Spiders get a bad rap across the globe, especially the ones that you find in the house. There is hardly anything more terrifying than opening a cabinet and looking at a spider staring back at you.
Spiders come in all shapes and sizes and many people often let their imaginations run off when it comes to dealing with a spider. Some people think that a spider bite can be poisonous while others just get really scared and move away.
The reality, however, is quite different. A house spider, in most cases, is anything but harmful. Even if one bites you, you will probably feel a bit of itching and that will be it.
In some cases, the skin might swell up just a bit but that will be all. However, most people tend to freak out the moment they see a house spider.
Another disturbing thought is that of a house spider crawling all over your face as you sleep at night. Many people have nightmares about this and just the thought is probably going to keep you awake all night.
This might come as a surprise to you but the average person usually ingests around four insects every year through their mouth in the night as they sleep.
It’s common knowledge that insects usually come out at night because they feel that it’s much more secure. It’s not really harmful because the stomach acids are powerful enough to dissolve almost anything that goes inside your mouth.
But just the thought of an insect (whether it be spiders or centipedes) crawling around you is enough to make a grown man shudder. You don’t want that to happen at all.
However, the reality is that it’s much more difficult than you might think to keep these insects away. A good night’s sleep is important for proper functioning of the human body.
Naturally, if you find a spider in your bed, you will have difficulty lying down in the same place again. Nobody likes waking up to find a squished spider in their bed; it is going to give you the creeps and have you jumping around to find the rest of them throughout the day. Most people are often confused when they find spiders in their bedrooms.
After all, what causes this phenomenon? Before we talk about keeping spiders at bay in the first place, it’s important to think about the factors that could be attracting the spiders to your bedroom. Once you understand these factors, you can do a better job of keeping the spiders at bay.
One of the first things that you should know is that spiders are generally attracted to insects. It’s common knowledge that spiders feed on other insects so if you have other tiny insects in the bedroom, it won’t be long before spiders enter the space as well.
Spiders usually prefer to dwell in spaces that are undisturbed by humans. They will feel just as comfortable in a damp basement as they would in an unclean corner of the room.
Therefore, the first thing that you need to do is to make sure that you keep your room neat and clean. There are a bunch of other factors that you need to consider.
Here are some things that attract spiders to your bedroom:
- Garbage: If there is lots of garbage strewn all around your room, it’s definitely going to attract spiders. You need to make sure that you clean all the garbage from the dustbin in the bedroom and also look for things such as used tissues and other items that might be strewn around the floor. It’s recommended that you keep your bedroom as clean as possible to avoid spiders.
- Stagnant Water: Is there any kind of stagnant water in your bedroom? It could be the runoff from your air conditioner or it could be glasses that you haven’t picked up and removed in a long while. More importantly, if there is any kind of moisture seeping through the walls, you might want to get it fixed right away as well.
- Food Items: The biggest attraction for many spiders is food. If you like to eat in the bedroom, you need to be very careful about cleaning up afterwards. You need to make sure that you properly wipe off the area after you are done eating. Wipe off all the crumbs and the food remnants that might be left on the floor.
- Untidy Storage Boxes: A lot of people have storage boxes stashed in the corner of their bedrooms. This is fine until you realize that these storage boxes could prove to be the perfect festering ground for a spider nest. It is vitally important that you pick up the storage boxes and clean the area around them thoroughly. Not only that, but you should also make sure that you clean what’s inside the storage boxes.
- Old Newspapers and Magazines: Old newspapers and magazines are also the ideal choice for spiders to hide. That’s because they are usually untouched and the darkness between the folds provides adequate protection to the spiders. Spiders usually move towards areas that are hidden and dark, and a pile of magazines is just the ideal choice.
- Houseplants: Adding plants in any room is a great idea because they look incredibly good and also improve the aesthetic appeal of the place. However, you need to understand that maintenance isn’t as easy as you might think. Houseplants attract a lot of insects and if you don’t care for the plants properly, it won’t take long before spiders begin to weave their webs in between the leaves and the stems.
Now that you know the basic reasons about why spiders might be attracted to your bedroom, it’s time to focus on a number of strategies that you can use in order to keep these pesky little creatures at bay.
There are a number of things that you can do, depending upon the amount of effort that you are willing to put in and the amount of money that you can afford to spend on the cleaning process. Here are some strategies that will work.
1 – Start with a Deep Clean
If there are spiders near your bed, the chances are very high that you are looking at a serious infestation in your house.
As mentioned, spiders tend to avoid humans so if you have any near the bed, it’s probably because other areas are occupied too. You need to start off with a deep clean of the entire house.
Beginning from your bedroom, you need to work your way throughout the house. A thorough deep clean is required to get rid of the spider infestation.
Remember that this isn’t something where you can cut corners; you need to make sure that you do it right. A thorough deep clean requires you to take a look at every nook and cranny of your house.
You are probably going to find all manner of insects around the house along with their eggs so you need to be very careful. Make sure to put whatever you find in a sealed garbage bag and then keep it out in the trash bins. Do not leave it besides the wall or near your house.
If you don’t have a trash can outside your place, you should take the bag to the nearest dumpster and throw it in there.
2 – Use an Electronic Pest Repellent
Another very popular option available to you is to make use of an electronic pest-repelling device. These devices are incredibly useful and all you have to do is to plug it in the socket.
It’s a pretty simple device that can help you keep all kinds of insects at bay. It isn’t only useful for spiders but it works just as well for mice, roaches, rodents, and all other tiny insects.
The electronic pest-repelling device makes use of electromagnetic waves and ultrasonic waves in order to keep these pests at bay. Not only are these repelling devices incredibly effective but they are also able to cover a substantially large area of the house.
On top of that, you don’t even need to worry about kids in your house since the device is completely safe to use.
3 – Decluttering the Bedroom
When was the last time that you carried out a thorough decluttering of your room? Most people don’t bother with all the stuff in their bedrooms and that is a serious problem.
You need to make sure that you get rid of all the things that you don’t use and remove the empty boxes. If there are drawers that haven’t been emptied in a long while, now might be the ideal time to get everything out of them and check for spiders or other insects.
Spiders absolutely love hiding in these tiny nooks and crannies around the house. For instance, if you have additional bags or boxes on the top of your wardrobe, you might want to take everything out and clean the space. You will be surprised at the amount of dust that accumulates on top of these surfaces.
Get rid of everything that you have kept on the floor and throw away all old magazines. Spiders love to hide from the sun so if you have a large window, you should leave it open throughout the day. This can also play an important role in keeping spiders at bay.
Make sure that the room is neat and tidy and that all additional items have been thrown out of the place.
4 – Eating in Bed Is a Strict No-No
A common mistake that many people make is that they tend to eat on their beds. It doesn’t matter how much care you take when eating; you are always going to drop some on the floor.
There is no doubt that you will leave crumbs on the bed sheets and even if you just simply move them all on the side with your hand, you should know that some will always remain.
Ultimately, this is the perfect invitation for spiders to climb onto your bed. If you want to keep spiders at bay, it’s highly recommended that you avoid eating in your room completely. If it is at all possible, you should make it a habit to never eat on the bed.
If you have to, make sure that you do so in a neat and tidy fashion. Always use a tray and bend forwards when you eat. Once you are done eating, you should get off the bed and then clean up after yourself.
5 – Seal Your House Off
There are tiny nooks and crannies through which spiders are going to enter your house. It always happens and it’s important that you take action about it.
The best thing that you can do in this regard is to seal off all the tiny holes in the walls and spaces through which spiders can enter your house.
You need to take out some time from your busy routine and then seal off all the tiny cracks in your house, especially those where the insects and spiders can easily enter. All kinds of gaps, including the cracked sealants, the electrical wiring, the gaps on the corners of window screens, and any tears on the screens, must be sealed and shut off properly.
Don’t forget to check the basement if you have one. You are likely to find plenty of spiders down there if you have them in other areas of the house.
In most cases, you can seal them off using tape. In some cases, caulk is also a great idea since it can easily cover all of the tiny gaps and spaces in your house.
6 – Don’t Throw Stuff Under The Bed
A common mistake that many people make is that they tend to throw stuff under their beds. This is a terrible idea and could invite spiders into your house quite easily.
You need to understand that spiders are most commonly found in the dirty environments and placing them under your bed is a terrible move.
When was the last time that you cleaned the space under your bed and got rid of all the shoe boxes or wrappers that were lying underneath? The chances are high that you will see quite a few spider webs underneath your bed.
It is important for you to clean under your bed consistently at least once in a week; otherwise, it won’t take long before spider webs appear in different spaces under the bed.
7 – Peppermint Oil Works Like a Charm
One of the most affordable and cheapest methods to keep spiders away from your house is peppermint oil. You should know that spiders hate peppermint oil.
Peppermint oil is considered by many as a natural insecticide and is also incredibly potent for keeping other insects at bay as well.
Try using peppermint oil to repel spiders from your garage as well.
When you compare chemical pesticides with peppermint oil, you will realize that it is a much better choice. Peppermint oil is safer, reliable, and completely natural.
However, you need to first dilute the peppermint oil before you use it. Peppermint oil must be mixed with water before you put it in a spray bottle. Then you should spray the peppermint oil in areas where the spiders are found.
8 – Use Vinegar
Vinegar is yet another natural insecticide that you can use to kill spiders. Vinegar contains a substance called acetic acid, which is incredibly powerful against spiders. You need to know that just as with peppermint oil, vinegar must be diluted with water.
Also, it’s important to note that vinegar doesn’t have a particularly good smell. You have to use it late at night and you must bear the smell as well. Vinegar is, however, completely safe, especially if you have kids and pets in the house.
Once you are done, follow these tips to get rid of the vinegar smell.
9 – Use Bed Risers
If the distance between your bed and the floor is relatively little, it won’t be long before spiders start crawling up to you.
Also, you need to make sure that the headboard doesn’t connect to the wall directly. If it is joined with the headboard, pull it a bit forward to leave some space in the back.
More importantly, if the bed posts do not lift the bed above the ground, using a set of bed risers is a great idea. Bed risers will lift the entire thing off the floor and leave a spacious gap in between, which prevents spiders from crawling up to your house easily.
10 – Wash the Sheets
More importantly, you need to wash the sheets as regularly as possible to keep insects away. There have been some horror stories where spiders ended up laying eggs in between small crevices between the mattress and the footboard.
You don’t want stuff like this happening on your bed. That is why you should frequently wash the sheets and make sure that you turn over the mattress every now and then.
These are just a few things that you should know about keeping spiders away from your bedroom. If nothing else works and the infestation does not clear out, your only other option is to call exterminators to your house. They will carry out a thorough fumigation of your property.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems and over 10 years of experience working in IT. As a homeowner, I love working on projects around the house, and as a father, I love investigating various ways to keep my family safe (whether or not this involves tech). I’ve also played guitar for almost 20 years and love writing music, although it’s hard to find the time these days.
Shoe
Friday 22nd of October 2021
Not gonna lie, I'm even more scared of the cellar spider I woke up to trying to make his way into my bed now. Probably won't be sleeping tonight :/
Grungegurl
Sunday 7th of November 2021
@Shoe, yup. Woke up to a massive bastard on my wall. Ran to get the vacuum and it disappeared, over 12 hrs later, bastard was spot by mo.son hanging fr the ceiling over my bed,. I screamed. Now he's sucked up. Whew
deven macneill
Wednesday 25th of August 2021
spiders in bed are one thing, it sucks, i am to this day scared by the hornet i fou d in my bed, ran my hands along my blanket and bam! screaming in pain.