What To Get Rid Of Spiders

Look, I get it. You don’t want a spider crawling on your face while you sleep. You’re not alone—about 6% of the global population has full-blown arachnophobia, which explains the screaming. But here’s the kicker: spiders are actually shy, introverted little ninjas who just want to eat mosquitoes and avoid you.

Step One: Stop the Welcome Mat

Spiders don’t just appear from thin air (though it feels that way). They sneak in through cracks, gaps under doors, and open windows like tiny, eight-legged burglars. Seal those gaps with caulk or weatherstripping—it’s cheaper than therapy.

Pro tip: Check your basement windows. That’s the VIP entrance for spiders. A tube of silicone caulk costs less than a latte, and it stops an invasion that would make Aragorn flinch.

Step Two: Declutter Like You’re Being Filmed

Spiders love cardboard boxes, laundry piles, and that dusty corner behind your couch. They’re basically hoarders with fangs. Reduce clutter and they’ll lose their tiny apartments. Vacuum under the bed—spiders treat dust bunnies like luxury condos.

Here’s the twist: spiders also avoid areas that smell like citrus or peppermint. You can make a DIY spider repellent spray with water and peppermint oil. Spray it along baseboards, and your house will smell like a candy cane factory—minus the venom.

Step Three: Turn Off the Bug Buffet

You’re not just fighting spiders; you’re fighting their food source. Spiders eat flies, moths, and ants. If you have a bug problem, you’re running a free all-you-can-eat buffet. Fix leaky pipes, take out the trash, and install window screens.

Fun fact: a single house spider can eat 2,000 insects a year. That’s heroic, but you don’t want them to set up a nest in your lamp. Control the bugs, control the spiders—it’s that simple.

Step Four: The Sticky Trap Gambit

Glue traps are like spider handcuffs. Place them along walls, behind furniture, and near doors. They’re cheap, non-toxic, and weirdly satisfying to check (if you’re a monster). Don’t use poison—spiders are beneficial predators. You’d rather have one spider than a thousand gnats, right?

Actually, false: you’d rather have zero spiders and zero gnats. That’s why you vacuum regularly. A vacuum hose is nature’s equalizer—it sucks up eggs, webs, and the spider itself. Just empty the canister outside, unless you want them escaping into your kitchen later.

Step Five: Embrace the Outside World

Spiders belong outside, like awkward uncles at a family BBQ. Plant lavender, mint, or eucalyptus near your house—spiders hate the smell. Conversely, turn off outdoor lights at night. Lights attract moths, which attract spiders, which invite themselves in for a snack. It’s a chain reaction that ends with you screaming at a web in the shower.

Here’s a surprising stat: the average human swallows eight spiders a year in their sleep. That’s a myth—it was invented by a PR guy in 1993 to prove people believe anything. In reality, spiders avoid your mouth like it’s a haunted cave. But now you’re thinking about it. Sorry.

The Nuclear Option: Natural Predators

If you’re desperate, get a cat. Cats are adorable spider-terminators. Or adopt a gecko—they’ll treat spider webs like appetizers. But fair warning: you’ll trade one small anxiety for another (e.g., “Did the gecko escape?”).

Another option: introduce daddy longlegs to your home. They’re harmless to humans but will eat other spiders. It’s like hiring a bouncer to fight bouncers. However, daddy longlegs are venomous—just not to humans. Their fangs are too short to bite you. So you get the all-star defense without the risk.

When to Just Give Up

Sometimes you find a spider in your bed. It’s not personal; it’s just lost. Scoop it into a cup and release it outside. You’ll feel like a merciful god. Or scream and throw the cup—no judgment.

Remember: spiders are actually scared of you. You are 100,000 times larger than them. They think you’re a hairy monster. So if you can’t beat ‘em, just block the door cracks, spray some peppermint, and enjoy a summer without mosquito bites. And if you still freak out? There’s always a professional exterminator—or a very brave roommate.

Now go forth and reclaim your home. And maybe buy a flyswatter for the moths.