Does Permethrin Kill Spiders? What You Should Know About this Pesticide
Thinking of using Permethrin to treat spiders around your home? Is it safe, and is it an acceptable treatment option? Read on to find out if you should use this insecticide to treat spiders at home.
Did you recently find a spider, or multiple spiders in your home? Now you’ve started scouring the internet looking for the perfect DIY home solution? Maybe you’ve heard of permethrin, and aren’t sure if it works?
There aren’t a lot of pesticides that can kill spiders. They are extremely hardy insects, and are at the top of the food chain when going up against many other smaller bugs.
Permethrin is an insecticide that’s been sued to treat many bugs an insects. But will it work for spiders? Read on to find out more.
What’s Permethrin?
Permethrin is an odorless synthetic insecticide that’s produced using the chrysanthemum flower.
Currently, it’s used in a lot of pest control products like medications, repellents, clothing treatments and herbicides for weeds. The insecticide is so useful that it’s a main ingredient for over 1,400 products.
Can Permethrin Get Rid of Spiders?
According to the National Pesticides Information Center, permethrin targets an insect’s nervous system and causes muscle spasms, paralysis and ultimately, death. Government regulated amounts of this substance don’t affect humans. So it has become a common practice to put permethrin in creams and shampoos in order to treat parasites like lice and scabies.
Because of permethrin’s popular insecticidal properties, a lot of companies started to market them for a broader scope of pest control. This includes spiders, creatures that are completely different from insects and the mites that cause scabies. Permethrin pesticides target all kinds of pests. These products are marketed all over the world. You can find them cheaply online and in local stores.
This may look like big companies just taking an interest in a particular demand. However there is a study that backs permethrin’s effectiveness against spiders. A 2011 research on cobweb control in city buildings found that using permethrin dramatically reduced about 95% of the spiders in an area. The pesticide killed off most of them. It also provided the area a residual barrier that kept them away within the entire treatment period. It even kept the bigger species out.
Related: How to kill spider eggs, and the best ways to get rid of spider nests.
Effective Permethrin Products
There are a lot of products that contain permethrin. However, there’s a group of standouts that have plenty of solid and happy reviews online. Here they are:
Permethrin SFR
The Permethrin SFR is made to combat a broad spectrum of pests including subterranean termites, ants, and mosquitoes. However, this product has also made a name for itself in getting rid of spiders, mostly brown recluse spiders and black widows.
You can use Permethrin SFR both inside and outside the house. Apply it over lawns, wood, tiles or concrete. Just make sure to keep an eye on those areas until they dry. Wet permethrin can endanger kids and pets if you’re not careful.
Terro
Terro Aerosol Sprays and Traps are made with pyrethrin and permethrin, so they’re effective against a variety of pests including spiders, roaches and ants.
The spray is formulated to instantly kill the pest on contact or at least take full effect in less than a minute. It also leaves behind a residual barrier that can protect your house for 6 to 12 weeks.
Sawyer Clothing Spray
If you’re paranoid about spiders setting up shop in your closet, products like the Sawyer Permethrin Clothing Insect Repellent could work for you. It drives insects, as well as spiders, away from your wardrobe.
The deterrent lasts up to 6 weeks or 6 washings. And it works on any kind of fabric as well as on plastics, outdoor gear and finished surfaces.
Remember, like all products, follow the manufacturer’s directions when using permethrin. Whether it’s the Sawyer clothing spray or the Terro bug spray, never forget to be cautious. Permethrin may not be as toxic as other chemicals, but it never hurts to be safe.
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