Spiders are scary, but not all of them are lethal.
However, many of us are frightened by them, so we prefer to keep them out.
Spiders, like other insects and pests, are drawn to sources of food and shelter. These crawl into our homes to eat other household insects, such as flies, small roaches, beetles, and even centipedes.
They are not dangerous except for a few species.
If you find poisonous spiders like Black Widow or Brown Recluse inside your home, you must get rid of them immediately.
In this post, we will answer the question: Does bleach kill spiders?
What Attracts Spiders?
If you can find out what attracts them to your house, it will be easy for you to choose the right solution to get rid of them. It will also help you take the proper measures to prevent spiders from entering your home in the future. Some of the many things that attract spiders are:
- Open spaces – every house is bound to have cracks and crevices here and there. These tight spaces are the best place for them to take shelter and settle down. Spiders don’t burrow tunnels into the walls, but they take over the hiding spots created by other pests and insects.
- Gardens – Spiders thrive on other tiny creatures, and a garden is a place swarming with all kinds of tiny pests and insects. Pests are drawn to gardens and orchards that grow fruits and sweet vegetables. You will also find a lot of spiders running around in such greenery.
- Accumulated garbage – Trash cans and heaps of waste are perfect breeding grounds for spiders. If you don’t dispose of your trash regularly, you will very soon find them all over it.
- Warmth – For spiders to breed, they need warm and cozy spots. They will settle down if they stumble upon any such area in your home or garage. A warm and moist place is ideal, but an extreme environment won’t work for them.
- Food source – if there is a sufficient food supply in the house, there is no reason for spiders not to wander into your home. If your house has a lot of insects and pests, there will always be spiders inside. But in a way, it’s a good thing; the spiders will help your home become free of pests!
Does Bleach Kill Spiders?
Yes, bleach is an effective agent in killing spiders and many other insects. As they breathe in the chemical, it suffocates and kills them. If bleach is used in the solution, it will burn the spider’s body since bleach is very corrosive.
You can also spray it on your home’s exterior because it will help prevent spiders’ entry.
Bleach must also be applied in all the dark and moist gutters and crevices to clear out the spiders hiding inside.
4 Step Process For Using Bleach To Kill Spiders
To exterminate spiders using bleach, you will need the following items:
- Water
- Bleach
- Spraying bottle
- Broom or a vacuum cleaner
Step 1
Make a blend of bleach and water in a ratio of 1:3. You can also use them in equal measures. Next, pour the concoction into a spray bottle. Make sure to shake the mixture thoroughly.
Step 2
The next thing to do is spray the mixture directly on the spiders and their webs from a distance of 5 – 10 inches.
Depending on the number of spiders and the degree of the infestation, spray accordingly. Make sure all the spiders are dead.
Step 3
Once you have killed all the spiders and destroyed their web and eggs, cleaning up is next. Thoroughly clean the surfaces where you sprayed the bleach.
Make sure to wipe down all the traces of the bleach mixture.
Step 4
After wiping the surfaces as a final step, it would be better to vacuum all the surfaces, including the floors, to remove bleach and dead spiders. Please take all the remains and dump them in the trash can.
Avoid touching the surfaces with your bare hands. Also, take the necessary precautions to avoid inhaling the toxic fumes from the bleach.
Precautions To Take When Using Bleach
- Children: bleach is a toxic chemical. You don’t want to have children or pets in the house when you are applying bleach. You also need to store such cleaning products away from the reach of children. We recommend keeping the products under lock and key. Make sure to mark all the toxic cleaners. This will prevent any mix-ups.
- Making a mixture: You can make a mixture of bleach with water but never mix it with other cleaning products. Most cleaning products contain ammonia or some other acidic compound. When bleach combines with such ingredients, it releases toxic fumes that can cause death. Also, you should not apply any other cleaning products on the surface just before spraying bleach because those can also get mixed on any surface. Never use bleach with anything else other than pure water.
- Protection: Bleach releases chemical fumes. So make sure to wear protective gear for your eyes and nose. Make sure to put on gloves before you start working with bleach because otherwise, it will burn the delicate skin on your hands and even cause bleeding. So mask plus gloves are a must before spraying bleach.
- Ventilation: Don’t keep the windows and doors closed before spraying bleach, as it can lead to suffocation.
- Damage to materials: Bleach can cause damage to certain materials by stripping the color out. You should bear this in mind if you are using it at home or are using it to get rid of spiders from your car or another area.
Conclusion
All the tips mentioned above will help you eliminate your spider problem. Since bleach is a toxic chemical, please follow the safety precautions to prevent danger.
Before killing all the spiders, remember that most of them are harmless and will also limit the pest population in your home.
But if you find any poisonous species, you need to use bleach to get rid of them for good.
Good luck!
Hello, this was a great and concise read. Also, very helpful and easy DIY solution to make for killing spiders.
The only error I found in the article was the statement of bleach being very acidic. bleach is the opposite, it’s a strong base, having a pH of 13.
With that being said, the correct statement should be that it’s “very corrosive” instead of “very acidic”. Hope this helps! 🙂
Thanks for the feedback and for pointing that out Josh, I’ve made the change now 🙂