Is Lemon The Key To Keeping Spiders Out Of Your Shower?

Picture an early morning in your busy life. The sun is shining, you've had your first cup of coffee, and you're ready to hit the shower. What you likely didn't anticipate was the spider that just crawled out of your drain, an extremely invasive welcome at the very start of your day. This can happen for a number of reasons: Attraction to moisture, heat, and even an enclosed space are enough reasons for bugs to end up in our drains or around our shower. Lucky for you, there may just be a solution. Citrus fruits — specifically lemon — is one way to ward off the pesky arachnid you've just encountered.

Lemon peels are made up of limonene, a chemical compound that can deter a number of bugs you don't want living in your home. And while we're used to finding and repelling insects around the house, showers are the last place you want to see an eight-legged insect. In order to eliminate the pest and any possibility of the species returning, lemon peels should be preserved as a natural remedy. Depending on your preference, the citrus can be diffused, sprayed, and even lit up. Let's get started.

Believe it or not, spiders are repelled by citrus fruits because of their extremely pungent smell. As a preventative method, rubbing leftover lemon peels around the shower and near the drain can warn spiders that their presence isn't welcome. If lemon rinds aren't at your disposal, you can create a cleaning repellant by mixing lemon juice and water into a spray bottle and wiping the tub dry with this citrusy repelling agent. It will also leave your shower smelling fresh and clean, alongside that aforementioned benefit of being spider-free.

There are a few alternatives that can diffuse a citrusy scent around the bathroom, including lemon-scented candles, essential oil diffusers, and air fresheners. To ensure no future trace of spiders, you may even combine multiple methods at once. Wipe your tub clean with a lemon solution, diffuse lemon eucalyptus essential oil, and air freshen with a lemon-scented spray. The purpose of using lemon to keep spiders at bay is to fill an enclosed space with the strong smell of citrus.

Unfortunately, just like most DIY solutions, there are a few drawbacks to using lemon in the shower. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, using lemon eucalyptus essential oil as a bug repellent might cause an intense physical reaction since the product hasn't been properly tested for safety and efficacy. Since citrus is a strong-smelling agent, it can be especially dangerous for children who have sensitive skin or are prone to allergic reactions. Instead, using lemon rinds in households with small children is recommended.

If you don't have a diffuser and are directly applying lemon eucalyptus essential oil to the surface of your bathtub, it's highly recommended that you dilute the concentrated solution. Start by patch testing the mixture on your skin before using it around the tub. Once you've spread the diluted solution around, use a clean paper towel to ensure there's no oily surfaces that can cause you or other family members to slip — another drawback to be aware of. While the strong smell of citrus will continue to linger and ward off spiders, your bathtub won't be a hazard to anyone using the shower.