Is it true that bleach can kill spiders? Sodium Hypochlorite or bleach that has a high acidity level of over 11% will not only kill the spider but also their eggs. It is a very easy and cost-effective way to kill spiders in just minutes. However, there are safety hazards that come with it.
Many others are getting excited to embrace the colder months, but you are concerned about the spiders that seek refuge in your centrally heated home. You are thinking of using bleach on these creatures but you are wondering, “Will it be enough to kill them?”
Should you wish to proceed with this method of extermination, read on to learn how bleach can effectively be used to kill spiders. Also included below are some of the necessary precautions to keep in mind.
Related Reading: Will Bleach Kill a Snake?
How Does Bleach Work to Kill Spiders?
To explain it simply, the chlorine fumes in bleach impact the way spiders breathe. It prevents the spiders from absorbing air through the small holes underneath the exoskeleton (the external skeleton that protects a spider’s body), resulting in them dying from suffocation.
Additionally, bleach is also toxic to a spider’s eggs as the household cleaning chemical will destroy the outer layer of the eggs, leaving them unprotected and eventually killing them.
How Can You Spot a Spider’s Hiding Place?
During the colder months, spiders take refuge in a warmer habitat like the inside of your house which has heaters installed. They tend to hide in areas that are undisturbed such as behind doors, cabinets, boxes, gutters, and other dark crevices to build their webs safely and protect their eggs from harm.
How Can You Spot a Spider’s Eggs?
You can spot a spider’s eggs on the web or on the female spider itself, wrapped in a silken egg sac. You should be very careful in eliminating them as some spiders can produce up to 300 eggs in 1 sac. So, when you think there is only one, there is a lot of them.
How Long Does It Take for Bleach to Kill a Spider?
Depending on the spider’s size, how it was exposed to the bleach, and the concentration of the bleach mixture, a properly diluted spray of bleach can kill a spider in a mere six seconds. However, if the mixture is not diluted properly then it may take longer for the spider to die – you can be looking at about 10 minutes up to 2 hours.
Still, you should be careful in finding out what type of spiders you are trying to eliminate as some can be more dangerous than others, even lethal. The Brown Widow Spiders for example are both very common and very deadly.
How to Use Bleach to Kill Spiders
As you might have already guessed, the bleach found in your house such as the one you normally used in the laundry can be used as a readily available deterrent against spiders.
So, what are the things you need to eliminate spiders?
- Bleach
- Water
- Spray Bottle
- Cleaning Equipment
- Teabags (Optional)
And now, having all the necessary things at your disposal, you would want to know how to actually use bleach to kill spiders? Here is the step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Mix the solution thoroughly, three parts water and one part bleach (Clorox or some other brand that is available to you), then pour them into a spray bottle. The solution needs to be properly diluted – the solution must be higher in water content than in bleach.
Step 2: Spray the mixture directly on the spiders, their webs or the affected areas (the exterior of your home, gutters, and dark crevices where they can be hiding). You should spray the mixture within a six to a ten-inch distance of the spiders.
Step 3: As soon as the spiders are dead and their eggs destroyed, you should sweep, vacuum, and wipe clean the whole area thoroughly to remove them.
Step 4: If you want to repel the spiders from infesting your house, this is an optional yet useful step. You can use some tea bags to soak in the solution for a few minutes, and place one or more of them in the areas usually affected.
Safety Precautions
Bleach is a good solution in killing spiders. Although it is categorized as a pesticide, it is not registered as one due to its harmful side effects to both humans and the surfaces it is sprayed on.
Here are some safety precautions to keep in mind while using bleach to kill spiders:
- Don’t inhale the chlorine fumes. Bleach is a corrosive chemical that can damage areas susceptible to irritation such as your lungs, mouth, eyes, and skin. Overexposure to bleach is even more harmful to people with respiratory disease or illnesses such as asthma.
- Wear protective clothing and eyewear to avoid injuries such as chemical burns when trying to remove spiders using bleach.
- Do not use bleach excessively in an area. Bleach spray or teabags soaked in bleach and water solution can act as an effective repellant against spiders, however, the bleach may ruin the colour of your floors or walls.
- Keep the windows and doors wide open when using bleach to kill spiders to get rid of and aerate the house from any dangerous fumes.
Related Reading: Does Bleach Kill Millipedes? & Will Bleach Kill Ants?
Is Bleach a Good Spider Killer?
Given how simple and cheap it is, bleach is an effective spider killer. But, you need to keep in mind the safety hazards that come with it too. So, do not spray bleach on places that might discolour your belongings. More importantly, always keep it closed and stored away in a safe place when not in use.
However, if you feel that this method isn’t for you or your spider infestation is bad, you can always experiment with other methods to rid yourself of spiders, such as calling in professional pest extermination services or using spider bait traps.
Nevertheless, some may argue for these creatures to have their place in our world’s ecosystem regardless of the ways you choose to eliminate them.
