Keeping spiders away
Most of the species of spiders are harmless to humans.
Most of the species of spiders are harmless to humans. The famous black widow spider and brown recluse spiders are known for their deadly bites, but these are rare. A lot of people get “creeps” when they see a spider. Here are a few tips that can help you keep the spider away from your home.
Cleaning the house regularly:
- Spiders enter through the crevices or gaps in the foundation, the spaces between the wall and the window. Hence, seal those cracks with cement or insulating foams.
- Regular vacuum or sweep the windows, corners of rooms, and seldomly used areas, such as storage areas, basements. Do not allow the cobwebs to stay in the house.
- Use a cobweb brush or Webster (an effective cleaning tool that extends to over 5-feet long) to clean ceilings and corners. Vacuum the spiders, cobwebs, and egg sacs.
- In the basement, keep the boxes away from the wall to prevent spiders from making their homes in them. You can seal the boxes so that spiders do not enter them. Remember to wear gloves whenever you clean up the basement to avoid accidental spider bites.
- One way to keep down the spider population is to exterminate their food (the insects these spiders feed on). The yellow light bulbs are slightly less attractive to these insects. You may use such bulbs at your porch and balcony.
- Keep the vegetation and trees, especially ivy at least 12 inch away from the house foundations.
- To remove individual spiders, place a jar over them and slip cardboard underneath to seal off the opening. Then, take the spider outside and release them. A less toxic way to manage spider is to crush them with your shoe or smash them with a rolled-up piece of paper.
Some of the remedies have also been used by many and are effective in keeping spiders away. These include:
- Making a vinegar solution (fill half the bottle with vinegar and the other half with water) and using it to spray on corners and cracks from where you see the insects and spiders getting inside the house.
- You can keep any of the following things near the windowsills or door
- Peels of citrus fruits, such as lemons and oranges, near the windows
- Chestnuts near the windowsills or doors
- Tobacco leaves
- Planting a eucalyptus tree in your garden
Using chemical control measures:
Chemical control treatments for spiders involve using spraying insecticides labeled for spider control. The listed ingredients in the insecticides can include any of the following or a combination of the following:
- Pyrethrins
- Resmethrin
- Allethrin
You can find sticky traps available for spiders. However, you will need to keep them in places away from the kids.
If you are not able to keep the spiders away from your home or you are not able to get rid of them, you can contact a professional pest control service. They make use of Sorptive dust, which is made up of silica gel and pyrethrins. Sorptive dust particles are sprayed on the places where the spiders are most found. These particles form a layer around the spiders when spiders come in contact with the dust, which dries the spider and causes their death.