How to Naturally Keep Spiders Out of Your House

Some spiders spin intricate webs to trap prey like flies, mosquitoes and moths.

Spider control can be difficult. Many of the techniques used involve eliminating habitats and restricting their access to your home. These can be time consuming activities that require continued commitment in order to ensure success. Natural spider control is, however, an excellent way to keep the unwanted, and sometimes creepy, arachnids out of your home, while still preserving them as an important landscape predator. Spiders are responsible for killing many home and garden pests and are certainly among the most beneficial creatures in the landscape.

Things You'll Need

• Gloves
• Yellow or sodium vapor light bulbs
• Broom
• Garden hose
• Spray nozzle
• Pruning shears
• New screens
• Weather stripping
• Caulk

Instructions

1. Caulk or seal all cracks through which spiders might gain entry.

2. Replace loose-fitting, punctured or ripped window or door screens or vent covers and place weather stripping around doors to ensure a tight fit.

3. Remove debris from patios, porches, garages, closets, storage rooms an attics. Ensure all storage containers are tightly sealed.

4. Keep shrubs, flowers, small trees and any other vegetation trimmed and away from windows, doors or the foundation. Keep wood piles away from the foundation as well.

5. Regularly sweep or hose webs off of exterior walls, eaves, windows, doors, porch railings, patio furniture and any other place you find them. Spiders can easily move indoors if weather conditions outside require them to seek shelter.

6. Remove exterior lights near doors or windows or change the bulbs to yellow or sodium vapor bulbs. These bulbs attract fewer insects and thus fewer spiders.

Tips & Warnings

• Your county extension agent may be able to help you identify problem spiders and help you tailor a control strategy for the specific spiders on your property.

• Wear heavy gloves when cleaning up debris, trimming vegetation or moving wood piles as these are common hiding places for black widows.

References

• Ohio State University Extension; Spiders In and Around the House; Susan C. Jones
• UC IPM Online; Spiders; R. C. Vetter