Quick Tips for Removing Cellar Spiders from Your Home

Cellar spiders, often recognizable by their long, thin legs and small bodies, are common inhabitants of basements, crawl spaces, and other dimly lit corners of homes. While they are generally harmless and even beneficial by preying on other insects, many homeowners find their webs unsightly and prefer to keep these arachnids at bay. If you’re looking for quick and effective ways to remove cellar spiders from your home, this comprehensive guide will provide practical tips and strategies to help you reclaim your space.

Understanding Cellar Spiders

Before diving into removal methods, it’s helpful to understand what cellar spiders are and why they might be present in your home.

• Appearance: Cellar spiders (family Pholcidae) have very long, slender legs and small, oval bodies. They are usually pale or light brown.
• Habitat: They prefer dark, damp environments such as basements, cellars, garages, and crawl spaces.
• Behavior: They build messy, irregular webs in corners or along ceilings where insects frequently travel.
• Harmlessness: These spiders are not aggressive and rarely bite humans. In fact, they help control populations of other pests like mosquitoes and flies.

Knowing this can help you approach removal with a balanced perspective — targeting spider control without unnecessary harm to beneficial creatures.

Why Remove Cellar Spiders?

While cellar spiders pose little direct threat to humans, there are several reasons why homeowners might want to remove them:

• Aesthetic concerns: Their webs can accumulate dust and dirt, making corners look unclean.
• Psychological discomfort: Many people experience fear or discomfort around spiders.
• Allergy concerns: Though rare, some individuals may have allergic reactions to spider webs or bites.
• Preventing infestations: A large presence may indicate an underlying pest problem attracting them.

With these motivations in mind, let’s explore quick and effective ways to reduce or eliminate cellar spiders indoors.

Quick Tips for Removing Cellar Spiders

1. Regular Cleaning and Web Removal

The simplest way to discourage cellar spiders is through routine physical removal:

• Vacuum regularly: Use the hose attachment to suck up webs and spiders from corners, ceilings, baseboards, and under furniture. Dispose of the vacuum bag immediately afterward.
• Use a broom or duster: Sweep away webs manually in hard-to-reach areas where a vacuum can’t reach.
• Wipe down surfaces: Damp cloths or mild cleaning solutions can remove sticky web residue that might attract more spiders.

Cleaning reduces the number of webs where spiders live and breed, making the area less hospitable.

2. Reduce Clutter and Dark Hiding Spots

Cellar spiders thrive in quiet undisturbed places with plenty of hiding spots:

• Declutter: Remove piles of boxes, wood, old furniture, or stored items that provide shelter.
• Organize storage: Store items off the floor in sealed containers or plastic bins with tight lids.
• Increase visibility: Keep areas well-lit as spiders typically avoid brightly lit environments.

Less clutter simplifies cleaning efforts and reduces potential spider harborage.

3. Eliminate Their Food Source

Cellar spiders feed on flying insects such as flies, mosquitoes, and gnats. By reducing insect populations indoors:

• Seal entry points: Use weather stripping around doors and windows; repair cracks in walls or foundation.
• Use insect screens: Install fine-mesh screens on windows and vents.
• Reduce indoor lighting at night: Lights attract insects; limiting light exposure can decrease their numbers.
• Use insect traps or repellents: Sticky traps or natural repellents can help catch or deter flying bugs.

Fewer insects mean less food for cellar spiders, discouraging them from settling inside.

4. Use Natural Spider Repellents

Several natural substances are known to repel spiders without harming pets or humans:

• Essential oils: Peppermint oil is a popular choice. Mix 10–15 drops with water in a spray bottle and apply around windowsills, doorways, baseboards, and corners.
• Vinegar spray: A mixture of vinegar and water (50/50) sprayed in spider-prone areas disrupts their ability to climb walls or navigate surfaces.
• Chestnuts or citrus peels: Placing these natural items near entrances can deter spider activity.

Reapply these treatments regularly—every few days—as their effectiveness diminishes over time.

5. Seal Cracks and Gaps

Preventing cellar spider access is one of the most effective long-term strategies:

• Inspect your home’s foundation walls, window frames, doorways, plumbing penetrations, vents, and attic access points.
• Use caulk or expanding foam to fill cracks and gaps larger than 1/8 inch.
• Replace worn weather stripping on doors and windows.

By sealing entryways, you reduce not only spider access but also that of other pests.

6. Use Sticky Traps

Sticky traps are an easy way to capture wandering cellar spiders:

• Place traps along walls, under furniture edges, behind appliances—the typical spider pathways.
• Check traps regularly; dispose of captured spiders promptly.

Sticky traps work passively without chemicals and provide insight into spider activity levels.

7. Chemical Treatments (If Necessary)

If natural methods don’t suffice for heavy infestations:

• Choose insecticides labeled specifically for spiders.
• Focus sprays on perimeter areas like baseboards, window frames, corners of ceilings.
• Follow label directions carefully for safety.

Keep in mind chemicals should be a last resort due to potential health risks indoors—especially if children or pets live in the home.

8. Maintain Low Humidity Levels

Cellar spiders prefer moist environments:

• Use dehumidifiers in basements or crawl spaces during humid months.
• Ensure good ventilation by using fans or opening windows when possible.

Lower humidity makes your home less hospitable for these moisture-loving arachnids.

Prevention Tips to Keep Cellar Spiders Away

Once you’ve removed cellar spiders from your home, prevention is key to avoiding their return:

• Continue regular cleaning routines focused on spider-prone areas.
• Keep outdoor lighting minimal near entrances after dark or use yellow bug lights that attract fewer insects.
• Store firewood away from your home’s foundation as this attracts many insects which entice spiders indoors.
• Inspect secondhand furniture before bringing it inside; webs may already be present.

Consistent maintenance ensures your home stays spider-free over the long term.

When to Call a Professional

If you’ve tried multiple methods without success or if spider presence becomes overwhelming:

• Professional pest control experts have access to specialized treatments not available over the counter.
• They can perform thorough inspections to identify underlying pest issues attracting cellar spiders.

A professional consultation might be necessary if infestation affects large portions of your home or poses health concerns for occupants.

Conclusion

Removing cellar spiders from your home doesn’t need to be complicated. With regular cleaning habits, reducing clutter and insect prey inside your living space, sealing entry points properly, employing natural repellents like peppermint oil sprays, sticky traps, controlling indoor humidity levels—and if needed carefully targeted chemical treatments—you can significantly reduce or eliminate cellar spider presence quickly.

Remember these arachnids play an ecological role by controlling other pests but maintaining control over their numbers inside your home helps keep unwanted webs out of sight while providing peace of mind. By following these quick tips consistently you’ll create a cleaner more comfortable environment free from the nuisance of cellar spiders.