How to Get Rid of Spider Mites on Your Houseplants, Naturally

Spider mites are tiny creepy-crawlies who love your houseplants just as much as you do. Contrary to popular belief, these little guys aren’t actually insects — they’re a type of arachnid, related to spiders, scorpions, and ticks. Spider mites look like miniscule green, white, red, yellow, or brown spiders that are almost too small to see with the naked eye. But their most defining feature is that they have an insatiable appetite for your indoor plants.

If you’ve got a case of spider mites and don’t know what to do, don’t despair — you’re in good hands. We’ve got some au natural tips to help you get rid of spider mites before they cause lasting damage to your leafy green babies.

Wind surfing: Spider mites hitch a ride on the wind and end up on your doors and windows, where they have ample opportunity to infiltrate your household.

New houseplants: They’re likely to sneak in on new houseplants and spread to your established plants from there.

Usual people: Spider mites could also hitch a ride on you and find their way onto your houseplants after you’ve entered your home. But don’t worry — spider mites don’t bite, and they aren’t harmful to humans.

Conventional pest control sprays — and bug repellants, for that matter — contain harmful ingredients that’ve been linked to a host of health issues when used indoors. Symptoms like upper respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, and nausea are just a few of the risks to your family. Children exposed to indoor insecticides are 47 percent more likely to develop leukemia than kids who have never been exposed, and 43 percent more likely to develop lymphoma.

Here’s a list of the toxic chemicals to watch out for in pest control sprays and bug repellants:

• Pyrethrins
• Pyrethroids
• DEET
• Cyfluthrin

Peppermint, neem, and rosemary are all toxic to spider mites but safe for humans. Mix 1 tablespoon liquid peppermint soap, 1 teaspoon neem oil, and 1 teaspoon rosemary essential oil in a spray bottle filled with water. Spray the leaves of your infected plants once a day until the infestation is gone.

Rubbing alcohol

Rubbing alcohol dehydrates and kills spider mites. Mix 1 part rubbing alcohol to 4 parts water in a bowl and use a clean cloth to rub the leaves of your plant with the mixture. You can also put this mixture in a spray bottle and spray the leaves. Repeat daily until the mites are dead.

Natural pest control sprays

Natural pest sprays are a stellar way to keep spider mites at bay with ingredients formulated for maximum effectiveness. Aunt Fanny’s and Arber both carry a stellar line of natural pest control products that use ingredients like good bacteria and essential oils to fight spider mites while preventing infestations from happening in the first place.

• Spray the leaves of your plants with water to keep them moist and make them unappetizing to spider mites
• Thoroughly inspect any new houseplants for signs of spider mites before you buy them
• Make sure your indoor plants are getting the right amount of water to prevent the leaves from drying out
• Move infected plants to a cooler room and keep them away from healthy plants until the mites are gone