What Every Homeowner Should Know About House Spiders

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Family of three on the couch

Have you ever lived in a place--or now live in a place--where the spiders keep coming out of the woodwork? It isn't long before you're continually scanning every wall, cleaning and dusting every inch, and spraying dangerous pesticides that don't even work. Do you know that spiders will walk right over the dried residue of a deadly pesticide? It's enough to make you pull your hair out. Here is what you need to know about keeping spiders out of your common areas.

According to entomologists at Ohio State University, no matter where you are you are never more than 5 feet away from a spider. That means spiders are very difficult to get out of your wall voids. But there are ways to reduce how many are in there and keep them from coming out to play. Here are the facts you need to know.

  • Spiders will come out for a water source. If you're getting webs in the corners of your bathroom, try drying off the shower walls when you're done showering, and keep sinks dry as well. Don't worry about the toilet. Spiders are unable to scale a perfectly smooth surface.
  • If you have a leaky faucet or pipe, you will draw spiders out. This is especially troublesome in basements where it is more secluded.
  • When you find spiderwebs in the house, get rid of them with a broom and kill any spiders you find. This probably goes without saying, but you would be surprised how many people procrastinate.
  • Spiders eat bugs, especially flying insects. If you have fruit flies, house flies, gnats, mosquitoes, or other insects flying around, spiders will set up shop in a corner or window frame. Your job should be to get rid of the food sources flying insects are coming in for, like an open trash, mayonnaise on the counter, and fruit laying around. And, make sure your screens do not have any holes.
  • Spiders know that flying insects are attracted to light. That is why they make their webs in window panes. As flies head for the light, they land right in the web. Understanding that spiders know this can help you further reduce flying pests. Keep your shade drawn at night and consider replacing outside white lights with insect-resistant yellow lighting.
  • A pest management company can significantly reduce spider populations in your home. Some of them even guarantee that you won't see any of the more than 40 pests they protect your home from. That is good news if you don't want spiders around.

Fighting spiders can feel like a losing battle, but it doesn't have to be. With these tips, you'll have less spiders in your walls, and no spider ON your walls.

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