Tea tree oil is used as a cleaning agent and a beauty product because of its antibacterial and antifungal properties. But what about pests, particularly spiders? You may have heard of using tea tree oil for spiders as a cheap and effective spider control DIY remedy.
After all, tea tree oil can work for other insects, so why not arachnids? Can you use this very popular oil for arachnids? Does it even work?
In this guide, we look to dispel fact from myth. There are many essential oil enthusiasts that use certain oils to repel bugs. Spiders of any type are notoriously difficult to get rid of, so let’s find out if this cost-effective remedy will actually work!
Does Tea Tree Oil Repel Spiders?
Like lavender and lemon oil, tea tree or melaleuca oil works against spiders because it is basically an essential oil. It has the scent and composition that spiders just happen to be repelled by.
According to a 2010 study on the insecticidal activities of essential oils, essential oils have monoterpenoids, substances that naturally repel quite a number of bugs. These monoterpenoids are also fumigants which makes them deadly to pests. And because of this, they’re treated as a main ingredient in a lot the pesticides that we buy in our local supermarkets.
Another study from India supports this, saying that pesticides based on plant essential oils are clearly effective when dealing with pests.
Additionally, another key reason why tea tree oil works against spiders is the fact that they have sensory organs that are different from ours. They smell and taste through their legs. So spraying a good amount of the oil into the surfaces that spiders walk on could repel them because they hate the smell and taste of the oil.
Using Tea Tree Oil Against Spiders
So how do you use tea tree oil for spiders? Above, we talked about spraying the oil into surfaces. Here’s a list of recipes that can help you make that spray.
Recipe No. 1
This recipe is from Home Remedy Hacks. Mix the following ingredients in spray bottle, and liberally apply it all over the spider infested regions of your house.
- a few drops of tea tree oil
- vinegar
Warning: It will take a few hours for the smell of the vinegar to disappear. So if you don’t like to wait that long, try choosing another recipe below.
Recipe No. 2
If you want something that doesn’t smell as aggressive as vinegar, try adding dish soap into the spray. Here’s what you need:
- 7 drops of tea tree oil
- 5 drops of dish washing liquid or dish soap
- water
Pour the ingredients into a spray bottle. Don’t forget to shake the concoction to mix everything together.
Recipe No. 3
This spider repellent can be used to ward off other pests, not just those eight-legged arachnids. Combine these ingredients together, and spray it all over your basement, attic and other spider infested rooms.
- tea tree oil
- cedar oil
- water
Recipe No. 4
This last recipe makes use of other essential oils to give your repellent the extra boost that it needs.
- lemon oil
- peppermint oil
- lavender oil
- tea tree oil
- water
Wrap Up
Experiment with the oils available in your house. This last recipe proves that using tea tree oil for spiders shouldn’t be your only option. Try to be creative with your sprays. As long as long as you’re using a good essential oil, spiders will recoil back when they come in contact with it.
