With the peak of spider season upon us, there's one area of your home that experts recommend cleaning as soon as possible – your baseboards.
As they explain, this spot commonly houses undisturbed eight-legged inhabitants, where they're able to hide, breed, keep their eggs safe, and find food. Therefore, banishing them from these corners and crevices will reduce the number of spiders that pop up in your home.
Here, professional cleaners and entomologists explain why this is one of the best ways to keep spiders away.
Why you need to vacuum your baseboards every spider season
As Karina Toner, cleaning expert and operations manager at Spekless, says, 'Cleaning your baseboards is one of the simplest but most effective ways to discourage spiders from making themselves at home. While this doesn’t mean vacuuming live spiders, keeping these areas clean removes what attracts them in the first place.'
There are a number of reasons why this helps. For starters, says Karina, as spiders like to build webs in undisturbed corners and along baseboards, this will help remove those. 'Regular vacuuming clears away any structures they've started,' she explains.
Additionally, it disrupts hiding spots and eliminates food sources, where small insects may otherwise gather in dusty corners, encouraging loitering spiders to move elsewhere.
Ed Dolshun from Catchmaster, adds, 'By doing this you are not just clearing out webs but you could be removing egg sacs and old insect carcasses. A substantial buildup of dust and debris can provide suitable places for spiders to lay eggs along the baseboards. Accumulated pet hair can also exacerbate this.'
Most importantly, as Jeff Schumacher, the owner at All-Safe Pest & Termite, highlights, 'With fewer cozy corners and less leftover clutter, they’re less likely to linger,' which is why this method works to get rid of spiders in basements, keep spiders out of a garage, and reduce their numbers anywhere else.
How to vacuum your baseboards to banish spiders
Luckily, cleaning your baseboards, which are likely one of the places you definitely aren't cleaning but should be, is easy.
'Use the crevice tool attachment on your vacuum to run along the length of your baseboards, especially in corners where dust gathers,' advises Karina. 'Opt for a vacuum with strong suction, such as the Shark Upright Vacuum Navigator Lift-Away Deluxe available at Amazon, which handles edges and corners effectively.
'Vacuum baseboards weekly, or more often if you live in a spider-prone area. Follow up with a quick wipe-down using a damp microfiber cloth, like the Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths, also available at Amazon, to remove lingering dust.'
For any recurring or severe infestations, it's best to call pest control. For example, Orkin can provide spider pest control plans tailored to your home and its specific pest problem.
Of course, it's important to keep in mind that spiders are really not all bad. In fact, they're actually beneficial to have around the house.
'Most are harmless and actually help by catching flies, gnats, and other nuisance insects,' says Ed, and Jeff agrees, adding, 'Spiders can be a quiet ally in your home. They naturally thin out other pests, keeping populations of flies, moths, and gnats in check. For many homeowners, having a spider or two tucked away in the corner is a small price to pay for a bug-free space.'
However, Ed warns, 'I would maybe refrain from trying to control a population of any insect within your home.'
What to shop
All prices were correct at the time of publication.
This cruelty-free spider catcher is humane and gentle, with a long capture range, to release spiders safely outdoors before you get rid of webs on, in, and around baseboards.
These natural spider repellent pouches are perfect for popping by your baseboards, for long-lasting, easy protection.
This spider catcher captures spiders in tight and hard-to-reach places, to protect them from being squashed accidentally in the process of being taken outside.
This peppermint spray is made with 100% plant-based ingredients, including powerful Northwest peppermint oil, and is safe both both indoor and outdoor use, and around pets and children. It's one of the smells that many pests hate.
These spider traps are durable and long-lasting, with no mess and no assembly required. They're available in a pack of three.
If you're dealing with a particularly bad problem or just hate spiders around the home, this spray has a fast-acting formula.
Meet our experts
Do you know why you should never squash spiders in your home?
