A Guide to Getting Rid of Spiders

How to tell if you’ve got a spider problem

What kind of spider am I dealing with?

Wolf spider: Big, brown, and hairy, wolf spiders won’t spin webs—but they’ll still live in all the dark, damp places in your home. Ranging between 19-34 mm in length, they’re identifiable for their furry appearance, brown or grayish bodies, and various lines on their abdomen. 
House spider: There’s almost no way you haven’t encountered one at some point or another—look for brown or gray bodies, two dark-colored stripes on the head and thorax, banded legs, and a round abdomen.
Cellar spider: Shy and spindly, cellar spiders hate confrontation and prefer to sit quietly in their webs. Rarely do they approach humans. You can spot them for their pale brown, gray, or yellow bodies and long, nearly-transparent legs. 
Daddy Long Legs: Luckily, Daddy Long Legs are harmless. They look quite similar to cellar spiders, but are typically bigger. 
Hobo spider: Long legs, gray-and-yellow bodies, and their distinctive, funnel-shaped webs make the hobo spider distinguishable from other common household spiders.
Jumping spider: Small, squat, and typically black or brown with lighter markings, you can tell a jumping spider apart from—you guessed it—the way it jumps from surface to surface.
Black Widow: Infamous for being one of the most venomous spiders to humans, black widows are no strangers to urban areas. They’re most notable for the red hourglass marking under their abdomen. 
Brown Recluse: A frequenter of basements, storage closets, and big piles of laundry, the brown recluse is big, brown, and sports a violin-shaped marking on its back—and its bite is also venomous to humans. 

What attracts spiders to your home 

9 natural ways to get rid of spiders in your home

Set up spider traps: Over-the-counter glue traps are a short-term solution to getting rid of spiders—and potentially helping you figure out where they’re coming in. Just be sure to keep them away from kids and pets (they’re toxic!) and check them often. 
Use peppermint oil: The naturally strong scent of peppermint essential oils is unappealing to spiders—so much so that it can actually drive them away! Mix between 10 and 20 drops with some water in a spray bottle and take to the floors, doors, and windows. Spray often for consistent results!
Use white vinegar: An alternative to peppermint essential oil is vinegar, another household spider repellent. Not only does the scent deter spiders from your home, but the acid in vinegar also burns them upon contact. Mix white vinegar and water in equal parts and spray around your home, reapplying regularly for the best results. 
Remove the webs: While you’re spraying behind your doors and in unseemly corners, take the time to break up any webs you see. This can be done with a paper towel, vacuum, or even a broom, and will make it harder for your spiderly tenants to stay comfortable indoors.
Vacuum them up: Don’t worry about them crawling back out of the vacuum hose afterward—the force of suction required to vacuum up spiders generally kills them in the process. You can also vacuum up webs and egg sacs, plus any dirt and debris that could prove enticing to future spiders.
Remove clutter: Spiders like to hide—and the darker and dirtier the space, the better. Stacks of cardboard boxes, untouched bookcases crammed with old books and magazines, and untended piles of laundry can become the perfect hiding spots for spiders in your home, so reduce and remove clutter where possible.
Use another natural alternative: Not into vinegar or peppermint oil? There are alternatives you can try, like sprinkling dry baking soda around your baseboards or behind doors, spraying lemon juice, or mixing up a cocktail of water and tobacco to discourage spiders from setting up shop in your home. 
Use a store-bought insecticide: Store-bought insecticides are heavy-duty alternatives to essential oils, vinegar, and other household solutions. You can pick them up at most home or hardware stores—but if you’re using one, be sure to read the label and directions thoroughly. Many are toxic to kids and pets as well.
Get a cat: If you’ve been thinking about adding a furry friend to your residence, now may be the best time to do so! Cats are known to hunt spiders, along with mice, frogs, and other varmints, and can serve as a natural (and cuddly!) deterrent to pest infestations. 

5 fast ways to get rid of spiders in your garden

Use natural, biological controls: Did you know you can use what’s already in your garden to naturally deter spiders? There are an abundance of plants—like lavender, mint, and lemon balm—that naturally deter spiders with their scent. You can also sprinkle some diatomaceous earth on the soil to reduce spider populations, or bring your essential oils outdoors. 
Patch holes and cracks: One of the most common ways spiders enter your home are from cracks and holes in your foundation. Patching up these places can make a big difference in the number of spiders you’re seeing indoors.
Keep outdoor lights to a minimum: Spiders like it dark—but their most common prey (gnats, moths, mosquitos, etc.) will swarm to your outdoor lights, inadvertently drawing spiders along with them. You can keep bugs of all sorts to a minimum by reducing the amount of time you leave your outdoor lights on. 
Use insecticide: You can buy spider repellents at virtually any hardware or home store, including ones that are safe to spray around your garden. If natural methods aren’t giving you the spider-free results you’re seeking, an insecticide may be your best bet. 
Break up the webs: Just take a stick to any webs you see hanging around your property and break up the physical webs themselves—this will force your spiderly neighbors to rebuild elsewhere. 

When to call an exterminator

Does homeowners insurance cover pest removal?

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