May 18th, 2018 by Chris Chapman

Spiders are interesting and important creatures, but that doesn’t stop them from causing people across the world a great deal of stress! 24% of Britons are afraid of spiders, which is an important stat. It means that you almost certainly have a few friends and family members who are petrified of spiders, and if you’re a business owner, almost a quarter of your customers will have arachnophobia! That means, whether you’re at home or at work, you probably don’t want spiders hanging around. So how do you get rid of them? Well, think twice before introducing them to the sole of your shoe. Not only is squashing spiders incredibly unhygienic, but it’s pretty harmful to the environment as spiders play an important role in controlling insect populations. That means you should always try and get rid of spiders humanely, without killing them. Luckily, this is easier than it sounds!

Don’t Encourage Them

  Poorly maintained grass or flowerbeds attract insects, and insects attract spiders! Try and keep the area outside your home or workplace clean and tidy, and don’t use lights that’ll attract insects. Spiders aren’t attracted to light or dirt, but the insects they prey on often are! Spiders are much more likely to make their homes where there’s a steady supply of insects to snack on. If you’ve got potted plants or a flowerbed next to your building, try and keep them well-maintained to discourage insects. You should also consider switching your outdoor lighting to halogen bulbs or LEDs, which are proven to attract fewer insects.  

Plug Any Gaps

Seal any gaps in your skirting board to limit the number of entrances a spider can find Spiders aren’t really attracted to light, but they certainly do love the dark! They especially love the dark and warmth of cracks and crevices inside your home. While there’s no way to make your home or workplace completely airtight to lock spiders out, you can make it harder for them by plugging gaps and sealing cracks. Make sure all your roof tiles are correctly fitted and double check all your skirting boards and plastering to make sure there are no cracks that could house a spider.

Declutter

Clutter gives spiders lots of places to hide! As spiders love shady spots, a cluttered room is like a five-star hotel to a spider. Most spiders in the UK build webs, which means they’re naturally drawn to clutter as it provides a sheltered place for them to spin their web. Make sure you keep your rooms tidy to make them naturally less appealing to 8-legged lodgers!

 Kick Up A Stink

Xterminate Spider Repellent All the above methods are great ways to discourage spiders from making a home in your house or workplace. However, they don’t offer a cast-iron guarantee of deterring spiders, especially in autumn. As the weather cools in summer, spiders will look for somewhere warm and dry to live, which usually means human homes, offices, and garages! This is particularly problematic for businesses as spiders can build webs across security camera lenses, which you might be surprised to learn almost completely obscures their view. They can even trip burglar alarms by crawling across motion sensors. Even if you’re happy to squash them, that won’t deter other spiders from coming back! That’s where spider repellent comes in. Sprays such as Xterminate’s Spider Repellent contain fragrances that spiders absolutely hate (don’t worry, it’s not bad to humans!), which stops them from nesting anywhere that the spray is applied. As Xterminate’s spray is made using all-natural ingredients, it’s safe to use around the house even if you have children or pets. Plus, it’s a clear liquid that doesn’t stain, meaning you can spray it on walls, car paintwork, bathroom porcelain, or anywhere else. If you have CCTV, spray some spider repellent on all your cameras to prevent spiders from building webs near them.

Tire Them Out

Spider Free There’s also another form of spider repellent that works in a slightly different way. Mechanical spider repellent, such as Spider Free, creates a protective barrier that causes spiders to slow down when they walk on it. Spiders’ legs are covered in sticky hairs, which is how they climb walls. These hairs react with the spray, meaning that while it doesn’t feel sticky to humans, spiders get bogged down in it! The spider will soon get tired and simply give up trying, so it’ll leave to find somewhere else to live. This means the best way to use Spider Free is to spray it around the frames of doors and windows, as well as other potential entrances like air vents. It’s colourless and only has a faint, minty scent that disappears quickly, so you can use it on wood, metal, glass, and pretty much any other hard surface. It also disinfects and breaks down spider droppings, so it’s a hygienic choice for kitchens and restaurants. Make sure you cover every potential entrance though – Spider Free only works when the spider walks on it and it doesn’t harm the spider in any way. That means if you spray it around your door, and forget to spray it around your window, spiders can still make an entrance through that window! The best approach is to combine a mechanical spider repellent with a traditional deterrent like Xterminate Spider Repellent. This means you’ll stop spiders from entering your building, and you’ll also clear out any that might be lurking in there already.

Don’t Panic!

Spiders won't harm you if you stay calm and don't threaten them It’s easier said than done if you’re an arachnophobe, but the most important piece of advice we can give you is to try and stay calm when you come across a spider. The vast majority of spiders aren’t venomous, and even the few that are won’t be interested in biting you unless they feel threatened. The vast majority of spider-related injuries don’t come from bites, but from people getting in a flap and injuring themselves when they see a spider. The best approach is to combine all 5 of the measures we’ve listed above. That way you’ll rarely have to worry about spiders, but if you ever do, look after yourself and don’t panic.