How to Get Rid of Spiders in Your House (and Keep Them Out)
Practical Ways to Get Rid of Spiders in Your House Before They Become a Bigger Problem
A single spider crossing the floor rarely means you have a serious infestation. But when cobwebs keep returning, spiders begin appearing in multiple rooms, or you discover spider egg sacs tucked away in quiet corners, it’s natural to wonder what’s attracting them. Knowing how to get rid of spiders in the house starts with understanding why they’ve moved indoors — and what you can do to keep them from coming back.
Why Are Spiders Coming Into Your House?
- A reliable food source, such as flies, ants, or other insects
- Quiet, undisturbed places to build webs or hide
- Protection from changing outdoor weather
Homes naturally provide all three. Basements, crawl spaces, garages, attics, utility rooms, and storage areas are especially appealing because they remain relatively undisturbed and often contain plenty of insects for spiders to feed on.
Rather than viewing spiders as the primary problem, it’s often more accurate to see them as a sign that other insects are already present.
Common Spiders Found in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Cape Cod Homes
Several spider species are commonly found inside homes throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Cape Cod. While their habits differ, they’re usually attracted indoors for the same reasons—food, shelter, and protection from changing weather.
Cellar Spiders
Often called “daddy longlegs,” cellar spiders prefer damp, undisturbed areas such as basements, crawl spaces, garages, and utility rooms. Their loose, irregular webs often become dusty, making them one of the most noticeable spiders found indoors.
Common House Spiders
House spiders typically build tangled webs in ceiling corners, closets, window frames, and storage areas where there’s little daily activity. Their webs are often spotted before the spiders themselves.
Wolf Spiders
Unlike web-building spiders, wolf spiders actively hunt insects and may wander indoors through open doors, garages, or small foundation gaps, particularly during seasonal weather changes.
Most spiders found in homes throughout Griggs & Browne’s service area are nuisance pests rather than a significant health concern. However, recurring cobwebs, frequent sightings, or spider egg sacs may indicate conditions that should be addressed as part of a long-term spider control plan.
Signs You May Have More Than Just the Occasional Spider
- Cobwebs returning soon after they’ve been removed
- Multiple spiders appearing in different rooms over a short period
- Visible spider egg sacs attached to ceilings, shelving, furniture, or stored items
- Spider activity concentrated in basements, crawl spaces, attics, or garages
- Increasing numbers of flying or crawling insects inside the home
While any one of these signs may seem minor, several occurring together often suggest it’s time to look beyond the spiders themselves and address what’s attracting them.
How to Get Rid of Spiders in Your House
Remove Existing Webs and Egg Sacs
- Cobwebs
- Adult spiders
- Spider egg sacs
- Newly hatched spiders
Pay close attention to ceiling corners, behind furniture, basement beams, storage shelves, and garage rafters where webs often go unnoticed.
Removing egg sacs before they hatch can significantly reduce future spider activity.
Reduce the Insects Spiders Feed On
- Flies
- Ants
- Moths
- Beetles
- Small flying insects
Addressing underlying insect issues often leads to a noticeable decline in spiders over time.
Seal Entry Points Around Your Home
- Foundation cracks
- Utility pipe penetrations
- Door thresholds
- Window frames
- Torn window screens
- Garage door gaps
- Exterior vents
Properly sealing entry points helps reduce not only spiders but many other household pests as well.
Eliminate Hiding Places Indoors
- Basements
- Attics
- Storage rooms
- Garages
- Closets
Keeping boxes elevated, organizing stored belongings, and vacuuming regularly removes many of the sheltered areas spiders rely on.
Make the Outside Less Attractive
Spider prevention begins outdoors.
Trim shrubs and tree branches so they don’t touch the home. Remove piles of leaves, stacked firewood, and unused materials from directly against the foundation whenever possible.
Outdoor lighting can also attract flying insects, which in turn attract spiders. Reducing unnecessary nighttime lighting near entrances may decrease insect activity around your home.
Why Spider Activity Often Returns
Many homeowners remove visible spiders only to find new webs appearing a few weeks later. That’s because the spiders themselves are rarely the underlying problem.
If spider egg sacs remain hidden, insects continue living indoors, or new spiders can easily enter through small openings, the cycle simply repeats. Lasting spider control focuses on reducing food sources, limiting hiding places, and preventing new spiders from entering the home — not just removing the ones you can see.
When Professional Spider Control Makes Sense
- Spider activity continuing despite regular cleaning and prevention efforts
- Cobwebs returning soon after removal
- Repeated spider egg sacs around the home
- Increasing spider sightings in multiple rooms
- Spider activity accompanied by ants, flies, beetles, or other household insects
A professional inspection can help identify where spiders are entering, what’s attracting them, and whether another pest problem is contributing to the activity. Addressing the source rather than only the visible spiders provides a more effective long-term solution.
Frequently Asked Questions
An increase in spiders usually means your home offers food, shelter, or easy entry. Seasonal weather changes, higher indoor insect activity, and quiet storage areas commonly contribute to larger spider populations throughout New England.
The quickest approach combines removing visible spiders and cobwebs, vacuuming spider egg sacs, reducing indoor insects, and sealing entry points that allow new spiders inside. Focusing on only one of these steps usually provides temporary results.
Griggs & Browne has been helping homeowners throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Cape Cod address spider problems and the conditions that attract them. Contact our team today to schedule an inspection and take the first step toward long-term spider control.
Yes. If food sources and shelter remain available, spiders often rebuild webs in the same locations. Simply removing webs doesn’t prevent additional spiders from moving into those areas.
Cellar spiders are generally considered harmless and rarely interact with people. Although many homeowners dislike seeing them indoors, they’re primarily nuisance pests that feed on other insects and spiders.
Basements and crawl spaces often provide higher humidity, fewer disturbances, and plenty of insects to feed on. These conditions make them attractive locations for several common house spider species.
Yes. Properly sealing entry points around foundations, doors, windows, and utility openings helps reduce the number of spiders and many other crawling insects entering the home.
Finding spider egg sacs means spiders are reproducing inside or immediately around your home. Removing them promptly helps reduce future spider populations before hundreds of young spiders emerge.
Spider activity often becomes more noticeable during late summer and fall as many species mature and begin moving indoors in search of shelter. Homes throughout Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Cape Cod commonly experience seasonal increases during this period.
Often, yes. Spiders depend on other insects for food. Frequent spider sightings can indicate there are flies, ants, beetles, or other household insects providing an ongoing food supply.
How can I prevent spiders from coming back year after year?
The most effective way to prevent spiders in your home is through consistent housekeeping, reducing indoor insects, removing webs and egg sacs, organizing storage areas, maintaining the exterior of the home, and addressing entry points before seasonal spider activity increases.