Can You Really Use Pine-Sol To Keep Spiders Out Of Sight?

There are numerous ways to get rid of spiders in your home, and some people believe this includes using Pine-Sol as a spider repellent. But does this actually work? Certain scents are known to repel spiders, including vinegar, mint, and citrus, and the strong scent of Pine-Sol can certainly be likened to citrus. Beyond its scent, though, the cleaning agent is also toxic enough to kill spiders if they should come into contact with it. But while Pine-Sol may work as a spider deterrent in a pinch, it's not likely to be a long-term solution to a bigger problem.

You can use Pine-Sol to clean and disinfect surfaces, and that will help keep spiders at bay. However, how effective this product actually is depends on the way you use it as well as the overall intensity of your current spider infestation. It's not a replacement for removing habitats that are inducive to spiders, such as piles of organic matter or food sources, like ant and fly colonies. On a safety note, Pine-Sol is safe to use around pets, according to the manufacturer, though you shouldn't leave a bowl of it sitting around for a dog or cat to accidentally lap up; high concentrations of the liquid could cause illness.

As a cleaning agent, always use Pine-Sol as the manufacturer directs you to, as that'll provide the most effective way of getting rid of dirt, dust, bacteria, and other substances that may bring in some types of spiders. As noted, you can also turn the scent of Pine-Sol into a tool to drive spiders away. Spiders are often on the hunt for a food source, and as a result, their primary goal is to smell food. If they're met with a smell like Pine-Sol, though, they're not likely to continue exploring that area. To get this benefit, you'll need to use Pine-Sol in a 1 to 2 ratio with water in areas you wish to treat, such as kitchen and bathroom floors and countertops.

One drawback to using Pine-Sol as a spider repellent, though, is that the scent doesn't last long, meaning you'll need to wipe surfaces down with it more often than you typically might. As a result, you may be tempted to pour some of the concentrated liquid into a container or saturate a towel with it and place that in the treatment area. That can potentially help, but it also increases the risk of a child or pet becoming ill if they ingest the cleaning product. This is one of the reasons Pine-Sol is less effective as a treatment for spiders in most areas. Of course, you could try spraying the spider directly with a Pine-Sol spray, which will kill the insect.

You don't want to see spiders, and you like the scent of Pine-Sol. What do you do? Start with removing all of the materials in your home that could put it at a higher risk for spider infestation, such as ground cover, cracks in the exterior of the home, and food sources like fleas and mosquitos. Make the space less desirable to spiders, and then use Pine-Sol to clean your home's surfaces. As mentioned, the scent will linger for a while but eventually wear off, at which time you should wipe down surfaces with Pine-Sol again.

Next, in combination with your Pine-Sol approach, use other methods to repel spiders from your home via scent. You likely already have a few common household staples that can get rid of spiders naturally, including a mixture of white vinegar (remember, one of the scents spiders dislike) and dish soap sprayed in troublesome areas. Also, the peels from oranges and lemons can also help (i.e., citrus scents). Place a few of these in a dish in the basement or near ground-floor windows where you've seen spider activity to help deter them from your space. Cedarwood oil can also work in the same way.