Table Of Contents
It’s Fall in the Midwest, and while many of us eagerly anticipate the beautiful, colorful leaves and cooler temperatures, this season also brings an unwelcome surge of pests trying to find their way indoors. As you start prepping for Halloween in Kansas City, you might notice more than just decorative cobwebs around your home—real spiders could be making an appearance too.
The general consensus is that we don’t love them in our homes. Yes, they eat other pests, so they can be helpful, but let’s face it—most of us find spiders creepy. If you’re wondering, “How can I keep spiders out of my house?” we’ve got you covered. To help tackle these eight-legged invaders, we asked our on-staff Kansas City entomologist, John, for expert advice on how to keep spiders out of your house this fall. From common entry points to preventative measures, we’ll guide you through simple steps to keep your home spider-free as the temperatures drop.
Why do spiders head indoors during the fall and winter?
As the weather cools down in Kansas City during the fall, spiders, like many other pests, start seeking warmth and shelter indoors. The drop in temperature drives them to look for a cozy spot inside your home where they can safely spend the winter months. Homes provide the ideal environment for spiders to survive and thrive because they offer everything they need—shelter, food, and quiet places to hide.
One of the main reasons spiders enter homes is to find food. Spiders feed on insects, and if your home has a healthy population of flies, ants, or other bugs, it becomes a prime hunting ground for them. Additionally, Kansas City’s humid summers and seasonal changes can create ideal conditions for spider activity, as moisture attracts many of the insects that spiders prey on. Quiet, undisturbed areas like basem*nts, attics, and closets are perfect hiding spots for spiders, giving them the solitude they need to spin webs and wait for their next meal.
Common entry points for spiders
Spiders can easily find their way into your Kansas City home through a variety of small openings. One of the most common entry points is through cracks and gaps around doors and windows. These tiny spaces, often overlooked, provide an easy access route for spiders seeking warmth and shelter.
Openings in your home’s foundation, walls, or gaps around pipes are another way spiders can sneak indoors. These structural weaknesses are perfect for spiders to crawl through, especially if they aren’t properly sealed.
Unsealed vents, chimneys, and attic spaces also serve as prime entry points for spiders. These areas often go unnoticed, allowing spiders to come and go without detection. Finally, spaces under doors or around poorly sealed windows give spiders the opportunity to enter your home, particularly during the cooler months when they are seeking shelter indoors. Properly sealing and maintaining these areas is key to keeping spiders out of your home.
Tips on how to keep spiders out of your house
1) Seal Entry Points
One of the most effective ways to prevent spiders from entering your home is by sealing any gaps or cracks they can use to slip inside. Start by using caulk or weatherstripping to close gaps around doors, windows, and your home’s foundation. These small openings may not seem like much, but they provide easy access for spiders. Additionally, installing door sweeps helps block the space between the door and the floor, while checking window screens for tears or holes ensures spiders can’t crawl through unnoticed. By properly sealing these entry points, you create a strong barrier that keeps spiders out and your home more secure.
2) Reduce Outdoor Attractants
Spiders often make their way indoors from nearby outdoor hiding spots. To minimize their presence around your home, start by clearing away leaf piles, firewood, and other debris near your foundation. These cluttered areas provide shelter for spiders and their prey, making them more likely to venture inside.
Another helpful tip is to manage your outdoor lighting. Insects, which attract spiders, are drawn to bright lights. By keeping outdoor lights off when not needed or switching to yellow bulbs, which attract fewer insects, you can reduce the chances of spiders setting up camp near your home’s entrance points.
3) Keep Your Home Clean and Clutter-Free
Spiders love to hide in dark, undisturbed areas, so regularly cleaning your home is key to keeping them at bay. Make it a habit to vacuum corners, baseboards, and under furniture where spiders often spin their webs. This not only removes spiders but also clears out the insects they feed on. Additionally, storing unused items in sealed containers, rather than leaving them exposed in closets, basem*nts, or attics, prevents spiders from finding ideal hiding spots. Reducing clutter in these areas makes your home less inviting to spiders and helps keep them out.
4) Control Indoor Insect Population
Spiders come into your home primarily in search of food, which often means other insects like flies, ants, and mosquitoes. By using indoor pest control measures, you can reduce the number of insects inside, making your home less attractive to spiders. Setting traps for common pests or calling a professional pest control service can help manage these insects and, in turn, keep spiders from moving in. By addressing the root of the problem—spiders’ food source—you can effectively limit their presence in your home.
5) Maintain Proper Humidity Levels
Spiders are often drawn to damp, humid environments where other pests thrive. To make your home less inviting to them, use dehumidifiers in basem*nts and other areas prone to moisture. By keeping these spaces dry, you reduce the likelihood of spiders setting up residence. Additionally, fixing leaky pipes and eliminating standing water sources inside and around your home will remove one of the key elements that attract spiders and their prey. Keeping your home dry and well-maintained is a simple yet effective way to prevent spider infestations.
Other Helpful Tips on How to Keep Spiders Out of Your House
- Don’t keep paper or cardboard in basem*nt, this is a great hiding space! Cluttered basem*nts are often prone to spider infestations.
- Wood shake roofs are an attractor for both silverfish and spiders. If you have one, you may want to consider investing in a quarterly prevention plan like our Residential Plus quarterly pest control plan. We do an initial inside and outside pest control service, followed by exterior quarterly treatments to prevent pests from coming in. We target spiders specifically with an insecticidal dust around the windows, eaves and entrances. We also knock down webs around the exterior.
- Vines growing on the side of house are an attractor, so we recommend clearing them monthly – or if you plan to keep vines for aesthetic reasons, you may want to invest in an ongoing pest control prevention plan as mentioned above.
- Spiders love to hide. On that note, make sure to have clutter and storage off of the ground, even pull up and regularly shake curtains, and don’t have laundry on the ground.
- Spiders don’t react to regular insect residual spray that we use around the baseboards. They don’t drag their bodies through residual spray like other pests do. So, to target spiders, we use a dust around exterior windows and doorways, and occasionally in attic spaces. This dust also tackles silverfish, too.
Remember, spiders eat other smaller bugs and insects as their food source. Once pests are kept at bay, the spider population will also stay low. Are you wondering how to keep spiders out of your house? We recommend signing up for our Residential Plus Pest Preventative program for ongoing quarterly service or our Residential One-Time Pest Treatment once or twice per year. Did you know that we’re one of only a few pest control companies in Kansas City to offer a one-time pest treatment? We’re also one of the only Kansas City pest control companies that won’t lock you into contracts with exit fees. If you are trying to get rid of spiders in your house, contact us today for five-star service.
Keeping Spiders Out Of Your House FAQ:
Q: What Keeps Spiders Away?
To deter spiders, try peppermint oil, keep your space clean and clutter-free, seal cracks and gaps, and use cedarwood. Encouraging natural predators like ladybugs and birds can also help control spider populations. These methods, individually or combined, effectively keep spiders at bay.
Q: Does Vinegar Kill Spiders?
Vinegar can be used to repel spiders, but it does not typically kill them. Spiders have an aversion to the smell of vinegar, so spraying a mixture of vinegar and water in spider-prone areas may deter them. However, it is not lethal to the spiders.
Q: Does Diatomaceous Earth Kill Spiders?
Diatomaceous earth is a natural, abrasive substance made from fossilized diatoms. While it does not directly kill spiders, it can effectively control them. When spiders come into contact with diatomaceous earth, it damages their exoskeleton, causing them to dehydrate and eventually die. It is important to use diatomaceous earth with caution, especially in areas where pets or small children may be exposed to it.
Q: Do Mothballs Keep Spiders Away?
Mothballs are primarily known for repelling moths, and their effectiveness in deterring spiders is limited. While the strong odor may temporarily discourage spiders, it is not a foolproof spider repellent. There are safer and more effective alternatives to consider.
Q: What Smell Keeps Spiders Away?
Several scents are known to deter spiders. In addition to peppermint, which was mentioned earlier, you can try using essential oils like lavender, eucalyptus, or citrus, as spiders tend to dislike these scents. You can create a homemade spider-repellent spray by mixing a few drops of these essential oils with water and applying it to spider-prone areas.
Be Sure To Check Out Our Services:
Termites — Commercial Pest Control — Residential Pest Control — Bed Bugs
