How to manage spiders in and around the home (including brown recluse and black widow)?

Before taking action against spiders, learn to distinguish the two medically significant species from the many beneficial ones.

When you encounter a spider that is not a brown recluse or black widow, consider leaving it alone or catching and releasing it outdoors rather than killing it. Common house spiders, cellar spiders (daddy longlegs), jumping spiders, and garden spiders are harmless and beneficial.

Trim bushes, shrubs, and tree branches so they do not touch the home exterior. Keep grass cut short near the foundation. Remove leaf piles, rock piles, logs, and debris that provide shelter. Stack firewood at least 20 feet from the house and off the ground.

Using a bulb duster, apply a thin layer of food-grade diatomaceous earth in cracks, crevices, along baseboards, behind furniture, and in undisturbed areas where spiders travel. Focus on areas where you have seen spiders or webs.

Mix 10-15 drops of peppermint or lavender essential oil with water in a spray bottle. Spray around window sills, baseboards, door frames, and crawlspace entries. Reapply every 1-2 weeks.

Switch exterior lights to yellow or sodium vapor bulbs, which attract fewer insects than standard white bulbs. Move porch lights to the sides of doorways rather than directly above them. Use motion-activated lights instead of leaving lights on continuously.

Use a vacuum with an extension wand or a long-handled broom to remove spider webs from corners, eaves, window frames, and around the home exterior and interior. Vacuum up any egg sacs you find. Repeat weekly for ongoing control.

Place cardboard sticky traps along baseboards, under furniture, in closets, in basements, and behind stored items. Check and replace traps regularly. Record locations and catch numbers to track activity over time.

Replace cardboard boxes in basements, garages, attics, and closets with sealed plastic storage bins with tight-fitting lids. Store items off the floor on shelves where possible.

Caulk cracks around door frames, window frames, and where utilities enter the home. Install or repair weather stripping on doors and windows. Add door sweeps to fill gaps under exterior doors. Repair or replace damaged window screens.