Spider Control: How To Get Rid of Spiders

This page is a general spider control guide. By using the products and methods suggested you can get control of 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 of 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, the way they crawl up walls and the cobwebs they make. They often settle in undisturbed areas such as in garages, attics or storage areas where there is a lot of clutter. You can find them on ceilings, fixtures, and windows. 

If your property offers them with insects and undisturbed spaces, spiders won't hesitate to move in. Aside from being startling to find, some spider species are dangerous and could prove lethal to humans. The Brown Recluse Spider and the Black Widow are both highly venomous, and in rare instances, their bites have been fatal.

Follow our guide below to learn more about the habits and tendencies of spiders as well as how you can eliminate them from your property using our professional-grade products and expert techniques.

Identification

With so many spider species found all around the world 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 Recluse, Yellow Sac Spiders, Hobo Spiders, and Black Widow Spider.

• Indoors you will most likely deal with Daddy Long-Legs 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 a red marking on their body. 
• 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, take note of their size, color, and eye pattern. This will bring you closer to 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 be searching 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 that is rarely moved in the garage, attic, or basement. 

Outdoors, look in your roof in the eaves and soffits. Check the foundation and around 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. This includes 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.

Outdoors, look for spiders and spider webs in the places mentioned above. If you have located spider activity you can move on 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 spider eggs as well as spraying a product called Web Out. We also 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 you may find. Web Out comes in a ready-to-use spray bottle and 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. Spiders after being hit with the product should die out in just a few minutes. After that, just sweep and wipe away the remains with the Cobb Webb duster. 

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

Step 2: Spray Supreme IT

For a more long term solution to control spiders and their eggs, we recommend spraying Supreme IT insecticide. This is our patented insecticide concentrate that 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. 

Simply 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, along doors and windows and points of entry.

Step 3 - Apply Solutions Pro Glue Board

For any spiders that have survived treatment or are still lingering around, you can capture them with the Solutions Pro Glue Boards. These glueboards come with 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 make sure they don't return.

• The best way to keep spider populations down is to address their food source and harborage areas. Spray the outside of your home with Supreme IT every three months, this will prevent spiders and their food source from entering your property.
• Eliminate webs, often and 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 that are 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. Keeping 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.
• And finally, enact an IPM (Integrated Pest Management) program throughout the year. Having an annual pest control program in place 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 reinfestation, be diligent about knocking down spider webs, reduce clutter and remember to spray Supreme IT every three months around your property.
• For a natural way of getting rid of spiders and preventing their reemergence, you can spray a diluted vinegar solution in areas where spiders were previously active.