Does Hairspray Kill Spiders? Hairspray VS Spiders!!! Who Will Win??

About 45,000 types of spiders inhabit the planet, ranging from harmless to deadly. Spiders are considered creepy and annoying, whether benign or harmful. A popular reservation on the topic is “Does hairspray kill spiders?” Let us find out.

This article will focus on eliminating spiders and maintaining a spic and span household, office, or building. 

Why do People Fear Spiders?

Domestic spiders are inoffensive, although they do contain venom in them. The venom of spiders in the household will cause no form of fatal or alarming harm to humans. Majority of people have arachnophobia (fear of spiders). The rest of them merely feel disgusted and filthy with their presence in the household, posing a threat to the place’s hygiene. Wherefore, people seek ways to get rid of spiders as soon as possible in any way they can. 

Does Hairspray Kill Spiders? 

It depends. Hairsprays are found in almost every home. It is used to get rid of dryness, hair frizz, and any other similar issue in the hair and hold it in place. 

There have always been discussions, and debates on hairspray production, as the chemicals used are prone to harm consumers and the environment to great lengths. With strict health and environmental protection guidelines strengthening over the years, it is safe to say most hairsprays contain less harmful content these days. There are even organic hairsprays buzzing in the market. 

Hairsprays may or may not kill spiders. If the spray has harsh chemical content, it will kill spiders, bugs, and just about any tiny pests, you find around the household. But if the hairspray is not very strong with its toxicity, it may fail to kill the spiders. But it can result in fatal and critical injuries to pests. 

What Happens if You Put Hairspray on a Spider?

Since spiders are thin-skinned organisms, they use diffusion as the mode of respiration, which means they breathe in and out through their skin. Hairsprays contain harmful chemicals such as polyvinyl acetate and polyvinyl pyrrolidone, denatured alcohol, and HFC (hydro-fluoro carbons), which are toxic.

These chemicals are put together to harden when sprayed onto the hair swiftly. When this hairspray is sprayed onto spiders, they cover their skin and immediately set, cutting out the connection between oxygen and their respiratory organ. It will suffocate them, starve them, intoxicate them, and cause paralysis, immense irritation, inflammation, and pain, eventually slaughtering them.

Even if the hairspray ingredients are not strong enough to kill the spiders, they will still end up brutally and critically harming the spider. And the fact that spiders are sentient beings (can have feelings) makes it worse. 

Easy Methods to Keep Spiders Away

Even though spiders are an annoyance and terrifying, handling cruel methods on a sentient creature puts a question mark on humanity. Many other effective ways exist to eliminate and keep spiders out of sight. Let us dive into a few of those easy methods. 

• Vinegar 

Vinegar is an ingredient that is readily available at home, and it works wonders with spiders. It has high levels of acetic acid, which helps to eliminate spiders from the area. If the spider comes into contact with the vinegar, it may die as it will dissolve its body. Or it will just repel them for good. Dilute vinegar with water ( in a ratio of 1:1) and spray it around the home to keep pests stay away.

• Citrus 

Use lemon and orange peels to keep away spiders from your home. You can keep them on the counters and even rub them on the window frames and wall corners where spiders are likely to settle in. The citric acid in the fruits will help clear out the spiders.

• Essential Oil and Borax 

Mixing essential oil (peppermint) with Borax and spraying them on the walls and corners will also repel spiders. When sprayed directly onto the spiders, it will eliminate them. 

• Eucalyptus 

Eucalyptus plant or oil also helps repel and eliminate spiders around the home. 

• Contact Pesticides 

Contact pesticides are chemical sprays specially designed to eliminate pests such as spiders on the spot. When they contact the intended target, it immediately kills it. Although it contains high toxins, it is not fatally harmful to humans. Just make sure you do not get it in contact with your eyes, mouth, nose, or skin. 

• Diatomaceous Earth 

DE is a white powder obtained from river banks and lakes. It is cheap and can act as an effective repellent. Moreover, it is free from toxins and unfavorable chemical substances. If you have children at home, this would be the best and safe option to opt for. DE powder repels spiders and any other pests and will eliminate them in case of direct contact. 

How to Keep Spiders from Entering Your Space?

These methods, as mentioned earlier, can help you efficiently eliminate spiders. But on the other hand, there are also a few things you must ensure to prevent them from getting into your lane ever again. 

• Vacuum the house regularly 
• Clean an around the house and get rid of any debris, rubbish, and dirt 
• Dust off the corners of the walls and clear cobwebs from window frames, corners of the wall, your closet, etc. 
• Dump your dustbins regularly 
• Keep windows and doors closed or use mesh screens 
• Seal cracks and holes in the house 
• Get rid of spider prey in the home and the yard. 
• Move away from hiding places such as stacked wood, storage piles, etc.

A clean surrounding is less likely to be invaded by any pests, including spiders. 

FAQ

How Fast does Hairspray kill Spiders?

It’s more or less the time hairspray takes to dry up on a spider. Rather than toxics, it’s the hairspray’s dryness that causes spiders to die. So, it will take around 5-7 minutes for a hairspray to kill a spider after you spray it on them. If you are using a hairspray that has ability to dry quicker, you may get the result you want even faster.

Does Hairspray Kill big Spiders?

Yes, hairspray products do have the ability to kill big spiders as well. However, it may take comparatively longer than a small sized one and a large quantity of spray. We are talking about the spiders that are found in the household; if you are in a hurry to get rid of a big spider, just spray your hairspray a tad longer on them.

Does hairspray kill insects?

As we mentioned earlier, it depends on the compounds included in the hairspray. However, most hairspray products have the ability to kill insects. Hairspray products are made to set immediately in the hair, and the same mechanism causes insects to die when sprayed on them. It will take some time to show the results, but after 5-7minutes or so, you will see insects are getting killed after hairspray is set on them.

What is the best household spray to kill a spider instantly?

We recommend Windex. It is very common to spray to find in almost all household, and its compounds are very harmful to many insects including spiders. Also, it’s not difficult for Windex to kill a bunch of spiders in no time, not only one.

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