How to Get Rid of Spiders: Proven Methods for Every Home

Spiders serve a useful role in nature, but when they take up residence inside your home, most people want them gone. Whether you are dealing with harmless house spiders or potentially dangerous species like black widows or brown recluses, this guide walks you through proven methods for spider removal.

Before starting any treatment program, identify the spider species you are dealing with. Our complete guide to spiders and types of spiders guide can help with identification. Knowing what you are up against determines which approach will work best.

Start With Prevention

The most effective spider control program begins with prevention. Spiders enter homes primarily because prey insects are available inside. Reducing their food supply is the single most impactful step you can take.

• Switch exterior lights to yellow or sodium vapor bulbs to attract fewer insects near doorways.
• Seal cracks and gaps around windows, doors, and foundations with caulk.
• Install door sweeps on all exterior doors.
• Repair or replace damaged window screens.
• Address any existing insect infestations, since spiders follow their food.

For a complete checklist, see our spider prevention tips guide.

Physical Removal

For occasional spiders, physical removal is the simplest and most humane approach. Place a glass over the spider, slide a piece of stiff paper underneath, and carry the spider outside. Release it several feet from your home.

A vacuum cleaner is excellent for removing webs, egg sacs, and spiders from high corners, ceiling junctions, and other hard-to-reach spots. Dispose of the vacuum bag or empty the canister outside immediately after use to prevent spiders from crawling back out.

Sticky Traps

Spider traps are flat glue boards that capture spiders as they walk across them. Place traps along walls, in corners, behind furniture, and in other areas where spiders travel. Traps serve two purposes: they reduce the existing spider population and help you monitor which species are present and where activity is concentrated.

Check traps weekly and replace them when they become dusty or full. Position traps flat against walls since spiders tend to travel along edges rather than across open floor space.

Natural and DIY Repellents

Several natural spider repellents can help deter spiders from specific areas without using synthetic chemicals.

Peppermint Oil

Peppermint oil is the most popular natural spider deterrent. Mix 15 to 20 drops of pure peppermint essential oil with water in a spray bottle and apply around windows, doorways, and other entry points. Reapply every one to two weeks, as the scent fades.

Other Essential Oils

Essential oils such as tea tree, lavender, eucalyptus, and citrus oils may also repel spiders. Use them the same way as peppermint oil. While anecdotal evidence is strong, scientific studies on their effectiveness are limited.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is a fine, natural powder made from fossilized diatoms. When spiders walk through it, the microscopic sharp edges damage their exoskeletons, leading to dehydration and death. Apply a thin layer in cracks, crevices, behind appliances, and along baseboards. Use food-grade diatomaceous earth and wear a dust mask during application.

Chemical Treatments

Spider Sprays

Spider sprays containing pyrethroids such as bifenthrin, deltamethrin, or lambda-cyhalothrin kill spiders on contact and leave a residual barrier that continues working for weeks or months. Apply along baseboards, around window and door frames, and in corners where webs appear.

For exterior treatment, spray a continuous barrier around the foundation of your home, extending up the wall about 12 inches and out along the ground about 12 inches. This intercepts spiders before they enter.

Residual Dust Insecticides

Dust formulations work well in wall voids, attics, and other enclosed spaces where sprays cannot reach. Apply with a hand duster into cracks, electrical outlets (with the power off), and other entry points.

Targeted Approaches by Location

Spider control strategies vary depending on where the infestation is concentrated.

Basements and Crawl Spaces

Spiders in basements thrive in the damp, dark, undisturbed conditions found below ground. Reduce humidity with a dehumidifier, improve ventilation, eliminate clutter, and apply residual treatments along foundation walls.

Garages

Spiders in garages are attracted to the abundance of hiding spots among stored items. Store belongings in sealed plastic bins rather than cardboard boxes. Clear clutter from corners and along walls.

Bathrooms

Bathroom spiders are typically drawn by moisture. Fix leaky faucets, improve ventilation with exhaust fans, and seal gaps around plumbing penetrations.

Bedrooms

Finding spiders in your bed area is unsettling. Keep bedding from touching the floor, move the bed away from walls, and place sticky traps under and around the bed frame.

When to Call a Professional

Professional spider control is recommended in several situations:

• You have identified venomous spiders such as black widows or brown recluses inside your home.
• DIY treatments have not reduced spider activity after several weeks.
• The infestation is extensive, with webs and egg sacs throughout the home.
• You have a severe spider phobia that prevents you from handling the problem yourself.

A licensed pest control professional can identify the species, locate harborage areas, and apply targeted treatments that are more effective than over-the-counter products.

Maintaining a Spider-Free Home

After initial treatment, ongoing maintenance prevents spiders from returning:

• Continue removing webs as they appear — this discourages spiders from rebuilding in the same spots.
• Maintain sticky traps to monitor for new activity.
• Reapply natural repellents every two weeks.
• Keep up with exclusion by sealing any new cracks or gaps.
• Reduce exterior lighting or switch to insect-resistant bulbs.

Consistency is key. Spiders are persistent, and a one-time treatment rarely provides lasting results. Combining multiple methods — exclusion, habitat modification, traps, repellents, and targeted chemical treatments — delivers the best long-term control.

Expert Insights

Getting rid of spiders effectively has been the focus of my 15-year IPM career. The single most important lesson I have learned is that spraying alone does not solve spider problems. Spiders are not as susceptible to residual pesticides as insects because their long legs keep their bodies elevated off treated surfaces. The most successful spider management programs I have implemented combine exclusion, habitat modification, prey reduction, and targeted treatments. — Sarah Mitchell, BCE

I once consulted for a homeowner who had been spraying monthly for years with no improvement. When I inspected, I found dozens of unsealed gaps around the foundation, a moth-attracting security light right next to the front door, and heavy ground cover touching the house on all sides. After addressing these conditions, spider numbers dropped dramatically within weeks — no additional spraying needed. — Sarah Mitchell, BCE

Sources and References

• National Pest Management Association (NPMA)
• Ohio State University Extension
• University of California Riverside Spider Research
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

How to Identify

Before choosing a removal method, identify what you are dealing with. Determine the species or at minimum the family - this changes the urgency and method selection. A web-building spider found in a corner requires a different response than a wolf spider running across the floor. Look for: web type (orb web, cobweb, funnel web, or no web), body size and color, eye arrangement if you can get close, and behavior (does it flee or hold its ground). Check for the six-eye arrangement and violin mark that identify brown recluses, and the red hourglass that identifies black widows - these species warrant immediate targeted action and possibly professional involvement. For harmless house spiders and cellar spiders, simple vacuum removal and web management suffices. Identify before treating.

Prevention

Prevention is the highest-return activity in any spider management program. A single day of sealing foundation cracks and installing door sweeps delivers more lasting reduction in spider activity than months of reactive spraying. UC IPM and Penn State Extension both identify exclusion as the primary long-term spider control strategy. Seal gaps around windows, doors, utility penetrations, and siding joints with silicone caulk. Install door sweeps with a complete ground seal. Replace damaged window and door screens. Reduce outdoor lighting near entries. Remove ground-level debris and vegetation from within 12 inches of the foundation. Manage prey insect populations through sanitation - no spider can sustain itself without food. Combine these measures and spider numbers decline without ongoing chemical intervention.

Main Causes

Indoor spiders activity reflects two drivers — a hospitable indoor environment and a sufficient supply of insect prey. Spiders enter through gaps under doors, around windows, utility penetrations, and any opening leading to attics, basements, garages, or crawl spaces. Once inside they settle wherever undisturbed corners, low light, and easy prey access converge. Cooler weather pushes outdoor species inside in late summer and fall as they seek mating sites or shelter. The most important upstream driver is the indoor insect population — homes with active fly, gnat, moth, or other pest activity sustain larger spider populations than homes without prey. Cluttered storage areas, accumulated webbing, and outdoor lighting that draws nocturnal insects all amplify the indoor pressure.

Risk and Severity

Most spiders found in and around North American homes pose no medical risk to humans and provide net benefit by reducing other pest populations. Two species warrant medical caution: the black widow, whose venom can produce systemic symptoms including muscle cramping, abdominal pain, and elevated blood pressure; and the brown recluse, whose bite can produce a slowly developing necrotic lesion in a minority of cases. Bites from either species generally respond well to medical care, and fatalities are extremely rare. The far more common spider-related problem is aesthetic — webs, egg sacs, and visible spiders cause distress without medical significance. Risk concentrates in undisturbed storage areas, garages, basements, and outbuildings.

Solutions and Actions

For most spider species the goal is removing webs and reducing prey rather than chemical treatment. Vacuum or sweep down all visible webs weekly, including egg sacs, in garages, basements, attics, eaves, and exterior corners. Reduce indoor insect populations by maintaining screens, sealing entry points, and addressing any active pest issue — fewer insects means fewer spiders. Apply a residual insecticide barrier to the foundation perimeter, around windows and doors, and in eaves to deter newly arriving spiders. For confirmed black widow or brown recluse populations in storage areas, use professional pest control, wear long sleeves and gloves when handling stored items, and shake out shoes and clothing left in garages or basements. Single sightings indoors without webs are usually transient and need no chemical response.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fastest way to get rid of spiders?

The fastest short-term solution is to vacuum up visible spiders and their webs, then apply a residual insecticide along baseboards and entry points. However, for lasting results, you must combine this with exclusion (sealing gaps and cracks), habitat modification (reducing clutter and outdoor debris), and prey insect reduction.

Do ultrasonic pest repellers work on spiders?

There is no reliable scientific evidence that ultrasonic pest repellers effectively repel spiders. Multiple independent studies have found these devices to be ineffective against spiders and most other pests. Your money is better spent on exclusion materials, sticky traps, and targeted treatments.

Why do I keep getting spiders even after spraying?

Spiders are less susceptible to residual pesticides than insects because their long legs elevate their bodies above treated surfaces, minimizing contact with the product. Additionally, spraying does not address the root causes — unsealed entry points, available prey insects, and favorable habitats. An integrated approach is essential.

When should I call a professional for spider control?

Consider calling a professional if you are finding venomous spiders (black widows or brown recluses) inside your home, if you have a persistent spider problem that has not responded to DIY efforts, or if you want a thorough inspection to identify and seal entry points you may have missed.