Spider Control: How To Get Rid of Spiders

This page is a general spider control guide. By using the suggested products and methods, you can control any spider species. The spider category pages give additional information on the different species. Follow these guides and use the recommended products, and we guarantee 100% control over all spider species.

With well over 35,000 species of spiders known to us, there is a really good chance that, at some time, we will all encounter a spider issue. Most spiders are beneficial since they eat tiny bugs like flies, cockroaches, and other common household pests, but if they are abundant in your home, they can be a nuisance. 

Spiders can be easily identified by their 8 legs, how they crawl up walls, and the cobwebs they make. They often settle in undisturbed areas such as garages, attics, or storage areas with a lot of clutter. You can find them on ceilings, fixtures, and windows. 

If your property offers insects and undisturbed spaces, spiders will not hesitate to move in. Aside from startling, some spider species are dangerous and could prove lethal to humans. The brown recluse spider and the black widow are both highly venomous; in rare instances, their bites have been fatal.

Follow our guide below to learn more about spider habits and tendencies and how to eliminate them from your property using our professional-grade products and expert techniques.

Identification

With so many spider species in different sizes and shapes, identification of which spider you are encountering may be difficult. Fortunately, there are only a small number of spider species that you will commonly find trespassing on your property.

Some of the most common species you may come across are wolf spiders, orb-weaver spiders, jumping spiders, brown recluses, yellow sac spiders, hobo spiders, and black widow spiders.

• Indoors, you will most likely deal with daddy long-leg spiders. They are small with long legs, measuring between 0.6 to 23 mm. Orb-weaver spiders may also be found inside the home but are most likely found outdoors. Black widows can be found inside and are jet black with red marks on their bodies. 
• Outdoors is where you will find most species. Outdoors, you can find wolf spiders, orb-weaver spiders, brown recluse spiders, and black widows. Wolf spiders and jumping spiders don't create webs but hunt their prey. The most venomous spiders are the brown recluse and black widows. If you see them, don't hesitate to enact control. 

If you can't identify the species, note its size, color, and eye pattern. This will help you make the correct identification.

Inspection

Once you have properly identified the spider, you can move on to inspection to determine where the spiders are most active. You need to know where the spiders and their webs are located. During the inspection, you will search for spiders, spider activity, and harborage areas. 

Where to Inspect

Indoors, you'll look in undisturbed areas of your home. In attics, garages, basements, and laundry rooms. Take a look at the ceilings, windows, and fixtures. Look behind appliances and storage items. Move equipment and clutter rarely moved in the garage, attic, or basement. 

Outdoors, look at your roof, especially the eaves and soffits. Check the foundation around the window and door frames. Check tool sheds, patios, and patio fixtures. Check gardens, flowerbeds, and yard debris.

What to Look For

You're looking for spider activity, including spiders and spider webs. Indoors, check the corners of ceilings where spiders make webs. In the attics, basements, and garages, move items to identify possible harborage areas.

Look for spiders and spider webs in the places mentioned above outdoors. If you have located spider activity, you can proceed to treatment.

Treatment

Once you have located the active spider areas, it is time to begin treatment. We suggest using a duster to wipe away and destroy spider webs and eggs and spraying a product called Web Out. We recommend applying Supreme IT Insecticide and capturing lingering spiders with the Solutions Pro Glue Boards. 

Step 1: Apply Web Out And Use A Duster

Use Web out spray alongside the Cobb Webb Duster to spray any spider webs. Web Outcomes in a ready-to-use spray bottle is a spider spray that you can apply directly to the spider egg sac or spider web. Its formula will break down the spider eggs and materials and kill spiders quickly.

One quart of Web Out should cover about 200 to 300 square feet. After being hit with the product, spiders should die out in just a few minutes. After that, sweep and wipe away the remains with the Cobb Webb duster. 

The Cobb Webb Duster head has special small nylon bristles perfectly designed to remove cobwebs and spider eggs. If the webbing is too far to reach, no worries. The Webb duster head has a threaded end that can attach an extension pole.

Step 2: Spray Supreme IT

We recommend spraying Supreme IT insecticide for a more long-term solution to controlling spiders and their eggs. Our patented insecticide concentrate controls a wide array of household pests, including spiders. The best thing about it is that an application can remain effective between 30 to 90 days. 

Mix the appropriate labeled amount of Supreme IT in a tank sprayer with water and spray directly to where you have found the spider activity.

A typical spot treatment will be 1 to 2 oz per gallon of water to treat 1,000 sq. ft.

Spray along the eaves of your home, corners, doors, windows, and points of entry.

Step 3: Apply Solutions Pro Glue Board

If spiders have survived treatment or are still lingering around, you can capture them with the Solutions Pro Glue Boards. These glue boards have a strong adhesive and are sold in increments of 72, so you can get nice coverage all over your home.

Place the glue boards in your attic, basement, and garage where you identified spider activity. With time, the glue boards will catch the spiders that survived treatment and make your home spider-free.

Prevention

Once the spiders have been eliminated, you will need to enact preventative measures to prevent their return.

• The best way to reduce spider populations is to address their food sources and harborage areas. Spray the outside of your home with Supreme IT every three months; this will prevent spiders and their food sources from entering your property.
• Eliminate webs frequently and apply an insecticide in those areas as well. Reduce storage items off the floor and keep them away from the walls. Remove harborage areas close to the exterior slab, such as woodpiles or stored items.
• If you wish to use a natural method of preventing or removing spiders, prepare a vinegar solution. Dilute vinegar with water in a spray bottle in equal amounts and then spray in areas where spiders had previously been active. The acetic acid in the vinegar is harmful to spiders, but the strong odor of the vinegar alone will be enough to keep spiders away.
• Maintain a clutter-free environment in rooms you do not frequent often. A clean and clutter-free garage, basement, or attic will reduce harborage areas for insects and spiders. Seal off or caulk any openings around your property to block entry points. By sealing cracks and crevices, insects and spiders won't be able to get inside.
• Finally, an IPM (integrated pest management) program will be enacted annually. An annual pest control program will ensure no insects come into your property, which will, in turn, discourage spiders from harboring in your home.

Key Takeaways

What are Spiders?

• Spiders are an eight-legged arachnid that commonly infests indoor structures, looking for food sources (smaller insects).

How to Get Rid of Spiders

• Our top recommendations to address spider invasions are Web Out and a Cobb Webb Duster to remove Cobwebs, Supreme IT Insecticide treatments, and laying out Solutions Pro Glue Boards. 

Preventing Spider Reinfestation

• To prevent re-infestation, be diligent about knocking down spiderwebs, reducing clutter, and remembering to spray Supreme IT around your property every three months.
• For a natural way to get rid of spiders and prevent their reemergence, spray a diluted vinegar solution in areas where they were previously active.