Tips On Getting Rid Of Spiders

Eliminating spiders from your home will protect you and your family from potentially poisonous spider bites. Here are some tips on getting rid of spiders effectively:

• Inside

Spiders like to hide out in dusty corners and behind objects where they are safe. Clean the clutter from the basement and any other room where objects have accumulated. Pull out the furniture in each room and clean out the dust behind. Clear cobwebs from the corners of the ceiling with a long broom. If you encounter a spider while cleaning, use a magazine to brush it into a jar and dispose it outside. Those who don’t mind killing spiders can whack them with a shoe of course. Killing the spider might be a good option if you suspect that it is poisonous.

• Outside

Cut off the spiders’ entry into your home. Caulk the gaps in the siding and replace the screens on your attic vents if needed. Get new weather stripping for the doors if there is a significant gap at threshold. Also clear woodpiles and garden debris from the foundation of your house where spiders can crawl through. Pull off unnecessary plants that are growing on the side of your house and hose off the surface to clear cobwebs/egg sacks.

• Vacuum

Another option for disposing live spiders is using a vacuum. Attach a wand extension and suck the spiders up. They will either die during the process of being vacuumed or by being trapped inside the vacuum cleaner. A vacuum is also a handy tool to use for clearing cobwebs.

• Natural Deterrents

Fill an empty spray bottle with water and add 30 drops of peppermint oil (shake well). Spray the mixture into dark corners and behind furniture pieces. This should effectively deter spiders from problem areas. Hedge apples also contain a scent that deters spiders. Place a hedge apple on a square of cardboard in the places where you have seen the most spiders in your house. Hedge apples can be challenging to find unless you live in the Midwest where they grow. You are more likely to find them at a specialty grocery stores or online.

Note: Consider calling an exterminator if the spider infestation is severe.