Your kids probably love spending time outdoors playing in the sandbox that you installed for them. Having a sandbox on your property is a great idea because it gives your kids an imaginative way to play outside.
Many people grow up making cherished memories in sandboxes with their closest friends. You want your kids to be able to have the same fun that you did when you were little.
The only problem is that you might notice that the sandbox has bugs in it sometimes. Have you seen spiders crawling around in your child’s sandbox lately?
This is understandably concerning because you don’t want your kids getting bitten by spiders. Is there anything that can be done to keep spiders out of the sandbox?
Read on to learn the best ideas for keeping spiders out of sandboxes. This advice should make it easier for you to solve this problem once and for all.
1 – Be Careful When Using Wooden Sandboxes
Wooden sandboxes can be more problematic in some ways when compared to sandboxes that are made using other materials. Many people who decide to make sandboxes themselves are going to use wood because that makes the most sense.
The problem is that wood is a material that bugs like to live inside. In fact, the wood that you used for your sandbox could have already had bugs living inside of it without you knowing.
Spiders and other bugs can live deep inside of the wood. It’s also possible that you might have sourced some wood that happened to have spider eggs inside of it waiting to hatch.
This means that you have to be careful when using wood to make sandboxes. You can still use wood to make a good sandbox, but you’re going to want to approach things the right way.
If you want to build a sandbox, then it’s likely going to be better to buy wood from the hardware store. You can buy some lumber to use while also checking to see if it has any signs of bugs.
You’re also going to want to fill any crevasses that are present on the pieces of lumber. These are areas that make great entry points for spiders who are trying to find homes.
Taking the time to seal the wood is going to be a very good idea. You could paint the wood or simply treat it before you even finish putting the sandbox together.
Doing all of this will make it far less likely that spiders will be able to live inside of the wood. You’ll be helping your kid to have a spider-free sandbox experience.
2 – Line the Sandbox
Another thing that you should do to try to keep bugs away is line the sandbox. Lining the sandbox will make it so that bugs won’t be able to get in from the bottom or from the sides.
The easiest thing that you can use for this purpose will be landscaping fabric. This material is better than simply using a tarp because moisture can still pass through landscaping fabric.
You don’t want water to pool inside of the sandbox, and this means that not allowing moisture to seep through is a must. Landscaping fabric is inexpensive, and you’ll easily be able to line the sides and the bottom of the sandbox before filling it with sand.
If you decide to do this, then you should have far fewer spiders to deal with this. This might not completely keep spiders away, but it gives them fewer points of entry and makes the sandbox more pleasant.
It doesn’t take a lot of time to line your sandbox either. Even if you think that taking all of the sand out of the sandbox just to line the bottom is a hassle, it’s going to be worth it at the end of the day.
3 – Always Cover Your Sandbox
Do you have a cover that you use for your sandbox? Many commercial sandboxes that you can purchase will come with covers, but it’s going to be important to make sure that the cover works well.
You want to have some type of tight cover that keeps the sandbox protected when it isn’t in use. This makes it less likely that bugs will be able to enter the sandbox easily when your kid isn’t playing in it.
There are other reasons why you should buy a cover or build a cover for the sandbox. Doing so is a good way to keep snakes from getting into the sandbox, and that can be a much scarier problem than having to deal with spiders in many ways.
It’s also true that you want to avoid letting the sand get too wet. If you don’t cover the sandbox, then it’s going to become a big mess every single time it rains in your area.
Having a cover for the sandbox is going to be incredibly convenient and helpful. If you want to help protect your kid from spiders, then covering the sandbox when it isn’t in use is a good idea.
4 – Ensure That You Landscape the Area Near the Sandbox
The area near the sandbox should be landscaped properly so that there won’t be as many spiders lurking nearby. If you don’t mow your grass as often as you should and you allow weeds to grow, then you might have more spider problems than usual.
Essentially, you’re going to need to be proactive about landscaping. Try to avoid letting the grass grow too tall and know that cutting the grass a bit shorter makes it less likely for bugs to have places to hide.
You’re also going to want to weed any garden areas that happen to be somewhat close to the sandbox. Doing so will help keep bugs to a minimum.
You’ll even want to try to trim your bushes to avoid letting them get out of control. Anything that could attract more bugs will need to be paid attention to.
Getting into a groove with your landscaping activities isn’t difficult. It just takes some dedication and energy to keep things in line.
5 – Kill Spiders with Vinegar
Vinegar is going to be a safe organic option that you can turn to when you need to kill spiders. If you see spiders in the sandbox, then you can make a vinegar spray using one part vinegar and one part water.
Put this mixture into a standard spray bottle and just spray the spots where you’ve seen spiders. Some people use vinegar spray to “treat” the sides of the wood to keep spiders at bay for longer periods of time.
It might even be a good idea to spray the sand itself in an effort to keep the spiders from trying to hide in the sand. Of course, you’re going to need to let the sand dry before you let your kids play in the sandbox again.
You will need to do this during a time when your kids aren’t using the sandbox. Try to do this every so often and you’ll likely be able to significantly reduce the number of spiders that you see.
White vinegar is incredibly cost-effective and it isn’t dangerous for your kids like chemical spider sprays. Just remember that vinegar has a strong smell and that the kids shouldn’t be around when you’re spraying it because you don’t want to burn their eyes.
6 – Plant Things That Spiders Don’t Like
You could try to plant a few things in the garden that’s near the sandbox to help. There are some odoriferous plants that spiders don’t seem to like at all.
There are many plants that you could turn to that will help with this. Lavender is going to be one of the most popular options because lavender smells really nice, but spiders hate the scent.
Peppermint is also going to be a plant that you can turn to when you’re trying to repel spiders. It’ll smell nice and it’ll do a good job of keeping spiders at bay.
Even lemongrass plants can do a good job of helping with spider issues. All you need to do is pick your favorite plant of these three options and use it to try to create a sphere of protection around the sandbox, so to speak.
Caring for these plants won’t be all that difficult either. For the most part, the three plants mentioned are very easy to take care of and you won’t need to have a green thumb to get good results.
Final Thoughts
There are many things that you can do to try to keep spiders out of a sandbox. The advice above should prove very useful to you when you’re trying to formulate a plan of attack.
Vinegar is going to work brilliantly when you’re trying to kill spiders. You can also try to use fragrant plants such as lavender, lemongrass, and peppermint to make spiders stay away from the area.
It’s crucial to spend time landscaping the area to give bugs fewer places to hide as well. Do a good job keeping up with mowing and weeding to reduce spider numbers.
If you do practical things such as lining the sandbox, covering it when it isn’t in use, and treating the wood if you decide to use wood to build a sandbox, then you’ll get good results. Your kids will be able to use the sandbox safely and you won’t have to worry so much.
Ben has a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering. When not constructing or remodeling X-Ray Rooms, Cardiovascular Labs, and Pharmacies, you can find him at home with wife and two daughters. Outside of family, He loves grilling and barbequing on his Big Green Egg and Blackstone Griddle, as well as working on projects around the house.
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