Old Style spider repellent?

shandyclover

Thanks so, so much everyone for their respones! Some very good tips there!

Hubby and I have turned super sleauth over the past few months we did catch and identify 2 spiders, what we think are the false widow spider and the aggresive house spider, both not native to Ireland (where we are) but it seems they have immigrated somehow? Perhaps through shipping of tropical fruit etc. (the first time she was bitten was not long after someone had bought us a fruit basket from South America, so I'm not sure if that has anything to do with it) They looked identical to the website pictures and the reaction DD has was down to a T of what was described online, but that doesn't explain why we haven't all been bitten.

The first one we found when we took everything out of our airing cuboard, which is interesting as the first time DD was bitten it was after changing her bed linen. The second time was after getting her PJ's out of the airing cuboard. Everytime DD has been bitten its been in bed. We were wracking our brains until yesterday I spent 6 hours going over every nook and cranny of her room - and it dawned on me while I was on my hands and knees annoiting the skirting boards with lavender oil THE RADIATOR! It's a double radiator and when I lay on my back and looked underneath there was a maze of webs in between both bars and guess where her bed was? right in front of the radiator! I think we will just have to de-spider every weekend until we move.

Several months ago I tried the spray but other DD is asthmatic and had a pretty severe reaction with us having to move her to a friends for a few days after we blitzed the house. Doctors have all confirmed they are spider bites though they all say Ireland has no venemous spiders, so either they do and its just not common knowledge or DD is just very allergic as only my husband has been bitten once and he had a much smaller reaction.

Thanks once again for all the tips and suggestions.

alisara

Horrid thread. I live in Ireland as well and do get a lot of spiders not large but a whole lot and I have done everything. I will buy a can of the vet spray stuff though.

I found this thread as after coming home yesterday afternoon, I walked into my bedroom and discovered what looked like a beetle running towards me and it was red.... it actually and no fear and moved towards me at speed! I squashed it with my shoe. My dd and I went on line as it was a scary looking thing, and it is/was definitely a woodlouse spider. I am now terrified in my own home. My house is clean, regularly hoovered and I just don't understand why it was there I have honestly never seen anything like it before and hope that I never will again.

Spent all last night and most of today terrified and reading about the things, they bite apparently.... and I can't find any of their prey which are woodlouse. I did leave all my windows and doors open yesterday morning though, so I am hoping it is a freak incident. I can just about cope with regular spiders I know what they are and can just about deal with them but this thing and thinking about it....

Valli

also make your house LESS attractive to spiders...

so clean clean clean - have a cobweb brush to flick in ceiling corners
Make sure all areas are dusted/vacuumed regularly -this will disturb spiders
(see Flylady thread;))
NO 'going off' fruit/veg - 'rotting' fruit/veg will attract fruit flies. Fruit flies will attract spiders.
empty kitchen bin frequently and wash
Wash out dustbins
No climbing plants on the external walls (we had loads of spiders until some ivy was removed)
compost bin and other dustbins WELL away from house - attract fewer flies - get fewer spiders...

basically IF you starve them they will go.

alisara

I clean and vacuum regularly but they still keep coming in.. and I can cope with them its just that rotten thing that I seen yesterday I just can't cope and seeing it yesterday I can't sleep for fear of it having any brothers of sisters

Ben84

Every year I spray dethlac, which is basically a film that's weather proof and lasts ages, outside the house on the air bricks (including the ones that go to the underfloor space). Any insects that try to get inside, including spiders basically die shortly after exposure to it. Helps stop other undesirable insects like roaches and wasps. I also sprayed it up the unused chimneys to get rid of the spiders who live up there.

I don't encounter many insects inside any more. They can still come in, but they don't last long afterwards.

alisara

I am going to bed now, this is just awful scared to sleep after seeing that woodlouse spide thing! The Dethlac sounds good, where do you buy that?

Ben84

alisara wrote: »

I am going to bed now, this is just awful scared to sleep after seeing that woodlouse spide thing! The Dethlac sounds good, where do you buy that?

They've been making it for decades, so I'd expect most hardware shops to stock it or know what it is and be able to order some for you. I usually pay about £2-3. It's a green and white printed spray can. Their site shows you what it currently looks like and mentions a few big chain stores that stock it:

http://www.gerhardtpharmaceuticals.co.uk/index.htm

madnotstupid

Along the same lines as lavender and lemon - a few drops of citronella oil around the window frames stops wasps coming in, I reckon it would probably stop other creepy crawlies as well. Smells a bit powerful for a day or so but it seems to last for a couple of months

silkstrut

CONKER work for me, I have a few bowls around the house.
No spiders here.
(old house, big spiders BEFORE CONKERS )

FairyPrincessk

I feel sure there must be a thread on this but my poor search skills have not unearthed it.

I've seen several spiders in my bedroom, and today was awakened by one in bed:eek:

Now, I'm equal opportunity about my squeamishness--it doesn't matter if it is roaches, spiders, mice, rats or some other unwelcome "guest" I don't really like to have encounters--so I'd love to have some suggestions for OS ways of deterring them.

I do know that roaches don't like bay leaves, so placing them in the backs of your cupboards and in small spaces can help deter them but I don't know about spiders. Any suggestions?