. Seal up cracks in ceiling, walls and floors that lead to the outdoors; do the same thing around the exterior of your home. Spiders can't enter your home unless they have a good entry point; for small insects, even just a crack in the insulation is an open invitation. Keep your home tidy and clutter-free. Spiders aren't brave enough to stay out in the open with nowhere to hide. Similarly, keeping your house clean means that it will attract fewer other bugs, such as flies and bees. Spiders eat other bugs, so the more bugs you have around your house, the more likely you'll be to find a spider in your house looking for an easy meal. Keep trash cans or other refuse bins away from your home. Spiders are prone to hang around these types of containers, since these vessels often attract large numbers of other bugs. Keep trees, bushes and other vegetation from having direct contact with your house. Spiders live in vegetation and will use any contact with your house to find a way in.

Natural Bug Killers

Most essential oils are harmful to spiders. Mixing a single drop of essential oil (e.g., peppermint oil, tea tree oil, citronella oil) into a quart of water will kill a spider on contact. Mix 5 tbsp. of peppermint- or lavender-scented soap into a quart of water for a strong spider repellent (these soaps contain some essential oils). You can spray these natural bug killers around the outside of your home, as well as in problem areas inside your home (such as windowsills and basements) to keep spiders away. Similarly, place spearmint or peppermint leaves in problem areas. The leaves will secrete smells similar to those emitted by essential oils and keep spiders from entering.

Source:

ByFaithOnly.com: Natural Remedies for Ridding Yourself of Spiders

FixYorkHome.com: Natural Ways to Keep Spiders Out