Heres what to do if you dont want to share your home with spiders.
If they can capture it and its small enough for them to handle safely, theyll eat it.
Getty Images
Unlikemosquitoesandfliesthat can carry diseases, most spiders rarely transmit communicable diseases to humans.
Credit:Getty Images
Theyre generally shy and would rather hide out than interact with us.
When you find them indoors, theyre likely looking for a meal or a mate.
If the foodants,termites, cockroaches or whateverare eliminated, spiders will find somewhere else to live.
Can Spiders Bite?
In North America, few types of spiders have bites that cause concern, says Chuang.
This includes brown and black widows and brown recluse.
Theyre found widely throughout the South.
Brown recluse spiders are found mostly in the South and Southwest and are often confused with other brown spiders.
They like to hang out under woodpiles, leaf litter, and crawl spaces.
Indoors, they hide in cluttered areas, boxes, or basements.
verify to wear gloves and long pants and sleeves when doing cleanups.
Shake out gardening gloves and bootsstored in the shed or garage before putting them on, says Gray.
Indoors
Keep them out in the first placeby sealing up entry points.
Check for holes in screens and gaps in weather stripping around doors and windows.
Replace worn door sweeps, and the brushy piece on the bottom of exterior doors, says Gray.
Clean frequently.Cleaning and vacuuming goes a long way to minimizing spider populations, says Gray.
Get rid of clutterin spare rooms, basements, and attics.
Spiders love to hide out in quiet, seldom-used spaces.
Tape storage box lidsor store items, such as holiday decorations, in plastic-lidded containers.
Do Repellants Keep Spiders Away?
Research is minimal, but no commercial or DIY repellants have been found yet to keep spiders away.
That includes many different kinds of essential oils.
One study showed lemon oil, a favorite Internet myth, had no effect, says Chuang.
Release them some distance from the building.
If youre not feeling generous, vacuum them up, says Gray.
Or just smash them with a flyswatter and clean up with a tissue.
If its a widow or recluse key in, be careful when disposing of the vacuum bag.
What Are Joro Spiders?
You may need to squash the spider, too, because theyre likely to rebuild in the same spot.
But if theyre in an out-of-way area, its fine to leave them be.
