UPDATED AUGUST 2, 2019
Does spider scare you? Or, do the cobwebs you see around the corners or the ceiling edges irritate you? I would say the later. Not only an ugly sight, I question myself if I have done a good job of cleaning my home. Let’s not ponder on this and find out how to get rid of cobwebs.
Firstly, we need to get rid of the spiders which are the main reason cobwebs are formed. The good news is – we are going to use what we already have in our kitchen. Look no further but into your spice cabinet. Yes, you can use cooking spices to repel spiders. Here you go, another useful way to utilize your spices in storage.
Perhaps, I should also tell you now – no matter how clean your house is, there are always chances for spiders to ‘visit’ your home, weave and leave the webs. Do you want to know why? Read on…
How is Cobwebs Form
House spider is the generic term for different spiders commonly found around human dwellings. Spider feed on insects, entering our home in search of food. It builds webs, most familiar to us as the spider web to catch its prey.
The question here is
What is the difference between a spider web and cobweb?
The spider weaves silk webs that are sticky and not visible to human eye and insects can’t see them too. That’s the purpose – insects walk straight into the trap!
Because of the stickiness, airborne dust will soon collect on the web. Covered with dust, the web is no longer sticky. In this case, the spider will move on to another location and continue setting up its trap of weaving more webs.
The answer is
Spiderweb covered with dust is called cobweb.
Now you know the difference, I am sure you are eager to find out
How to Get Rid of Cobwebs
In order to get rid of cobwebs, you will need to get rid of spiders first. The most common cooking spices can be used to repel spiders. You don’t need to buy any chemical spray which may be hazardous to health. Also, save on spending.
The 5 spices to repel spiders are
- Cloves
- Cinnamon
- Turmeric
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
Cloves
Eugenol, a component in cloves is the main element in getting rid of spiders and other insects.
You may simply put a few cloves in the web of the spiders or
Make a paste out of cloves by blending some whole cloves with water. Apply the cloves paste in the corners or possible spots where the spider tends to weave its web.
Cinnamon
This woody aromatic spice contains eugenol too. Therefore, use it to keep spiders away.
Sprinkle some cinnamon powder around your home. I am pretty sure it smells amazing. But spiders hate it. Ants too.
Turmeric
This is another aromatic spice that spider dislike because of its pungent smell.
Using the same method as cloves, you may make a turmeric paste by mixing 2 – 3 tablespoons of turmeric powder with water. Once the paste is formed, apply it with a spoon to the hot spot area.
Alternatively, apply the paste onto cotton balls and place them in areas that are likely to draw spiders.
A word of caution – Turmeric leave a yellow stain and it is difficult to remove. Hence, be careful where you apply the paste.
Black Pepper
This is good to repel spiders too.
Make a spicy spray and spray it at the corners or ceiling edges. You will need to cover your mouth and wear glasses while spraying as it may irritate your eyes and skin. Take care of the little ones too.
Simply grind the black pepper till fine and mix with water.
ChilLi Powder
Another spicy solution. I would suggest you use this outside, the compound area surrounding your home.
This is to prevent spiders from entering your home. Moreover, the smell may bother you and your family if used inside. The reason is that we are going to combine chilli powder with vinegar!
Add 2 tablespoons of chilli powder and approximately 120 ml of vinegar to 1L of water.
Pour the solution into a spray bottle and spray your house compound, especially the external bottom part of the wall.
So, these are the 5 common spices to use. I am almost certain that you will have at least one or two of these spices in your kitchen at any time. Go on, get rid of the annoying and creepy spiders.
At the same time, I bet you will want to clean up the cobwebs too.
How to Clean Cobwebs
It is not a tough task but surely you don’t want to get near to the sticky and dusty webs.
The easiest way is to use your vacuum cleaner. Use the extension nozzle and suck them in. This is what I usually do during spring cleaning.
Otherwise, use an old sock or a rag. The frugal me. Attach it to the end of a yardstick or broom and give all the corners and ledges, nooks and crannies a sweep through. You may want to dampen the old sock or rag so that the dust and webs stick onto it and don’t rain down freely. When you are done, simply throw away the sock or rag. No way am I going to wash it. What do you think of this idea?
Now, if you find cobwebs on the curtain or any fabrics, it is best to use the vacuum. Also, you may consider using a lint roller to collect the spider web strands.
To Sum Up
Cleaning your home regularly is a good start. Keep the bugs out and the spiders won’t be attracted to go in.
Getting rid of spiders and cobwebs using the above methods are easier when you find them sporadically in your home.
When the situation is bad with a high infestation, you may need the professionals to examine the situation and do the necessary treatment.
Once treatment is done, use the spices mentioned to prevent spiders from getting in. Not enough to go around? You can conveniently buy them online on Amazon.
If you don’t do much cooking at home, surely you do not want to buy any. On the other hand, do you know that there are many healthy ways to use spices?
Cinnamon and turmeric, in the form of tea, is one of the natural ways to relieve stress and anxiety. Click here to read more.
Clove tea is my quick solution to reduce stomach bloating and gassiness. Should you want to find out more, click here.
Spices aside, spider glue trap and ultrasonic pest repeller are two alternatives you can consider buying.
I hope the methods stated in this article is helpful to get you started in controlling the spiders. Whilst, giving you another useful way to use your spices. Waste not. Even if you may not have a Spidey problem, it is still a good idea to use them as prevention. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure.
Should you have any other ideas on how to get rid of cobwebs or any easy ways to clean it, please share with us in the comments section below.
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From the Corner of My Home – Spice Up Your Life with Herbs and Spices
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Hi Sharon,
What great information…I am always amazed at how many uses cinnamon and turmerin have!
I love the aroma of cinammon and am definitely using that tip, putting out some sticks today!
Your flow of ideas on how to take care of common needs with ordinary household spices is amazing…keep them coming. I love visiting your blog.
Annie
Oh, Annie. This means a lot to me. Thank you so much. I am delighted!
I already have my cinnamon at the corners, using them to repel house lizards which is my ‘enemy’. So far so good. Cobwebs are found mostly at the external wall of my home. Will be preparing the black pepper spray as I am running out of chilli powder. I like to add a pinch of chilli powder to the stir-fry dish to give it a bit a spiciness.
Thanks again for your support and have a great day!
Sharon
Thank you Sharon for this great information. Excellent way to get rid of these webs. 12 years ago when we moved out into the country, no one told us what it would be like living out in the country, all I thought of was protecting my kids and new wife. Was I ever wrong! Looking back, perhaps things might have been a bit different but it just is not the same as living closer to town. Along with this life style of course the spiders and scorpions and all other types of animals are just about everywhere. Thank you for these suggestions, going to forward this to wife now. Thanks Sharon.
You are most welcome, Xavier. I hope this little piece of information with the simple solutions can help people to solve the spidey problem. At the same time, useful ways to utilize their spices. Btw, living out in the country is good. Your kids are closer to nature and get to enjoy and appreciate it. A good move!
Have a great day!
Sharon
These are great tips Sharon! Our area is inhabited by Black Widow spiders so we all want to do our best to keep them away. I like the sprays you suggested because covering the outside areas with chemicals isn’t an option if you have children or pets.
Thanks!
So sorry to hear of the situation. You are absolutely correct about using chemicals, Dianne. Please be careful though when using the spicy solution as it may irritate eyes and skin. But this is much better than using the hazardous chemicals. If you are going to try the solution, please let me know how it works out for you.
Take care,
Sharon
Hi Sharon, Even though I was shivering and shuddering at the pictures of the spiders and their webs, this was helpful information. The fact that these spices are natural and good smelling remedies, helped me even more. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Sue,
I am so sorry the pictures gave you the shivers. Using cinnamon is a good choice when you like its aroma. A calming effect in your home while getting rid of the spiders. Thank you for dropping by and leaving your comments.
Have a great day!
Sharon
I will definitely need to give some of these a try. My daughter is super afraid of spiders. I’m sure she will want to help me make these to test at home 🙂
Hi Tara. I am using cinnamon and so far so good. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Take care,
Sharon
This method is a far better alternative to the insect sprays that i always use, and they always seem to come back after the spray wears off.
Yes, it is definitely better than chemical spray which is hazardous to health. The smell can be very strong smell too. Imagine spraying every corner of the house with it. Not only the spiders will go away, humans too 🙂 Using cinnamon is a pretty good option. You can leave it at the corners and change it when the aroma wears off. Don’t you think the smell is much better than chemical? Surely!
Thanks for reading and leaving a comment, Oneil.
Sharon
Hi Sharon, I like these simple ways to get rid of spiders and webs with our healthy spices. Who would have thought that something that can help heal our body could be used as an insect deterrent? I think making a mixture of black pepper spray would be the easiest most people have black pepper. This is some good information thanks.
Hello Fred. Glad to see you here again. I am planning to use the black pepper spray too. to the external wall. But, firstly I will need to clean the cobwebs. Hopefully, get in done in the next few days.
Thanks for the comments and have a great weekend!
Sharon
We have problems with spiders coming in to our walk-out basement. In fact, I was once bitten by a brown recluse in our basement. I was very ill!
I’m going to have my husband try the black pepper spray outside the entrance to the basement. How often should we spray? I would imagine that rain water would rinse away the spray.
I am sorry to hear about your experience, Anita.
There is no definite answer as to how often to spray. I suggest that you respray when the scent fades and surely after it rains. Monitor the situation as you may have to spray more often or lesser.
All the BEST!
Sharon
I always wondered what difference was. I would see cobwebs in corners and just thought it was some kind of dust in rooms that weren’t used often. Now I know those were all spiders! Never saw the little buggers. Now that I know what they are, I have some of those spices and will put them to use.
Thanks for answering one of those questions you always wonder about.
I am glad this article has given you useful information, Shelley. It can be difficult to spot the spiders and their webs too. It is only after being covered in dust that we see the webs. By then, the spiders are long gone to other corners.
All the best in getting rid of the spiders and cleaning up the webs.
Sharon
Hello Sharon, as with all the other comments, we are so grateful for your posts! Always helpful and intriguing. I know that Gaia put all these things here for a reason..and with your help we are finding them all out for sure!
And so like that you never jump to chemicals but rather herbs and spices. Cinnamon and turmeric..guess we can never be without them? Thank you so much.
In peace and gratitude, ariel
Mother earth provides everything for mankind. In return, we should protect mother nature. Use herbs and spices wisely and refrain from using chemicals as much as possible. I enjoy my quest in discovering more uses for herbs and spices. Sharing them and getting positive feedback is most encouraging.
Thank you, Ariel.
Sharon