How to Use Peppermint Oil to Get Rid of Spiders
Introduction:
Spiders are often seen as the bane of homeowners. Spiders love to find their way into houses and create a feeling of unease for anyone that lives there. It is hard to get rid of spiders without using harmful chemicals, but peppermint oil can be an effective solution. Peppermint oil will not kill the spider on contact, but it will help scare them away with its pungent smell.
You can also mix some peppermint oils in water or alcohol and spray around your house for extra protection against these pests! In this article, I will have a detailed discussion on how to use peppermint oil to get rid of spiders. So let us get started.
A Detailed Stepwise Guide on How to Use Peppermint Oil to Get Rid of Spiders:
The only way to get rid of spiders is to use safe and natural spider repellents or pesticides. Peppermint oil is one such natural product that can be effectively used as a pesticide. Here we give you the steps involved in using peppermint oil for killing spiders:
Step No 1: Use Fresh Plant Material for Extracting Oil:
Make sure to use fresh peppermint plant material for making the extract, and never reuse old leaves because essential oils are already extracted from them. So further extraction will yield mainly glycoside, which may not even kill the spider! Also, keep away animal fats like tallow, lard, etc., as they can reduce the effectiveness of this spray compared to vegetable oils.
Step no 2: Dry the Plant Material:
Spread the peppermint leaves on a newspaper and let them dry in sunlight for a few days until they become crisp. Once dried, store them in an airtight container as required. This is to ensure that no moisture gets into this pesticide mix and degrades its effectiveness. Also, ensure that you use fresh plant material for making this spray, as essential oils already extracted from old leaves cannot serve the desired purpose.
Step No 3: Make an Oil Infusion of Peppermint Oil:
Grind 5-6 tablespoons of dried and crisp peppermint leaves and add it to 1 quart (32 oz) oil like canola or olive oil. Use a glass jar with a lid for this purpose and shake well so that all the leaves are submerged in oil. Close the pot and allow it to steep for 6-7 days, till the peppermint leaves release their essential oils into the oil.
Step No 4: Use Peppermint Oil Pesticide Mix:
Once done infusing, strain this solution through a muslin cloth or paper coffee filter to remove any plant residue from the solution. Next, measure 16 oz of this infused peppermint oil into a spray bottle and fill the rest with plain water. Now shake well before use as you would usually do with any other bug spray.
Keep on spraying every 2-3 days, which keeps your home free from spider infestation! But don’t worry if you miss one day between sprays as it won’t kill spiders permanently. Also, ensure that you don’t spray on the spider directly, as peppermint oil is an ‘irritant’ for spiders.
Step No 5: Repeat to Spray Until you Eradicate Spiders:
This infused peppermint oil pesticide mix will keep killing spiders in your home for about 3-4 weeks, but repeat application after every one week during this time will help control spiders naturally over a prolonged period.
And since it is one of the most effective natural insect repellents, keeping your home spider-free is not at all problematic, So get rid of spiders by using this safe and natural solution to get rid of them effectively within a few days!
Precautions While Using Peppermint Oil to Get Rid of Spiders:
Pregnant women should not use peppermint oil for spiders. It may cause premature contractions because the oil is high in menthol. It should also not be used on babies or young children who are below six years of age. Pregnant women and infants should never breathe in the vapors of peppermint oil while using it to get rid of spiders.
Spiders don’t just stay at houses; they can even go into cars and buildings where you work every day! If you come across a spider that has entered your vehicle, don’t panic. Oil-based repellents like peppermint oils will create fumes that spread through the air conditioning system of your car, which means that you will breathe in this poisonous fume. A non-chemical way to repel spiders is recommended instead.
Why Should We Use Peppermint Spray?
Peppermint oil is an effective insecticide. It kills spiders, cockroaches, and mosquitoes. In addition, Peppermint has the highest menthol content of any natural plant product found in nature, giving it its insect-repelling ability.
Menthol works by blocking the standard nerve signals that tell insects to flee in terror, and It does not affect humans or pets at all once dry (however, avoid skin contact). You can spray the solution directly onto the spider without hurting yourself. The peppermint oil solution will also leave your house smelling minty fresh!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Which Are the Best Solutions Against Infestation in House: Poisonous or Natural Solutions?
Spiders are to be feared the most because they can cause health problems and destroy your household. If you find any of these creatures crawling up and down your walls or inside your house, it is better to get rid of them as soon as possible using either poisonous chemicals or natural solutions.
The poison may not be hazardous for people, but it can prove dangerous for pets living in the house. But if you choose organic solutions, you should take care that chemical pesticides are avoided at all costs. You may end up breathing in the fumes emanating from these harmful substances through air-conditioners etc., which can affect both humans and pets alike.
To get rid of spiders from your household, the best solution is to use natural keys. This can be done by keeping a houseplant called ‘Mother-in-Law’s Tongue’ or ‘Snake Plant,’ which will keep these noxious creatures away. Lavender oil is also effective in getting rid of spiders, and it doesn’t present any health hazards as long as you don’t ingest it.
You may also sprinkle bay leaves around the entrance of your house to keep away spiders. You can also use peppermint oil, which is widely used in exterminating these harmful creatures.
Is Peppermint Oil Harmful?
Peppermint oil, extracted from the peppermint plant, contains menthol and is more than 50% of its composition. Peppermint oil used to be called Mentha piperita or M. balsamea before it became popular outside of the food industry. According to WebMD, it is considered highly safe for humans and animals, which lists Peppermint as one of the ten most-used herbs in alternative medicine.
There are no records of anyone ever having an allergic reaction to peppermint oil. While there are rare cases where people use too much peppermint oil or absorb too much through their skin, it causes only mild side effects like nausea and headaches (WebMD).
The University of Maryland Medical Center advises people not to apply peppermint oil to their skin, as it could cause a rash and make existing skin problems worse (umm). In addition, it is not possible to overdose on peppermint oil since it doesn’t accumulate in the body as traditional drugs do.
What Are The Age Restrictions For the Peppermint Oil Exposure?
Peppermint Oil is a very potent oil that can irritate your eyes and lungs. Thus it is essential to wear a mask before going for peppermint oil exposure. Also, make sure that you won’t have any cuts on your body, as peppermint oil will cause more pain if there are cuts on your skin.
People usually go for exposure, because this is an age-old technique, to get rid of spiders from their home without causing any harm to them or using some strong chemical sprays which may cause some side effects on our pets, kids, etc… Also, by exposing yourself to peppermint oil, all those spiders will die within no time.
You Can Check It Out to: Get Peppermint Oil Out of Eye
Conclusion:
I hope this article has been beneficial for learning how to use peppermint oil to get rid of spiders. Ensure all the precautions are correct. Thank you and have a nice day!
