Spiders in the bedroom can be a nightmare for those who fear them or are simply annoyed by their presence. Not only do they spin webs and crawl around, but they also prey on other insects, potentially causing an infestation. But worry not – there are proven ways on how to keep spiders away while sleeping, ensuring a peaceful and spider-free night’s rest.
In this blog post, we will explore various strategies for repelling spiders, from maintaining a clean bedroom and eliminating food sources to using natural repellents and sealing gaps and cracks. By implementing these measures, you will create an unwelcoming environment for spiders and enjoy a good night’s sleep without worrying about these pesky arachnids.
Short Summary On Keeping Spiders Away While Sleeping
- Maintain a clean bedroom and eliminate food sources.
- Utilize natural spider repellents, seal gaps/cracks, elevate bed & install door sweeps/window screens.
- Regularly wash bedding & use DIY traps. Keep outdoor areas tidy and monitor houseplants for signs of activity to prevent infestations.
Maintain a Clean Bedroom
A clean bedroom is vital to deter spiders. Spiders prefer dark, cluttered spaces where they can spin webs and hide from potential predators. By keeping your bedroom tidy and organized, you eliminate their hiding spots and make it less attractive for them to settle in. Regular vacuuming, dusting, and organizing clutter will help reduce the likelihood of spiders in your bedroom by eliminating their prey.
Pay special attention to the following areas to keep your home spider-free:
- The area beneath your bed, where spiders often spin webs and trap insects. Avoid storing old storage boxes and cardboard boxes under your bed, as they can absorb humidity and attract spiders.
- Sweeping hardwood floors regularly.
- Lightly dusting nightstands, dressers, closets, shelves, and windowsills.
By following these tips, you can create an environment in your home that spiders hate, making it inhospitable even for eight spiders.
Eliminate Food Sources
One of the main reasons spiders enter your bedroom is to find food. Spiders feed on other insects, such as flies, mosquitoes, and moths, which are attracted to human food particles like crumbs. As spiders prey on these insects, eliminating food sources is a key step in preventing spiders and other creepy crawlies from invading your sleep space.
To prevent attracting spiders to your bedroom, follow these tips:
- Avoid eating in bed, as this can leave food crumbs that attract insects, which in turn attract spiders.
- Dispose of kitchen garbage away from your bedroom and home to further prevent attracting spiders.
- Minimize the presence of insects in your bedroom, such as flies, crickets, ants, centipedes, and cockroaches.
By implementing these measures, you can help in deterring spiders and keeping spiders away from your bedroom.
Use Natural Spider Repellents
Natural spider repellents can be an effective and eco-friendly way to deter spiders from your sleeping area, by using smells that spiders hate! Potential natural spider repellents include essential oils like peppermint, lavender, rose, eucalyptus, tea tree, lemon, and cinnamon. Incorporate essential oils into your laundry routine by adding a few drops to your dryer when laundering bed sheets or soaking wool dryer balls or washcloths in the oil and placing them within your pillowcases, bedsheets, and blankets. This will help evenly disperse the aroma on the linen, discouraging spiders from taking up residence in your bed.
Other natural spider repellents include:
- White vinegar
- Boric acid
- Tobacco
- Walnuts
- Conkers
- Cedar products
Cedar blocks can be inserted in drawers, storage bags, closets, shoes, or any other area in the bedroom to repel spiders. You can also try some DIY solutions you might already have around your home such as using Lysol for spiders, or killing spiders with Windex!
If none of these work, then you can go with the tried and tested method of using a bug bomb for spiders.
Seal Gaps and Cracks
Spiders often enter homes through gaps and cracks around windows, doors, and keyholes. Applying caulk or tape to seal these areas is a practical way to block spiders from infiltrating your home.
Check your bedroom for any gaps or cracks, particularly around windows and doors, and seal them with caulk or tape. This will not only keep spiders away, but also help improve your home’s energy efficiency by preventing drafts.
Elevate Your Bed
A raised bed acts as a deterrent to spiders, making it difficult for them to invade your sleeping area. By using bed risers or a bed with legs, you make it more difficult for spiders to crawl onto your bed. Ensure that your bed sheets do not touch the floor, as this can provide an easy pathway for spiders to climb onto your bed.
Additionally, if your bed is situated in a corner, move it slightly forward to create a gap at the rear, and make sure the headboard does not directly connect to the wall. These measures will help you enjoy a good night’s sleep without worrying about spiders crawling into your bed.
Install Door Sweeps and Window Screens
Installing door sweeps and window screens can help block potential entry points for spiders and other pests. A door sweep is a device that can be affixed to the bottom of a door to prevent spiders from entering the room. The author recommends using adhesive silicone door sweeps for their ease of installation and availability in hardware stores.
To install a door sweep, measure the gap between the door and the floor, cut the door sweep to the appropriate size, and affix it to the bottom of the door. Window screens will also help keep spiders and other insects from entering your home through open windows.
Utilize Electronic Pest Repellers
Electronic pest repellers:
- Emit ultrasonic and electromagnetic waves to deter spiders and other insects from your home
- Safe to use around children and pets
- Simply plug into a socket and do not involve any chemicals
Place electronic pest repellers in areas where spiders are frequently encountered, such as near windows, doors, and corners. These devices enable you to sustain a spider-free environment without the need for chemical pesticides.
Dehumidify Your Bedroom
Spiders attracted to warm and humid environments often find their way into our homes. Dehumidifying your bedroom can help reduce moisture levels, making it less attractive to spiders and their prey. Invest in a dehumidifier, open windows, use fans, or apply dehumidifying paint to reduce humidity in your bedroom.
Keeping track of humidity levels aids in establishing a comfortable environment and mitigating the risk of spider infestations.
Regularly Wash Bedding
Regular bedding washing is key to preserving cleanliness and minimizing the risk of spider infestations. Dead skin cells, sweat, and other dirt and grime accumulate in bedding, attracting pests that draw in spiders searching for sustenance.
It is recommended to wash your sheets on a weekly basis. Adding tea tree oil to your laundry detergent can provide a natural spider repellent. This will help to enhance the effect of spider-repelling.
Try DIY Spider Traps
If you still find spiders in your bedroom despite implementing the previous strategies, you can try creating DIY spider traps. These traps consist of sticky surfaces that catch spiders when they crawl onto them. To make a DIY spider trap, you can:
- Cut a piece of cardboard or use a plastic container
- Coat it with a non-toxic adhesive, such as glue or sticky tape
- Alternatively, you can use a mixture of corn syrup and water as a sticky substance.
Place the traps in areas where spiders are frequently encountered, such as near windows, doors, and corners.
Keep Outdoor Areas Tidy
Keeping outdoor areas tidy can help reduce spider habitats near your home. Trim vegetation and remove debris, such as leaves and woodpiles, to minimize hiding spots for spiders.
In addition, deactivate exterior lighting at night, as lights can attract insects that serve as food sources for spiders. Maintaining a clean and well-organized outdoor environment will help deter spiders from entering your home.
Monitor Houseplants
Since houseplants can serve as a habitat for spiders, it’s vital to check them for signs of spider activity. Inspect your houseplants periodically for evidence of spider webs or eggs and take appropriate measures to eliminate them if detected.
To further reduce the chances of spiders entering your sleeping area and keeping spiders away while sleeping, minimize the presence of houseplants in your bedroom and never keep them in close proximity to your bed.
When to Call an Exterminator
When other measures fail and spider infestation persists, seeking help from a professional exterminator may be necessary. It is advisable to call an exterminator when the initial signs of an infestation are observed, when attempts to resolve the issue have been unsuccessful, or when there is concern for the safety of your family.
Before contacting an exterminator, conduct research on the company to verify they are duly licensed and insured. Request references and consult reviews to ensure the company is reliable and trustworthy. A professional exterminator will be able to identify the source of the infestation and implement the necessary measures to eradicate it.
Final Thoughts On How To Keep Spiders Away While Sleeping
In conclusion, keeping spiders away while sleeping involves a combination of strategies such as maintaining a clean bedroom, eliminating food sources, using natural repellents, sealing gaps and cracks, elevating your bed, installing door sweeps and window screens, utilizing electronic pest repellers, regularly washing bedding, trying DIY spider traps, keeping outdoor areas tidy, and monitoring houseplants. Each of these measures contributes to creating an unwelcoming environment for spiders and ensures a peaceful, spider-free night’s rest.
By implementing these strategies, you can reclaim your sleeping area and enjoy a good night’s sleep without worrying about the presence of spiders. If all else fails and you have a persistent spider infestation, do not hesitate to call a professional exterminator for assistance.
Resources:
https://news.okstate.edu/articles/agriculture/2015/spider-identification-101.html
Frequently Asked Questions
Do spiders climb on beds?
Spiders may sometimes find their way onto beds, however they’re not commonly attracted to them. It’s possible that spiders are in the vicinity of your bed and have found a way onto it.
What keeps spiders away in bedroom?
Spray a mix of peppermint and water around your bedroom, or use essential oils such as eucalyptus, tea tree oil, or lavender to keep spiders away.
Additionally, wash your bedding with detergent and these essential oils for extra protection.
Does Vicks keep spiders away?
Vicks VapoRub can be used to keep spiders away due to the eucalyptus and menthol scent that spiders hate. Rubbing it directly onto your chest, in the corners of your room, under the bed, and around windows and doors can create a spider-free zone.
The added benefit of using Vicks VapoRub is that it can also help unblock airways. This makes it a great choice for those who suffer from allergies or asthma.
Will sleeping with lights on keep spiders away?
Sleeping with lights on will not necessarily keep spiders away, as they are not attracted to light.
However, they will be drawn to the other insects that the light attracts, so it is best to sleep in the dark.
What will keep spiders out of your bed?
Keep spiders out of your bed by using spider repellents that contain natural ingredients such as peppermint oil, vinegar and citrus, or using white vinegar.
