Spider Bites
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Spider Bites - Editor's Choice

| Modified on Jun 17, 2023
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Spider Bite Natural Remedies

The effect of a spider bite can range from mildly irritating to quite dangerous depending on the type of spider that inflicts the bite, the severity of the bite, and the individual reaction of the person who receives the bite. Natural remedies like baking soda, activated charcoal and Epsom salt work to relieve the pain and inflammation from the bite, draw out the poison, fight secondary infections, and promote healing of the skin.

1. Baking Soda

Baking soda is a remedy that can be quickly applied to a spider bite. Mix baking soda with water into a paste consistency. Apply the paste to the bite. Make sure you cover the bite completely and even apply the paste beyond the initial borders of the bite. Baking soda draws out the toxins and relieves pain and inflammation. Keep a box of baking soda in your car or a small container of it in your backpack. It has so many applications you will be glad you have it on hand at all times.

2. Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal powder can be used internally and externally to treat spider bites. If you have charcoal tablets you can take 1 or 2 on an empty stomach 2-3 times a day with a full glass of water. The charcoal will take poisons out of the system. Do not take charcoal within 2 hours of any medications that you take.

You can make a charcoal poultice to apply to spider bites. These poultices relieve pain and draw out the poison. A paste can be made of coconut oil and activated charcoal and applied directly to the bite as well.

3. Honey

Honey is a wonderful healer, especially if you can get raw and local honey, preferably in a glass jar! Honey is particularly useful when there is an open wound related to the bite. Apply the honey into the wound several times each day. Honey can also be taken internally to help your body to heal from spider bites.

4. Potato

Raw potato is a folk remedy that is used to draw out infection. Grate a raw potato and apply it to the spider bite. Cover with gauze and a bandage. Change the potato poultice every few hours.

5. Tea Bag

Another simple remedy is to use a tea bag as a poultice for your spider bite. Black tea, green tea or even some herbal teas (like chamomile or red raspberry leaf) will work nicely to draw out infection. Simply moisten the tea bag with hot water and apply to the bite. You can attach it to the bite with an ace bandage or cohesive tape. Change the tea bag as it dries out or every few hours.

6. Essential Oils

Essential oils are inherently antiseptic. Many also relieve inflammation and prevent infection. Lavender and tea tree essential oils can be applied to the bite neat (without diluting) unless you are applying them to sensitive skin, near the eyes, on mucous membranes or children. One or two drops will suffice. Peppermint essential oil is especially useful if the bite is “hot.” Peppermint will cool the bite. Oregano oil is also an excellent oil for bites but it must be diluted to use on the skin. Add one drop of oregano oil to small dab of coconut oil or healing salve to apply to the bite.

7. Plantain

If you happen to have plantain growing nearby, crush a leaf with your finger and apply to the bite. Cover with a bandage. Change the plantain every few hours. Plantain is wonderful for relieving pain.

8. Echinacea

Echinacea tincture can be used internally and externally to bring healing to a bite. Apple a few drops of the tincture to the bite several times a day and take the tincture in some water internally according to the package directions.

9. Iodine

Iodine is an antiseptic that can be applied to the bite. It will help to prevent infection.

10. Epsom Salt

For multiple bites or bites that are producing a significant reaction, Epsom salt baths can be used to draw out the poison and bring relief to the inflammation. Add 1  ½ cups of Epsom salt to a warm bath 1-3 times daily.

11. Vitamin C

A vitamin C supplement will support your immune system and will help your skin to heal more quickly. Sodium ascorbate is the ideal form of vitamin C. Because your body uses vitamin C quickly it should be taken 3-4 times daily. You may be able to tolerate as much as 1,000 mg at a time. If you begin to get loose stools, cut back the amount you take a bit.

12. Turmeric

Turmeric is a wonderful all around healer. It will help reduce pain, itching and inflammation, It can help to prevent secondary infection, including staph infections which are not uncommon when broken skin is involved. Turmeric is also a blood purifier. Golden milk is an excellent way to take turmeric but turmeric capsules can work well also. 2-4 capsules can be taken 2-4 times a day.

Additional Considerations

  • Benadryl can be used to reduce swelling and any systemic type of reaction.
  • Sugar depresses the immune system and should be avoided when you are trying to heal a serious spider bite.
  • Keeping the bowels open will help the body to remove toxins from a spider bite. Constipation allows poisons to recirculate in the body. Do address any constipation issues.
  • See a doctor if the bite is accompanied by red streaks on the skin, fever, chills, vomiting or any other serious side effect.

Do you have a spider bite remedy? Please send us some feedback!

Additional Pages of Interest:

Brown Recluse Bite Remedies

The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
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Baking Soda and Salt

Posted by Stacyj913 (Kansas City, Mo) on 07/23/2018
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

I've had very good success using both salt and baking soda for brown recluse bites. I live in Missouri and have been bitten three times. With this most recent bite, I immediately washed with soap and water when I realized what had woken me up, dried, and applied salt. I wet a bandage with witch hazel, generously applied a layer of salt, and taped it over the bite.

When removing the salt 2 hours later, I could see a moistened area right over the puncture site, which I really believe to be some of the venom being drawn out.

I then applied a dab of Neopsorin and spent most of that day and the next icing for 15 minutes at a time, reapplying salt a couple of times. Ice is a must for the swelling and pain and/or intense itching. I once read it can actually help neutralize some of the venom; I'm not sure if this is true but it certainly feels much better.

I've likewise read that heat can exacerbate the bite and believe that to be true based on experience. For the next couple of days I took a bath as cool as I could comfortably stand, with a bit of Epsom salts and baking soda, and believe it helped a lot. I also increased my vitamin C the first few days, 3,000 mg daily (I probably could have gone higher), and turmeric 1,500 mg daily.

About a week later, the bite is healing beautifully, and I don't believe it will leave a scar at all. I'm at this point just applying Neosporin and a Band-Aid at night. I've had similar great results using baking soda in a similar way, again seeing a moist spot in the baking soda after a couple of hours. (I just didn't immediately have baking soda on hand this time around so used plain salt instead.)

The only bite that did take a very long time to heal and has left a noticeable scar is the one where I never applied baking soda or salt (Not realizing until later that a brown recluse bite is actually what it was). ~

Baking Soda

Posted by Babsinbloom63 (Louisiana, US) on 11/18/2014
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Two weeks ago I got bit on my upper back 3-4 times at my daughter's house in Texas by what we now know was a Wolf Spider. I had killed one earlier that morning in my daughter's kitchen as my daughter has a 3 month old baby and she was afraid the spider would get on the baby. That night I went to bed and woke up with a tingling, burning pain on my back which later started itching also. Then hard, swollen welts developed which quickly formed pimple like heads. I had a total of 4 of these all confined to a small area of my back. I put some neosporin and benadryl spray on them but that didn't seem to do much more than ease the itching for a short time. So I started researching what could have bitten me and came to the conclusion that it had to be the Wolf spider as my daughter and her husband just moved into their new home in Texas a few months ago and their home was built on a half acre lot that was a field and they have been having problems with spiders ever since they moved in.

Anyway, I was already on antibiotics for a tooth infection and the one I was on was one they give for spider bites (clindamyacin). I wasn't really getting any relief or healing from any of the things I tried so I did more research and found this site. I read about the baking soda poultice and remembered that my mom used to make a poultice from tobacco and baking soda when we were young and would get stung by wasps and bees and I know that worked. So for the past few days I have been making a baking soda poultice and having my husband apply it to the bites which I then leave on for at least an hour to an hour and a half. I could feel the very first poultice drawing pain out and that night I slept with no pain and no itching and in the morning the swelling, etc had gone down a great deal. And this morning after applying a poultice again yesterday, there is no swelling and the bites are healing.

I wish I could put the before and after pictures I had my husband take. There is tremendous difference using the baking soda poultice. I am making me a first aide kit with cigarette tobacco, baking soda, and benadryl tablets along with the gauze pads and tape I used to hold the poultice in place. If I get bit again I will use this from the start along with ice packs off and on. To think I might not have had to struggle with the pain and itching for two weeks if I would have tried this from the beginning, I would definitely recommend this to everyone.

Charcoal and Baking Soda

Posted by Debbiesmiller (Geneva, Il, USA) on 12/30/2012
 ★★★★★

Editor's Choice

Once again EC saved the day. Thursday night my son called and he had been bitten by a spider on his earlobe. I told him to come on over. I quickly looked on EC for rememdies. When he walked in the door my first reaction was head to the ER. His ear, the lobe and his neck behind his ear were bright bright red, with the earlobe quadrupled in size. I calmed down, made a paste of baking soda and activated charcoal. Put on his ear and let sit for 10 minutes. (this whole time my husband is calling me the voodoo queen and asking me if I am chanting while doing the "home" cures. ) Well, I had my son go wash off the mixture and sterilized a needle to put a small puncture where I could see the bite. He came back into the kitchen, and with a paper towel ready I took his earlobe gently into my and hand and OH MY GOODNESS, the green and yellow pus came pouring out of his earlobe. And I mean it was running down his beard, all over my hands and all over his shirt. The relief he felt was instant. Once this stopped, I placed the mixture on his ear again. But no more pus would come out. However, the top of his ear to the swollen lobe and the back of his neck lost all the redness. But, the earlobe was still HUGE. We decided to stop trying to get anymore gunk out and I gave him the bs and charcoal mixture to take home. But just for kicks I placed honey on the front of the lobe and sent him on his way. (Husband is laughing really hard at the honey remedy. ) Next morning, son called. Sometime in the middle of the night he thought the honey had gotten gooey and was running down his neck. Went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. The backside of the earlobe was draining profusely. Still had big ear, but the relief was great!!! Went and visited him last evening. Put more baking soda and charcoal on ear. Nothing more would come out. He just called me this morning, again in the middle of the night, ear opened up, spewed all the gunk and now his earlobe is normal size with very little redness. THANK YOU ALL WHO HELPED US WITH YOUR POSTS!!!! Probably saved hundreds of dollars in ER bills and medicines that would take days to work!!!


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