

If you find that this solution isn’t very effective, you can raise the ratio of peppermint oil to water to one part peppermint oil, and 10 parts water. For extra strength, add a dash or two of vinegar – this is yet another strong smell that bugs, including spiders, seem to avoid actively.Īnother theory behind vinegar as a repellent is that its acetic acid harms bugs when they touch it.

Start with 5 drops to 16 oz (473 ml) spray bottle of water, and consider adding dish soap to the mix – all types of bugs are known to dislike dish soap. You shouldn’t need a lot of peppermint oil for spiders since they generally have a powerful scent. Yet another way to employ peppermint oil around the house is to soak some cotton balls with it and keep them in the nooks and crannies spiders commonly frequent. There’s no scientific research to support this, but it won’t hurt to try. You want to put your peppermint plants anywhere you think the spiders will likely try to avoid. Alternatively, you could grow peppermint plants and place them in strategic places around your house. Just throwing a bit of oil repeatedly isn’t likely to do much. Use a spray bottle for your peppermint oil so that you can cover as much surface area as possible to repel spiders. Make sure there’s enough ventilation to allow the scents to dissipate quickly. However, if you still see spiders with weekly applications of peppermint oil, try applying it twice a week and see how that fares.

How Long Does Peppermint Oil Keep Spiders Away?Īpplying peppermint oil once a week is a good start for keeping spiders away. Conspiracy-minded people say this is due to corporate influence from pesticide companies, which is as yet unsubstantiated. It’s challenging to find research about essential oils being effective pesticides or even repellents because they’re very widely available. One theory states that the monoterpenoids in peppermint oil – which all essential oils contain – act as pesticides. Yes, spiders smell with their legs! The reason behind this is somewhat supported by nature – a stick bug uses a peppermint-like scent as a deterrent against predators such as spiders. Speculation says that spiders are extremely sensitive to any powerful scents due to their olfactory (smelling) senses coming from their legs. However, more research is needed as the study is relatively limited in scope. The study found that the spiders would avoid peppermint oil 75% of the time. Peppermint oil can keep spiders away, according to a 2017 study that used 3 oils and 3 species of spiders. Even Healthline, a generally reputable site, says that peppermint oil works. How does peppermint oil fare? Does Peppermint Oil Keep Spiders Away?Īnecdotally, you can find many thousands of results on search engines that claim peppermint oil, among other oils, cured their arachnid woes. However, like any homemade or anecdotal remedy, results may vary, and science may or may not support them.

