Fake spiders used as Halloween decorations are fun, but real-life spiders taking over your home are not! Spiders are known as a natural form of pest control, which is excellent, but too many can be harmful. Spiders attract other bugs, can bite, and their webs make homes seem untidy.
If you’ve noticed an uptick in spiders in and around your house, it’s time to take steps to get rid of them. The key to reducing the number of spiders at home is to eliminate their prey: insects. The fewer bugs in your home, the less likely spiders will build webs to try and catch them.
Keep a clean house. One of the main reasons insects enter the home is to find food, water, and shelter. Keep your home clean by sweeping, cleaning counters, and removing clutter (think newspapers or piles of old clothes). In addition, check pipes regularly to ensure that there are no water leaks in your home.
Store food properly. All food in the house should be securely stored. Keep lids on canisters, clamp food bags closed, and remove overripe fruits from the counter. Store food in cabinets or closets if possible. Bugs will be less likely to enter your home by cutting off access to these foods.
Limit the use of bright lights near entryways. Bugs are attracted to bright lights, which is why spiderwebs are often built around outdoor light fixtures. By turning off your outdoor lights, you can reduce the number of bugs around your house and, therefore, the number of spiders.
Repair window screens and seal cracks. Simple home maintenance steps can help keep out spiders and other bugs. Patch or replace any screens with holes, seal cracks along the house’s exterior and apply weatherstripping around windows and doors. Door sweeps can also be added to minimize the gap around doors.
Have your home professionally treated for bugs. A great baseline of defense for spiders is to have a pest management company treat your home for insects, specifically those that spiders love to catch, like ants, mosquitoes, moths, and centipedes. Pest control professionals know the best strategies for controlling insects, how to apply them, and how often.
The best way to keep spiders away from your home is to combine home maintenance with professional pest control. To learn more about HomePro Pest Control’s spider management solutions, call (757) 499-1078.