Spiders are one of the most unwelcome and dangerous insect home intruders. Thriving in warm, dark places, spiders can infest homes and cause painful bites that can present a significant health risk to homeowners and families.
While only a very small percentage of spider bites are lethal, causing less than 7 deaths annually in the US, arachnophobia is incredibly widespread, with over 30% of the US population experiencing a fear of spiders.
Spider deterrents usually come in the form of dangerous chemical sprays and aerosols that are composed of toxins and poisons that can damage the long term health of your family.
Diatomaceous earth offers a healthy, natural and chemical free alternative to these solutions, keeping spiders from your home organically and effectively.
In this article we’ll outline the best process for using diatomaceous earth as a natural spider deterrent.
Step 1: Clean & Observe
The first step in keeping spiders out of your living space with diatomaceous earth is by thoroughly cleaning your home. Spiders typically enter a home to prey upon the smaller insects that infest a home due to poor sanitary conditions.
By removing the clutter, food waste and dirt that brings smaller insects into your home, you’re removing the primary reason for spiders to infiltrate your living space.
After cleaning your home, the next step is to locate the areas that are most likely to harbor arachnoid pests. Cracks and gaps around doors and windows are areas in which spiders frequently linger, as well as holes in baseboards and crawlspaces.
Step 2: Distribute Diatomaceous Earth
Once you’ve located the regions that harbor spider activity, distribute diatomaceous earth liberally around these areas. Applying a thin layer of diatomaceous earth dust in these areas will create a barrier that spiders must cross to enter your home. As they pass over the DE dust, spiders will collect silica particles that bind to their exoskeletons and fatally dehydrate them.
While diatomaceous earth is completely inert and chemical free, it’s important to remember to wear appropriate safety gear when handling it. The fine silica particles in diatomaceous earth can irritate the respiratory tract and sinuses if inhaled, so be sure to wear safety goggles and a dust mask. Thick garden gloves are great for protecting hands from spider bites when investigating the home for an arachnoid presence.
Step 3: Clean, Observe & Repeat
Diatomaceous earth should eliminate all of the spiders in your home within one week. After leaving diatomaceous earth for 5-7 days, proceed to clean up the dust you’ve distributed around your home. You will notice that the dust contains the desiccated corpses of spiders that have succumbed to the dehydrating properties of diatomaceous earth.
While it’s possible to vacuum diatomaceous earth, some smaller home vacuum motors may burn out when cleaning the fine dust particles of DE. You may want to consider hiring a shop vac or industrial vacuum to clean your home of diatomaceous earth. If you’d like further information on the best methods for cleaning diatomaceous earth, be sure to check out the relevant article in our knowledge base.
While this process will destroy any spiders in your home, it’s best to repeat it at least once to ensure effectiveness, and keep a preventative distribution of DE around the outside of your home to prevent re-infestation.
Diatomaceous Earth Information Guide:
We have a wide variety of food grade diatomaceous earth resources for you look through to make your life a little easier and chemical-free. Please check out the other valuable resources and versatile application uses for silica-rich diatomaceous earth below:
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Please reach out regarding any information above. In the future, more share-worthy useful enhancements, experiences and effects of diatomaceous earth will be added as the benefits continue to pile up. Always welcome for more insight and awareness, click the button to see the most recommended beautifully blended product that combines both high quality food grade diatomaceous earth powder and pure organic silica together in one formula.