How to Get Rid of Spiders in the House (Without Spraying Everything)

House spider walking across a tile floor. How to get rid of spiders in the house

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If you’re looking up how to get rid of spiders in the house, it’s probably because one just ran across the living room floor. Late summer and fall is when most people suddenly notice spiders indoors, and it’s easy to assume they’re pouring in from outside to escape the cold. That’s mostly a myth, and knowing what’s really going on makes them a lot easier to deal with.

This guide covers why you see more spiders in the fall, which ones are actually dangerous here in Indiana, the 6 steps to get rid of spiders in the house, and why spraying usually isn’t the answer.

Why You See More Spiders in the Fall

Most of the spiders in the house didn’t just come in. According to the Burke Museum’s spider experts, house spiders are a small group of species adapted to living indoors, and they’re usually not the same species as the spiders in your yard. Fewer than 5 percent of the spiders you see indoors have ever been outside. Outdoor spiders don’t move in looking for warmth. They slow down and go dormant when it gets cold. Source: Burke Museum — Myth: Spiders Come Indoors in the Fall

So why the sudden spiders in the house every September and October? Late summer is mating season for many house spiders. The ones you see running across the floor are mostly mature males wandering out in the open looking for a mate. They were already living in your walls, basement, and closets. You’re just seeing more spiders in the house now because they’re on the move.

Are House Spiders Dangerous?

Brown recluse spider with long legs and a darker violin-shaped marking on the front of its body
Underside of a black widow spider showing the red hourglass marking on its belly

Almost never. Nearly all the spiders in the house are harmless. Purdue Extension says Indiana has nearly 400 species of spiders, and only two can cause serious injury to people: the black widow and the brown recluse. Neither one bites unless it’s pressed against skin or disturbed. Source: Purdue Extension — Spiders (E-72)

Here’s what to know about each one:

  • Black widow: shiny black, with a red hourglass shape on the underside of its belly. Black widows live in undisturbed spots like woodpiles, under rocks and boards, and in sheds and old buildings. They’re rarely found inside homes.
  • Brown recluse: light to medium brown, about the size of a quarter including the legs, with a dark violin shape on the front half of its body. It has 6 eyes instead of the usual 8. Brown recluses live in dry, cluttered spots like barns, sheds, garages, and storage areas.

Source: Indiana DNR — Spiders in Indiana

The brown recluse is the one people worry about most, and it’s often misidentified. Indiana State University’s Brown Recluse Project says it can be found in almost any county in the southern half of Indiana, but it becomes less common as you go north. Many harmless house spiders have markings that look like a violin, so the eye pattern is a better clue than the color. Source: Indiana State University — Indiana and Ohio Brown Recluse Project

If someone is bitten and has severe pain, trouble breathing, dizziness, or nausea, get medical attention right away. If you can safely catch the spider in a jar, bring it along.

How to Get Rid of Spiders in the House in 6 Steps

Step 1: Vacuum webs and egg sacs

House spider sitting at the edge of its web in a corner, a good spot to vacuum

When it comes to how to get rid of spiders in the house, Purdue Extension’s first recommendation is simple: vacuum up spider webs so the spiders and their eggs are picked up along with them. Pay attention to ceiling corners, behind furniture, window frames, and the basement. Egg sacs look like small, round, papery balls tucked into a web. A shop vac with a long crevice tool reaches the high corners and empties outside. Source: Purdue Extension — Spiders (E-72)

Step 2: Set sticky traps

The wandering spiders in the house in the fall are exactly what sticky traps are best at catching. The Burke Museum notes that sticky traps remove far more spiders than typical pesticide treatments. Place spider sticky traps flat along walls, in corners, behind the couch, in closets, and next to doors, where pets and kids can’t reach them. Check them every week or two. A trap full of spiders also tells you which room needs the most attention. Source: Burke Museum — Myth: Spider “Infestations” Need Pesticide

Step 3: Seal cracks and gaps

Purdue says many spiders can be kept out of the house by caulking cracks and crevices, which means fewer spiders in the house next year. Use a caulk gun and clear silicone caulk around window frames, door trim, and where pipes and wires come through the walls. Add a door sweep to any exterior door with daylight underneath, and patch torn screens with a window screen repair kit.

These are the same fixes that keep out mice, stink bugs, and boxelder bugs, so one afternoon of sealing covers them all. Our guide on how to seal windows and doors for winter walks through each spot. Source: Purdue Extension — Spiders (E-72)

Step 4: Clear the clutter

Spiders love quiet, undisturbed places to hide and build webs. Purdue recommends keeping the house free of piles of clothes, papers, and other clutter that sits untouched. This matters most in basements, garages, and storage rooms. Move stored items out of cardboard boxes and into sealed plastic bins and keep them off the floor and away from the walls so there’s nowhere for spiders to settle in. Source: Purdue Extension — Spiders (E-72)

Step 5: Cut off their food supply

Spiders go where the bugs are. Fewer insects in and around the house means fewer spiders in the house.

  • Turn off porch lights when you don’t need them, or switch to yellow bug lights. Bright white lights draw insects to your doors at night, and spiders follow.
  • Keep firewood, leaf piles, and thick mulch a few feet away from the foundation.
  • Dry out a damp basement with a dehumidifier since damp spaces attract the small insects spiders feed on. Our guide on indoor humidity covers the right levels.
  • Deal with other pests first. If you have fruit flies or other bugs inside, the spiders are there for the buffet.

Step 6: Catch and release the occasional spider

Wolf spider, a common harmless hunting spider that wanders into homes in the fall

For the odd spider in the bathtub, Purdue’s Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab recommends simply catching it and putting it outside. Slide a cup over it, slip a piece of stiff paper underneath, and carry it out. Remember, most spiders in the house are harmless, and they eat the other bugs in your house. Source: Purdue Plant and Pest Diagnostic Lab — Spooked by Spiders

Does Spraying for Spiders Work?

Not very well indoors, and it’s the least effective way to get rid of spiders in the house. The Burke Museum points out that bug spray kills the spiders it hits directly, and that’s about all. Spiders that stay in their webs don’t walk through treated areas the way crawling insects do, and new ones soon take their place. Utah State University Extension recommends against spraying insecticide inside your home at all. Source: Utah State University Extension — Spiders in the House

If you have a heavy spider problem around the outside of the house, Purdue notes that a residual insecticide labeled for spiders can be sprayed around the foundation and in undisturbed areas. Even then, vacuuming, sticky traps, and sealing do most of the work. Source: Purdue Extension — Spiders (E-72)

When to Call a Pro

Most spiders in the house are a DIY fix, but call a pest control professional if:

  • You think you’ve found a brown recluse, especially more than one. They hide well and can be hard to get rid of on your own.
  • You find black widows inside the house, not just in the garage or woodpile
  • Sticky traps keep filling up after several weeks of vacuuming and sealing
  • Someone in the house has had a bite that’s getting worse

Sealing the house against spiders, mice, and other pests is one of the 15 tasks on our winter home maintenance checklist. If you’re hearing scratching in the walls too, see our guide on the signs of mice in walls.

Frequently Asked Questions About Spiders in the House

Why am I suddenly seeing so many spiders in my house?

In late summer and fall, male house spiders leave their webs to look for mates, so they wander out in the open where you can see them. Those spiders in the house were already living there. It’s a temporary jump in activity, not a new infestation.

Do spiders come inside when it gets cold?

Mostly no. Outdoor spiders aren’t adapted to living indoors, and they slow down and go dormant when it gets cold. The spiders you see inside are almost always house spiders that have lived indoors all along.

What smell keeps spiders away?

Peppermint oil, vinegar, and citrus sprays are popular home remedies, but there’s little research showing they keep spiders out. Vacuuming, sticky traps, and sealing gaps are what actually work to keep spiders in the house under control.

Are there brown recluse spiders in central Indiana?

They’re much more common in the southern half of Indiana and become less common as you go north. Many harmless spiders get mistaken for them. Look for 6 eyes in three pairs and a violin shape on the front half of the body.

Should I kill spiders in my house?

You don’t have to. Most house spiders are harmless and eat flies, gnats, and other pests. If you’d rather not share your space with them, catch and release them outside or use sticky traps.

What is the fastest way to get rid of spiders in the house?

The fastest way to get rid of spiders in the house is to vacuum up the webs and egg sacs you can see, then set sticky traps along the walls and in corners. For long-term results, seal the cracks and gaps they use to get in and clear out the clutter where they hide.

Sources & Further Reading