When it comes to household pests, spiders are the number one culprit. And despite your best efforts at knowing how to get rid of spiders, you’re probably wondering why they keep coming back. Not only are these eight-legged insects unnerving, but can leave unsightly cobwebs — which always have a way of appearing in those hard-to-reach corners of the room.
However, there could be other reasons for spiders to keep appearing in your cozy abode. We’ve called on the pest experts to share what these are, and what we can do to prevent a spider invasion.
1. Other bugs
Spiders are mainly attracted to your home for food sources and nesting purposes. Alongside the rogue food crumbs on the floor, this also includes a feast of other bugs.
“Their primary food is other insects,” states Allan Bossel, Operations Expert at BBE Bed Bug Exterminator. “Therefore, if there are a lot of bugs in your house, the chances are that there will be spiders. They also look for warm and dry areas, particularly when there are changes in the outside climate conditions.”
Andrew Greess, owner of QSpray also adds, “Spiders keep returning to homes because they can find a delicious food source there — usually insects such as roaches. It is critical to identify their food source and take steps to eliminate it — both the insects that are feeding the spiders and the food source of those insects.”
The first prevention method is to block or seal any entry points, to make it difficult for spiders to creep inside the home. “This requires caulking all cracks, be it in the windows or in the doors, or even the walls,” advises Bossel. “Keeping houses tidy and uncluttered, minimizes the number of potential sites in which spiders and the insects upon which they feed may conceal themselves. Regular cleaning and dusting will also help in getting rid of spiders’ webs and egg sacs. Some essential oils like peppermint, eucalyptus, and citrus can be used as natural repellents. Spraying them over doors and frames can make spiders go away.”
2. Clutter
Another reason why spiders keep coming into your home are cluttered areas. Since we all have busy routines, it can be hard to keep on top of decluttering our homes properly, however, clutter provides the perfect hiding place for spiders.
“The second most common reason for spiders, believe it or not, is clutter,” says Laura Ascher, pest expert at Our Oily House . “Clutter provides ideal hiding spots for spiders, offering them protection and a place to build their webs and call them home. By reducing clutter, you make your home less appealing to these eight-legged intruders.” Just avoid these 5 decluttering mistakes when doing so!
There are various ways to declutter your home, or you can easily make a homemade spider repellent to spray in trouble areas or corners of the room. “In addition to keeping things tidy around the house, using a safe, natural bug repellent will keep the spiders from returning,” agrees Ascher. “I like to make my own spider repellent to avoid any harmful chemicals being sprayed around the home where children are present. If you must purchase a repellent, please consider a repellent, not a killer. Believe it or not, spiders play a very important role in our environment, and a repellent will encourage them to stay outside, where they belong!”
3. Messy backyard
It’s not just the inside of our homes that we need to keep clean and tidy, but also the outdoors. If you have a backyard or front porch, these can attract spiders to your home.
“Neglected landscaping creates harborage sites for pests, including spiders,” says Joshua Malik, CEO and founder of Joshua Tree Experts. “Cutting back landscaping so that it does not touch the siding of the house and cleaning leaf litter away from the foundation takes away many pest harborage sites. The maintenance of the house is important, too, like making sure the house cracks and crevices are sealed and screened properly.
It's also recommended to store wood piles away from the home exterior because they could become a harborage site for spiders, including the black widow. Home interiors can harbor spiders, too. A great way to prevent this is to reduce the clutter of items such as boxes, clothing, and papers and regularly vacuum those storage spaces.”
Check out these top tips on how to rake leaves the easy way, or you can invest in a leaf blower to get the job done in less time.
If you still have a problem with spiders, it’s advisable to call in professional pest control experts, who can offer the best course of action.
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