Keeping Spiders Out of Your Home

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As with any pest, spiders are not welcome inside your home. They can be extremely beneficial outside, eating many common pests, especially those that will destroy your garden but some can be dangerous to have around your home. Over 50% of people in the United States have negative reactions when seeing a spider so keeping them out of your home is a priority for many Americans. There are a few things you can do to help keep spiders out of your home but the best way to ensure they stay out is to enlist the help of a trained professional.

How to Keep Spiders Out of Your Home

Since many people have an aversion to spiders, most will do everything possible to keep them out of their homes. Keeping spiders out of your home can be difficult but there are a few easy things you can do to keep your home spider free.

• Remove clutter: Spiders like to hide in household clutter. Removing their favorite hiding spots can help make your home an attractive place to live.
• Get rid of other pests: A spider feeds on a variety of other pests you may have in your home. Since a spider will enter your home looking for food, keeping other pests away will also keep spiders away.
• Check objects before bringing them in: Spiders like to hitch a ride into your home from objects that have been outside and even second-hand furniture. Checking the belongings you bring into your home can stop you from bringing in unwanted guests.
• Sweep or vacuum: Make sure to sweep or vacuum any egg sacs and webs you find. A single egg sac could hold 200 or more baby spiders.
• Use peppermint oil: Spiders and many other pests do not like peppermint. Spray a mixture of peppermint essential oil and water around your home to both keep spiders away. This also has the added benefit of keeping your home smelling good!
• Repair screens: Holes in window or door screens are an easy way for spiders and a variety of other pests to get into your home.
• Find and fix any holes: Seal any cracks or holes, like those for wires, on the outside or foundation of your home where spiders may enter.
• Cover external vents: Use mesh to cover any outdoor vents so spiders do not crawl inside.
• Clean up outside: Remove plants close to the exterior of your home and clean piles of debris. These are natural hiding spots of both spiders and their prey. Keeping them away from your home lowers the chances of them entering.

What Attracts Spiders

Spiders will enter your home looking for three things: food, water, and shelter. Understanding why a spider is attracted to your home will help you take preventative measures to keep them from invading. Spiders are attracted to…

• Light: Although spiders are not attracted to light, their favorite food, insects, will gather around outdoor lights. Making sure to turn off outdoor lights, especially at night will help keep insects and spiders away.
• Warmth: Many spiders will enter a home looking for a warm place to be during the colder months. Sealing any holes and cracks outside will make it more difficult for them to enter.
• Household garbage: Like light, spiders are not attracted to garbage and decaying food, but it will draw a spider’s favorite food into your home. Making sure to throw away old food in a garbage can with a tightly sealed lid will help keep other pests and spiders away.
• Clutter: Clean up any areas of clutter you have around your home. Spiders like to hide in quiet areas and keep out of sight. If your home has many places for spiders to hide and breed, you might end up with a spider infestation.

Eliminate Flies to Eliminate Spiders

One good way to get people to stop raiding your pantry is to stop storing their favorite foods in it. Similarly, if you want spiders to find somewhere else to go, stop stocking one of their favorite foods in your house: flies. Spiders love eating flies, so if they know your home is a good source of them, they’re going to stay there for as long as possible.

Here are some good ways to get rid of flies in your home, and with them, spiders:

• Keep a lid with a good seal on your kitchen trash. Flies live and breed in trash so this will go a long way toward controlling the flies in your home.
• Fruit flies often get inside your house via fruit from the supermarket. If you put fruit in your fridge, instead of the counter or table, it will prevent fruit fly eggs from hatching. Don’t worry – this won’t prevent your fruit from ripening.
• Fungus flies often make their homes in potted plants that are outside. If you bring those potted plants inside, make sure to treat the soil to kill any fungus fly eggs that may be present.
• House flies, mosquitoes, and gnats are small enough to wriggle into your home through your screens, especially if they’re in disrepair. Maintaining your screens will help keep flies outside where they belong.
• Keep doors open as little as possible because flies often buzz in right through them like they were invited.
• Seal all exterior trash cans to limit fly breeding opportunities.
• Replace exterior white lights with yellow, insect-resistant light bulbs.

Keeping Spiders Out for Good

Understanding why spiders enter your home and what you can do to keep them out goes a long way to keeping them out of your home, but the best way to keep them out for good is by using a trusted pest extermination company. The expert technicians at Rocket Pest understand that keeping your home pest-free is of the utmost importance. Give us a call today for a free quote and keep your home pest-free!