The Simplest Way To Keep Brown Recluses Away From Your Home

If you've ever seen a photo of a brown recluse spider or read about their venomous bites — which can cause serious health problems, such as blisters, open sores, fever, and joint pain — then you may feel worried that one of these eight-legged beasties could get into your home. Luckily, there is a quick and simple way to make your house less appealing to brown recluse spiders: eliminate their hiding spots. These arachnids prefer to remain undiscovered, so dark areas in your home that get little foot traffic, such as closets, garages, and attics, are more likely to harbor brown recluses.

No matter how afraid you are of brown recluse spiders, it doesn't make sense to seal off your entire garage or attic just to decrease the likelihood of running into one. Instead, you can take small steps to make a room or storage area less appealing to these pesky critters. The fewer spots they have to hide, the more likely they are to go elsewhere.

It turns out that the strategies that work best for decluttering your home may also convince spiders to move on. By getting rid of unused boxes, empty bags, and other miscellaneous items, you are minimizing the number of small, dark hiding spots. Then thoroughly clean the areas you've just cleared of odds and ends. Each brown recluse spider egg sac can hold 40 to 50 eggs, and females use their messy, irregular webs, called retreats, to form the sacs. By sweeping away or vacuuming up these webs, you'll hopefully remove any egg sacs along with them. Plus, you'll be able to monitor potential spider activity in future inspections.

There are a few more methods you can employ  to identify and get rid of dangerous brown recluse spiders in your home. While it may feel satisfying to clean away spider webs, these resourceful insects can easily rebuild them. Plus, brown recluses don't use their webs to catch food; as mentioned, they use them to build their egg sacs and they also rest within them. Instead, it's more helpful to use some of the best ways to get rid of ants and other insects that brown recluses feed on. Clean up food messes immediately, install window screens and door sweeps, and use eco-friendly pest control products like diatomaceous earth.

Finally, examine each room carefully, looking for places where spiders could enter. Use a bright flashlight in dark areas. Gaps where the floor meets the wall, as well as those around door and window frames or plumbing pipes, are direct routes into your home for such diminutive critters. You can use caulk or expanding foam to plug these entry holes. Both materials work well for filling irregularly sized crevices that experience little movement. Note, however, that expanding foam can be flammable, so avoid using it near electrical boxes, open flames, or intense heat.

When you're decluttering, cleaning, and plugging any gaps you've found in the out-of-the-way areas of your home, wear a long-sleeved shirt and gloves. This is particularly important if you suspect brown recluses are in residence; you need to protect yourself from bites. It's also a good idea to wear a mask — not for protection against spiders, but because these hidden spots in your home are typically full of airway-irritating dust, mold, and other airborne allergens.