How To Get Rid of Spiders Outside Your House

Lets face it, most of us hate spiders and getting rid of spiders outside your house is sometimes a losing battle. But, there are things you can do to minimize how many and where they spin their webs.

I started my search for information because we have a big writing spider on the outside of our kitchen door. I’ve watched it spin its web, catch bugs, and also grow larger! While its really neat to watch (and I would love to have a video camera on it), its getting so large now that I’m kind of creeped out by it.

I’ve seen many many spiders around our home because we live in the woods, but this is the first year I’ve noticed so many. They also seem to be taking up shop and not leaving this time! I couldn’t figure out why so many this year – then I remembered, this is the first year we haven’t had year round extermination! Last year we decided the expense to have someone out every couple of months was just not worth it, so we started doing this ourselves. We’ve managed to keep the inside bugs at bay, but obviously, we aren’t doing a great job outside!

So, even though these critters are starting to creep me out, I don’t want to spray them with pesticides. They really do get rid of a lot of the pesky bugs like mosquitos, so they are serving a purpose. I just would rather them serve a purpose somewhere else, so I’ve come up with a few tips to get rid of (or at least pack them up and move them to a different location).

First things first – Why do they choose to spin their webs in the most inopportune places? Tid bit of info to tuck back back for you: Spiders like to spin webs in an airy, open environment where the air is clean and the web is accessible from both sides. In addition, they will migrate where there is a light source so they can see their prey and their web.

Tips to Get Rid of Spiders Outside Your House

Do not keep your porch light on. Remember I said they will migrate to a light source? If the porch light is right beside your front or side door, chances are, you will find a web there at some point. Instead of keeping the light on nearest to your door, try instead to keep a flood light on at the corner of your house. At least that way, the spider web won’t hit you in the face when you walk outside!
Alcohol and Water: Mix 75% water and 25% rubbing alcohol. Attach to sprayer and spray the exterior of your home. This can be immediately effective, but usually needs to be repeated every 4-6 weeks.
Mothballs: Mothballs can be placed between your window and screen so there will be no more cleaning the spider webs when you open windows for fresh air!
Mint Oil: Mint oil can be rubbed around the area where you don’t want them – even around the posts of an entire porch. You can find mint oil in health food stores or simply make your own by crushing mint leaves in olive oil.
Chestnut Oil: Chestnut oil can be dabbed on a cotton ball and wiped around your doors, windows and outside lights. Spiders don’t like the spell or taste and will move to a different location. Chestnut oil can usually be found in healthfood stores or online. You can also use whole chestnuts on window sills, but the effect is not as dramatic
Turpentine, Kerosene or Citronella Oil: Same as above, use on cotton ball and wipe around doors and windows.

These are just a few ways to deter spiders from taking up shop around the primary places outside of your home. All of the remedies above should be tried AFTER you use a broom to sweep down existing webs or simply spray your house with water. Remember, the goal here is to move them to another location, not to kill them with pesticides.

If you have a severe problem with spiders or if you think you have poisonous spiders (like black widows or brown recluse), you should call an exterminator immediately. These types of spiders should not be dealt with!

For other good tips, visit the Lawn and Garden section of our website, or feel free to share your tips here!