The Unexpected Pantry Item That May Keep Spiders Out Of The House

If you're looking for a way to get rid of spiders in your home, you might turn to a commercial spray or use moth balls or perhaps an essential oil as your go-to solution. You probably never thought of just laying out a popular food item to keep them away: chestnuts! When you think of chestnuts, you're more likely to think of roasting them on an open fire at Christmas time. Or maybe you think of the blight that killed most of the chestnut trees once dominating the forests of the eastern United States. Chestnuts aren't even likely the first natural scent you can use to repel spiders, but they are one of the most effective. For some species of spiders, chestnuts can be even more effective than mint oil in keeping spiders at bay.

In some parts of the world, the oil from chestnuts is used as an insect repellent. The husks or outer skins of chestnuts are rich in tannin, a common ingredient in a number of insect repellents. The most prominent oil in the nuts themselves (actually, chestnuts are fruits) is terpinolene, which some evidence claims has moderate insecticidal and repellent properties. One often cited study found that not all spiders that it tested avoided chestnuts, but the study nonetheless suggested that chestnuts "could be broadly repellent to female spiders."

One of the advantages of using chestnuts over other all-natural anti-spider solutions is that you don't have to resort to essential oils, which usually come in concentrated formulas which — undiluted — can be skin and eye irritants. You don't even need to extract any oil from chestnuts. Just be sure to use true chestnuts (species from the genus Castanea) rather than the unrelated species of horse chestnuts (from the genus Aesculus). Simply place fresh chestnuts in locations where spiders have appeared in the past or their likely hiding spots, such as the corners of ceilings or window frames, behind furniture, under sinks, near houseplants, or in seldom-used spaces like attics and basements. Make it decorative by placing them in a basket or ceramic dish.

You can place whole chestnuts around, since the tannin in their outer skins is a natural repellent, but to release the chestnut oil, crush or lightly crack the chestnut casing to break the husk and reveal the fruit within. Make sure to replace them frequently to keep them fresh, and don't forget: if you have a major spider outbreak, it may be best to call in a professional.