Saturday, August 18, 2007

How to kill a spider

Well first, there is the obvious - you squish him. But for a person that can't look at a spider without breaking out in a severe case of goosebumps, that option isn't as simple as it sounds. It give me the heebie-jeebies! I have been known to pound a spider to death with the broom. Not nearly as quick for the spider, but puts a little more distance between me & him. Bug spray is wonderful...my favorite method, but not a good choice with small kiddos in the house. Hairspray is a nice alternative, but doesn't have as fast results and can leave a sticky mess at the scence (not that a squished spider doesn't!).

We have (or should I say had) a spider that lived above the bathroom ceiling heater. It was the second one to take up residence there...must be a happenin' place. It's kind of problematic for the spider-squeamish to get rid of a ceiling spider. Even if you can work up the nerve to squish, you have to have really long arms or a really long tool, then good aim, and then be lucky enough that the spider isn't too close to the heater, a corner, light fixture, etc. And then what happens if you don't kill him, but knock his footing loose? Then you are ducking and dodging the 8-legged pest in a terribly embarassing, goosebump inducing dance, probably accompanied by an odd shriek (no cursing please). The bug spray option has already been eliminated, so really that just leaves letting him stay. UNTIL.... he makes a mistake. Ha!
And that brings me to the next way to kill a spider - drowning.
Found him in the bathroom sink this morning. I knew it wouldn't be easy, and I knew I had to make my move quick. Greg would have just grabbed a wad of toilet paper and thrown the sucker in the toilet, but not me. I needed more distance.
Turned the water on full blast. Dang - he's a floater - and a swimmer. The water begins draining....and he hangs on to the drain plug for dear life. Ohhhh no you don't. More water. Use the butt of the toothpaste tube as a hook to raise the drain up. Finally - yikes! reach into the sink to pull the drain completely, and.... bye-bye spider!
Works even better in the shower. :)

2 comments:

Lisa said...

You almost make it sound like fun! I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall...no wait...I would have been squished before it all started!!

fairenuff said...

Oh no, I dont know how to tell you this....

Spiders have thousands of tiny little hairs on their legs to trap air in case they get stuck in water (hence the fact that they can float). If you wash the spider down the sink he is much more likely to be floating on the water in the U bend rather than going fully down the drain - only to reappear when you least expect it!

Have you thought about the cup method? Or is that too close? I catch my spiders in a cup and take them for a walk - no killing in this house!! The girls even say hello to them before they go out! LOL, then "Bye bye Mr Skinnylegs" (so called because of one of their favourite programmes).