Do you keep finding spiders in your basement?
Perhaps you notice them more often, or you could be tired of encountering them all the time. Either way, it’s best to know how to handle them.
A spider infestation can happen in a flash if you fail to get rid of it sooner. Moreover, it’s harder to detect every last one of them when they start to spread. But what should you do about it?
Here are a few tips on how to prevent and control spiders in basement.
Seal Entry Points
Spiders don’t just spring up in your home out of nowhere. Usually, they come from the outside and enter through small holes and cracks around your home.
So, one of the first things you should do when you get rid of spiders is to seal every entry point. Look around your home’s exterior for any gaps they could come through. Close them up using the appropriate materials like caulk, epoxy, or other sealant.
You can also consider repairing damage to your windows and doors or replacing them with new ones that are more secure.
Clean the Basement
An effective way to spider-proof your basement is to keep it clean. Spiders often thrive when your space is full of clutter.
When you get rid of them, they lose a place to stay, making it easier for you to find them or giving them a reason to leave. Note that it also helps to keep the outside of your home clean to lower the chance of them being around your property.
Use Vinegar
Many homeowners suggest using a vinegar spray against different types of spiders. It’s an organic way to control the infestation without harming you or your family.
For this, you need to mix an equal ratio of water to vinegar and pour it into a spray bottle. You can sprinkle it around the areas you suspect a spider infestation to be or in entrances and corners of your home.
Try Citrus
Citrus creates a similar effect to vinegar, making it another organic spider-repellent. You can keep a bowl of citrus fruits around your space to keep various bugs away.
Another way to use citrus is by taking the peels and placing them in a bowl in the basement. It helps with pushing spiders away from the room and preventing other types of pests from intruding.
Repel with Mint
Several pests find mint an unpleasant experience, so it makes an excellent way to repel them from your home. A few ways to make it work are by placing mint plants around the basement or using peppermint oils to spray or diffuse into the room.
You can also consider growing mint plants in your garden. Some suggest using mint tea bags as an alternative if you don’t have fresh mint.
Spread Essential Oils
Most essential oils come with a strong odor that can irritate common basement spiders and other pests. Installing a humidifier in the room allows you to use those oils and spread the scent throughout the home.
Note that they could affect the rest of your space, so you should be wary of how much you let it diffuse.
Clear Dust
When you clean around the basement, you want to make sure you get rid of dust in corners and unseen spaces. Most types of spiders get attracted to dusty areas and build their web with ease. But if you tidy up often, it discourages them from making a home.
Wipe off dust or vacuum them away if they start to build up in hard-to-reach places. Either way, the goal is to ensure you don’t make your home seem inviting to bugs.
Be Wary of Landscaping
You may want to watch over the landscaping around your home to make sure you aren’t accidentally giving pests an opening. Inspect your surroundings for any piled-up leaves, wood, or other debris where insects can hide.
If you have bushes, keep them clear and trimmed, and wash them often. Spiders will likely stay out of your home when they don’t feel invited.
Set Various Traps
A quick way to handle pest control is by placing different traps around your space. In most cases, they don’t let their presence be known until you find them yourself. So, you want traps that work even when you’re not around.
You can consider using sticky traps to catch spiders and other basement critters that walk around the room while you’re gone. This way, it assures you they can’t easily escape when they get trapped.
Other devices are also available that help you detect and catch similar pests that roam around your home without your knowledge.
Avoid Stacking Wood
A spider prevention tip you may want to note is to avoid stacking piles of wood close to your home. Spiders can easily enter your house when they are next to your property because it serves as a connection to the inside.
A good place to store woodpiles is around your yard, away from your home’s exterior, or in a shed. Try to avoid taking them all the way to the basement and storing them there for long periods of time.
Get Rid of Spiders in Basement With These Tips
Spider prevention requires a lot of effort, but it’s worth the time it takes if it stops an infestation from growing. As long as you know the right tips, you can easily control the issue and apply it to other pests.
When dealing with spiders in basement, you want to ensure you keep the room clean at all times. It’s also good to note the different organic repellents you can easily find, including mint, citrus, and vinegar.
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