Content

• Steps
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

Spiders enter the house by crawling through any openings. Most spiders do not try to enter the house, unless there are sharp fluctuations in the weather. Periods of heavy rain or drought cause spiders to hide indoors, just like cold temperatures. You will see from the tips below that the easiest way to protect your home from spiders is to seal all possible ways of entering it.

Steps

1. 1 Prevent spiders from entering your home through doors.
   • Make sure spiders cannot climb through any openings in the front doors. Install seals under all entrance doors. Spiders can crawl through holes 0.15 mm high.
   • Use a sealant to seal the outer edges of the doors, and use a gasket to seal the bottom of glass sliding doors.
2. 2 Prevent spiders from accessing your home through communal vents. Crevices, cracks and holes can be filled with sealant, foam, cement or thin steel wire. Look for holes in common spider entry points:
   • Open mixers
   • Gas and electric meters
   • Cable TV wires
   • Ventilation holes
   • Telephone wires
   • Open electrical outlets
3. 3 Use a sealant to fill any cracks around the windows.
   • Be sure to use a quality sealant gun that has an anti-drip trigger that will stop the sealant flow if pressed. Otherwise, you will apply too much sealant and make a mess.
   • Spread the strip of sealant you applied with a damp cloth so you can check for cracks.
4. 4 Repair any holes and gaps in your window and door insect screens. You can purchase a bug net repair kit at your local home and garden store.
5. 5 Cover the roof, attic and basement vents with wire mesh. Wear gloves when doing this because the edges of the wire mesh are sharp and you may need to cut the mesh with wire scissors to make sure it completely covers each hole.
6. 6 Apply insecticide to the outside of your home after sealing all openings if your home is heavily infested with spiders. Spray pesticide around the perimeter of the foundation.
7. 7 Trim any bushes and foliage that grows near and around doors and windows. These are areas where spiders love to weave webs.
8. 8 Store all garden equipment and gardening clothing such as gloves and safety shoes in your barn or garage. Don't leave things outside, especially if you don't use them regularly.

Tips

• Keep your car windows closed. A spider can weave webs around your seats in your car overnight.
• Pour boiling water into the holes where the spiders you find near your doors and windows. The boiling water will kill the spiders.

Warnings

• If you use pesticides in your garden and yard, spiders will most likely seek refuge in your home.
• Make sure your sealant is applied in a way that forms an airtight seal. Prepare all holes, cracks and holes by cleaning and removing old putty or paint before applying new sealant.

What do you need

• Seal for the bottom of the door
• Sealant
• Foam, cement or steel wire
• Gloves
• Insecticide (optional)
• Insect Net Repair Kit
• Steel mesh
• Wire scissors