Spiders are creepy insects and having them in the confines of your home can be disturbing. They can be dangerous, especially if you happen to live in an area that inhabits dangerous species like the black widow or the brown recluse. These are very common in the United States, and their bites can be extremely painful.
Spiders can easily live comfortably in a few places in your house, such as the basement. Basements are dark, dingy and can be a favorite place for them and other insects too.
Keeping spiders away from the basement, and keeping the safety of your family, and your house overall should be your priority. There are both natural and chemical repellants that you can use to drive them away. There are also various techniques and precautions that you can use.
However, one should know that getting rid of spiders from your home is a process and not a day’s affair. You need to start by looking for places they can hide and block those spots. After that comes the cleaning of cobwebs and then the use of repellents.
Here are our best tips on how to get rid of spiders from your basement :
Use Ultrasonic Pest Repeller
From our experience, this is the most simple, easiest, and best way to keep spiders out of the house. Just plug it into the power socket, and you are done. Most pests won’t come to your house as the ultrasonic and electromagnetic waves from the devices will affect their neurological auditory and instinctively will stay away from your home.
Years ago, this kind of device was quite expensive, but thankfully, today there are a lot of them that are offered at much more affordable prices. Here is the ones that we highly recommend :
Seal All Small Openings and Cracks
First of all, search for any cracks, gaps, or crevices in and around your basement. You need to seal those gaps or openings because they are the gateways through which spiders can enter.
If the openings or cracks are quite large, you can seal them using any caulk or water-based wood filler, or if it’s just a small crack, you can use any spray coating. It is a good idea to attach mesh screens to the windows and fix the doors.
Refrain From Stacking Wood
Spiders such as black widows like to creep inside woodpiles and stay in there because of the insects present in such piles. If you are the kind who stacks wood in the basement, it is time to stop. Store the wood in the backyard or somewhere outdoors. There should be a good distance between the pile and the house.
Invest in building a shed for the woodpile outside during the rainy season.
No Clutter
Basements are areas in the house that are most cluttered, and that is what attracts the spiders. They thrive in places that are cluttered or messy because clutter attracts more insects.
The only way to declutter is to organize and clean the basement. Begin by removing all the things that are not needed anymore. Give them off or hold a yard sale for your things.
Keep unnecessary things away from the wall in order to avoid the formation of webs on them. Also, it is advised to store things in plastic or other material boxes instead of paper, since paper boxes are prone to cockroach attacks.
Eliminate Other Pests
Spiders usually harbor basements in order to search for more food. Pests like mosquitoes, termites, tiny roaches, etc. are delicious foods for them. Therefore, removing these pests will decrease the chances of these insects dwelling in the area.
Get rid of pests by using common pest repellents that you can easily find in nearby stores.
Spray Peppermint Oil
Natural oils like peppermint are very strong and hated by spiders and other insects too. The smell is too pungent for these insects to bear and hence, peppermint oil is a perfect repellent to keep these crawly creatures away.
Peppermint oil is mixed with water to make it last longer. This also dilutes the oil in order to avoid any skin irritation on people or pets at home.
You can even make peppermint oil balls, by soaking cotton balls with the oil. Place them in spots around the space that seem to be most prone.
Make a Homemade Spider Spray
Vinegar, along with peppermint oil is a very effective combination. This will repel not only spiders but also other pests in the basement like mice and ants.
What you will need:
- 10 drops peppermint essential oil
- 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups water
Procedure:
- Take a small spray bottle and mix all the ingredients in it. Shake well.
- Spray on all the four corners of the room, underneath sinks, window sills, and any such spots you think are prone to spiders.
- Store in a cool, dark place.
Get a Pet
Having pets at home is a great way to keep away pests and insects. The best of them all are cats since they tend to chase around anything that moves swiftly. Having pets at home will act as a natural repellant.
Take your pet to the basement frequently to look for any moving creatures. However, care should be taken to protect your pet from the bites of poisonous spiders.
Spray Lemon Oil
Lemon oil also works as a good repellent, as it’s already known that spiders hate the citrus aroma. You can easily buy any lemon oil in a nearby supermarket, mix 5-10 drops of them with 100 ml of water, and spray it through your basement. Repeat this process every day to get maximum results.
Use Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus oil has a very strong smell, and it has many essential properties. This oil works best to drive away spiders from anywhere. All you need to do is soak cotton balls in eucalyptus oil and keep them in the corners, the windows, any cracks, etc.
Another plus point of using it is the ability of eucalyptus oil to repel mosquitoes and snakes.
Fumigate the Basement
Apart from all the ways mentioned above, to repel spiders, it is best if you can fumigate the basement. You can fumigate using chemical pesticides or natural solutions like peppermint oil or lemongrass oil.
Remember that using chemical pesticides is safe, but not for some areas of the house, like the kitchen.
Here are some best spider repellents for the basement that we recommend :
Use Trap
One of the safest ways to kill (or catch) a spider is by using a trap. This kind of trap is safe, toxic, and pesticide-free which makes it much safer than using a repellent. If you have kids or pets that sometimes go to your basement, you can use this kind of trap safely.
Place this trap in the area where spiders often come, or in the place where you find some cobwebs to get maximum results.
Use Orange or Lemon Zest
Spiders hate any citrus smell, and you can take advantage of this by using any citrus peels and spreading them around your home. These tricks not only work to prevent them from entering your basement but also help make your room smell better with those citrus fragrances.
But since the smell of any citrus zest won’t last long, you need to change them every 1 or 2 days to keep them away from your basement.
Add a Plant that Spiders Hate
Some different studies found that there are some kind of plants that spiders hate, and some of them are Lavender, mint, and lemongrass. If your basement has enough sunlight to keep those plants alive, you can plant one of them in the pot and place it inside.
Spiders are a hassle if you have them crawling in areas such as the basement. So, this room should be kept clean and tidy because of the many items that are usually stored in it.
How to Clean Cobwebs in Basement
After knowing how to avoid spiders entering your basement, the next essential step you need to do is to clean any cobwebs in your basement. Here are some important things to do when cleaning any cobwebs :
Use Mask
Usually, cobwebs are very dusty and they can have bad effects on your body, and that’s why you should use a mask when cleaning them.
Use Vacuum Extension Nozzle
As we already said above, cobwebs are very dusty and it’s highly recommended not to get too close to those spider graveyards when cleaning them. The best practice to clean them is by using a vacuum cleaner with an extension nozzle so you don’t have to get close to those cobwebs.
