Spider repellents

Recently I had a day off work since my new man was having a medical procedure and would not be able to drive afterward. I took a couple of my dressage magazines to read because there is rarely good reading material in waiting rooms. One of the articles mentioned making small repellent jars to help get rid of and keep spiders away. Since these sounded super simple to make, I figured why not give it a shot? 

The article suggested using glass jars, but 1) plastic just seems like a safer option around horses and 2) easier/ cheaper to get. So on my next trip to the $1 store, I got a small bag of Moth Balls and two of the 4 packs of small Betty Crocker containers. 

I opened one package of the containers and got to work. The article said to use a nail to make 3 or 4 holes in the top of the jar. I'm sure we can all get creative about where we place the holes, but I just went with simple, even, quartered spacing.

I had used a screw to make the holes and grabbed one of my S hooks to see if I could put it thru the holes to hang it up. Sure enough, it works!

Armed with my little containers, I opened the bag of moth balls. The article said to place 2 or 3 moth balls in each jar, screw on the cap and set them out in places where you have seen the most spiders. I wedged one in the bridle rack just because, one is hanging up by my girths and saddles, another one near all my bags of polo wraps and the 4th one is wedged in the pallet by the door to repel the barn cats. There were plenty of moth balls to complete the second set of containers which I haven't yet punched holes in the top of. For a total of $4 my tackroom should be free of spiders and all the other bugs they eat.

For anyone concerned about the smell- the few holes are supposed to keep it contained for the most part, but let enough thru to ward off the spiders. To me, they smell like the little things they hang in the toilet in a gas station restroom, similar to a urinal cake. Every now and then there's a light whiff of that smell, but even then it is mild enough not to be annoying, let alone strong enough to make anyone gag.  So far they seem to be working, so the occasional smell is worth not dealing with the webs or worse- getting bitten.