The amount of acetic acid in any vinegar will determine how fast it will kill spiders. Before picking any vinegar, you must know the type that will work efficiently. Those with higher acidity levels will work faster.
White vinegar has the highest concentration of acetic acid that kills spiders on contact. Mix 125ml of white vinegar with 65ml of hot water and spray it directly on them. The acetic acid found in vinegar can burn spiders to death.
| Vinegar | Effect on spiders |
| White Vinegar | 90% death rate. It can kill and repel spiders |
| Balsamic Vinegar | 75% effective. It will also repel spiders |
| Apple Cider Vinegar | 65% death rate. It will repel them effectively |
| Red Wine Vinegar | 80% reliable in killing and repelling spiders |
| Rice Vine Vinegar | 55% efficiency in killing and repelling them |
| White Wine Vinegar | 70% strong against spiders |
| Malt Vinegar | 40% reliability |
| Sherry Vinegar | 75% against spiders. It can also repel them |
White vinegar is the most distilled vinegar and is efficient in killing spiders. You need to mix it with water so that it spreads with ease. This is also used for cleaning because it is more concentrated when compared to others.
How to kill spiders with vinegar
If you want to get rid of spiders fast, ensure that you spread vinegar on them. Try and get closer before you spray because vinegar will kill spiders instantly on contact. Confirm that a good amount of vinegar covers them. Here is how to use white vinegar to get rid of spiders at home;
- Get a quarter glass of white vinegar in a hand spray
- Mix with a little water, not more than the vinegar
- Ensure you cover your eyes or at least be safe when spraying
- Spray this directly on the spiders to kill them
There is also 30% vinegar, the strongest you can get in the market. This is always used in industrial farming and cleaning greasy machinery. You can also use this to get rid of spiders outdoors. It is concentrated, and the smell can last for some time.
How often to spray vinegar for spiders
When killing spiders with vinegar, just spray it once and ensure it gets to them. However, you should spray white vinegar on the possible nesting areas every 2 weeks to repel them.
However, the duration depends on the type of vinegar. Apple cider vinegar can be sprayed as often as every week, while white vinegar can be sprayed every 2 weeks to deter spiders.
Using the common vinegar for outdoor spiders is inefficient because the smell evaporates quickly. Using those kinds of vinegar to remove spiders will be more effective in the house but not outside.
Does apple cider vinegar kill spiders?
Apple cider vinegar can kill and repel spiders because of its harsh smell. Soak some cotton balls in apple cider vinegar and place them in areas where you want to deter them. This will be your best option if you want to keep spiders away.
Spiders hate the smell of apple cider vinegar, and using it will also leave a strong smell that will last for some time. This is what makes it the best when it comes to repelling spiders.
When using vinegar to clear spiders, it is also good to clear the cobwebs and remove any other factors that attract them to your house.
If you do not do this, they will keep coming back, which means that you will be using a lot of vinegar which is not cheap. Vinegar is one of the essential products you should have at home, and wasting it may cost you a lot.
Does vinegar kill spider eggs?
Vinegar kills spider eggs by dissolving the silk that protects their eggs. After the egg sac is destroyed, it will burn the unhatched spiderlings. Combine 4 ounces of white vinegar with 2 ounces of warm water and spray it on the spider eggs.
Spraying white vinegar on a spider’s egg sac will destroy it on contact, eliminating all the eggs. The egg sac is made of silk that vinegar can dissolve. However, some spiders make thick egg sacs from silk, which may take time for vinegar to destroy.
If the woven silk containing the eggs is not extra thick, vinegar will destroy it when sprayed close enough. Ensure that the white vinegar solution is sprayed close enough to maximize the efficiency rate.
Not all types of vinegar can destroy a spider’s egg sac. Only concentrated white vinegar and 100% pure vinegar can do the job. The silk is naturally slippery, and weak vinegar with low acidic concentrations will not affect the spider eggs.
Vinegar spider myth
Thinking that all kinds of vinegar will kill spiders is a myth. There are different types of vinegar, and using the wrong one may not affect them.
The wrong one, in this case, refers to those with very low levels of acetic acid. If you mix those with water, it will become even weaker. You need to check the strength since the elimination rate depends on it.
1. White wine vinegar
White wine vinegar is a good example of vinegar that will not help you in killing spiders. This is because it has high flavor content and minimal acetic acid levels.
As much as it makes a great staple in the kitchen, it will not be effective in keeping spiders away.
2. Dose champagne vinegar Kill spiders?
Another vinegar that is not effective in killing spiders is champagne vinegar because it is very low in acetic acid. However, you can mix it with a few drops of peppermint oil to repel spiders, especially when repelling spiders indoors.
Mixing it with water to spray on spiders will not do much. This vinegar is always used in light meals when you just need a little touch of vinegar that is not strong.
3. Does malt vinegar kill spiders?
Someone asked if malt vinegar would kill spiders. Well, it will repel them, but it is not as effective as white vinegar.
Malt vinegar is not as strong as white vinegar because it is made from barley while the other is distilled. This is why the former will deliver much better in this case.
4. Sherry vinegar
Sherry vinegar is also not the best when getting rid of spiders. It does not have high acidic levels, and you may have to use it in large quantities, which is a great loss. You cannot also use this to ward off outdoor spiders since even when it is used indoors, it will be less effective.
Those kinds of vinegar with less acetic levels will not help you in this case since they are only made for use in the kitchen. Remember, they are manufactured for cooking, and you cannot use them for general purposes like you would do with others.
Vinegar for spiders in the house and outdoors
It is also advisable to use vinegar only when removing spiders indoors because it is not very effective when used outdoors. This is because it evaporates very fast when exposed to strong winds.
The advantage of using vinegar soaked in cotton balls to repel spiders is that it will also control flies and keep other crawling insects away.
However, do not use vinegar to eliminate spiders in your bedroom, especially at night. This is because the strong scent may remain for some time and irritate your nose.
When controlling spiders outdoors, use alternatives like bleach for spiders since vinegar may evaporate faster. However, Vinegar is effective on spiders when you spray it close and direct. if you have to use it outside, aim for the target at a close range.
You may want to check what attracts spiders to your room and deal with that instead of using vinegar in there. Another alternative is to use natural plants that repel insects. This is one of the best ways to repel spiders if you do not want to use vinegar. Here is a video on what vinegar does to spiders:
References:
- PubMed.gov: Natural Compounds as Spider Repellents
- Independent: How to keep spiders out of your house
Calina Mabel has over 15 years of experience in the field of journalism and communications. Currently, Calina Mabel is the Content Writer for categories such as Cockroach, Ants, Bed Bugs, Mosquito, Rodent, Termite, and Flies on Pestweek.com. She aims to build content for these categories with a focus on providing valuable and accessible information to readers, in order to create the world’s largest knowledge community about Pests.
All content written by Calina Mabel has been reviewed by Emily Carter.