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AIBU?

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Massive spider in lounge, shut the door and sealed with masking tape last night,now what?

342 replies

lightclock · 09/08/2026 13:20

What do I do now? Never enter the lounge again?

OP posts:
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7
honeyrosesandwich · 10/08/2026 00:01

Allseeingallknowing · 09/08/2026 16:56

No, it will crawl out! Just get a spider vacuum from Amazon and let it go outside.

I chucked the hoover after lol. was only a £20 one

Samysungy · 10/08/2026 00:23

ExOptimist · 09/08/2026 23:19

I have compassion for people who have mental health issues and do their best to deal with it with professional help/medication.
If they chose to ignore it and present it as a quirk of their personality, as many of those on here with phobias appear to, then I have no sympathy whatsoever.

Drugging ppl for normal reactions is not really ok. Why do it?

ExOptimist · 10/08/2026 00:29

Samysungy · 10/08/2026 00:23

Drugging ppl for normal reactions is not really ok. Why do it?

Mental illness isn't normal though, that's why it's called illness. Phobias are not normal behaviour. That's the issue. If drugs or talking therapies work then the sufferer should take whatever help is available.

maxslice · 10/08/2026 03:07

I found out by accident that a generous dousing with hairspray will slow a spider down enough to scoop it and toss it out or smush it with your shoe, whichever you choose.

SummerSummerSummertime · 10/08/2026 07:30

NeverDropYourMooncup · 09/08/2026 14:18

Generally, they aren't. Arachnophobia (and similar reactions to insects, etc) are a feature of comfortable, Western lives.

Genuinely they are. Educate yourself!

SummerSummerSummertime · 10/08/2026 07:32

What did you do OP? Did you get someone to help?

Wingingit73 · 10/08/2026 07:45

😂😂😂😂😂😂
Put house on market. Pack.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 10/08/2026 07:55

topcat2014 · 09/08/2026 13:28

Seek medical attention for this phobia. There is nothing wrong with spiders. We all eat a few in our lives in our sleep.

'Eating spiders in your sleep is an urban legend and a total myth. Humans swallow zero spiders per year on average because spiders actively avoid people, sense our breathing vibrations, and would trigger a wake-up response if they touched our skin.

Most users on Reddit agree that this fake statistic was originally made up to show how fast false stories spread online.'
(And it's still spreading!)

Allseeingallknowing · 10/08/2026 14:08

honeyrosesandwich · 10/08/2026 00:01

I chucked the hoover after lol. was only a £20 one

FGS! So unecessary. Get a spider hoover. It’s simple, and you have no contact with the spider.

Allseeingallknowing · 10/08/2026 14:11

Doingtheboxerbeat · 09/08/2026 20:16

I just love your dedication 🤭 you demonstrate necessity being the mother of all invention .

All the other methods on here are useless. No, Amazon doesn’t pay me to promote it !

DBSFstupid · 10/08/2026 14:29

BillieWiper · 09/08/2026 13:23

I would just try and catch it in a glass or tissue and throw it outside. Or you can use spider killing spray if you want to be mean. Open all the windows and it'll probably leave of its own accord.

Do not do that FFS. Get the Spider out. He has done you no harm.

BillieWiper · 10/08/2026 15:54

DBSFstupid · 10/08/2026 14:29

Do not do that FFS. Get the Spider out. He has done you no harm.

I said to put it outside. 'FFS'?!

But yes you can use insect spray if you wish. I personally wouldn't.

Lizziespring · 10/08/2026 17:55

Spiders avoid coming near people and can sense us and keep away, so that's a bit reassiring. I used to ask friends and neighbours to put them outside. I spent three days avoiding my sitting room once so fully understand. Weirdly after years of horrified aversion I've stopped being scared of them, so can tolerate being in a room with one now.

Sheepsmellnice · 10/08/2026 18:05

Is it a man eating spider ?

Bowies · 10/08/2026 18:06

What did you do?

I usually release spiders outside, but if it is huge and fast or ‘non compliant’ to usual techniques, unfortunately as a last resort it gets vacuumed (as I have been bitten on the hand before).

Depending on the spider and your vacuum it could potentially survive this process and still be released outside?

BeddysMum · 10/08/2026 18:11

Grenade.

Lokiswife · 10/08/2026 18:12

We have a squishing device! It's actually this https://amzn.eu/d/036hGxrl

But it's only been used for this once & is now the squisher!!! Heavily arachnophobic house, no man to help!!!

Amazon

Amazon

https://amzn.eu/d/036hGxrl?tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-am-i-being-unreasonable-5564550-massive-spider-in-lounge-shut-the-door-and-sealed-with-masking-tape-last-nightnow-what

Allseeingallknowing · 10/08/2026 18:15

Lokiswife · 10/08/2026 18:12

We have a squishing device! It's actually this https://amzn.eu/d/036hGxrl

But it's only been used for this once & is now the squisher!!! Heavily arachnophobic house, no man to help!!!

Sorry, not as good as the one I recommended, plus you shouldn’t kill them!

JJWT · 10/08/2026 18:17

Well that's a waste of masking tape! There will be many, ways for a spider to get in and out of that room, not just the door, eg skirting boards, floorboards etc. There are many spiders in and out of all houses/buildings every day besides the single one you happened to see. I realise phobias are real but you sound unhinged. You are going to have to get someone else to look for it and remove it if they find it but they probably wont find it. It is extremely unlikely to do you any physical harm. Perhaps you need some cbt or something to prevent any further psychological harm. I hope you don't have kids who get to see this reaction. I think they are more likely to end up burdened in the same way if they grow up alongside a key caregiver who has this issue.

Timeforachange26 · 10/08/2026 18:17

What? Just put on your big girl pants and remove it. Honestly some people

Lizchapman · 10/08/2026 18:17

He’s probably long gone. I had a HUGE one - size of my hand- in the hallway a few months ago. Left him be and have never seen him since.

inappropriateraspberry · 10/08/2026 18:19

Jesus Christ 🙄

BebbanburgIsMine · 10/08/2026 18:19

Trumptontown · 09/08/2026 13:35

Rude. People can’t help having a phobia.

I totally agree, I hate the eight legged freaks, I can’t help it.

I’ve reported that post as it’s very unkind and unhelpful to someone who’s scared of them (or anything else)

DesertButterfly · 10/08/2026 18:27

Malasana · 09/08/2026 13:34

Oh bless you. I can’t deal with spiders either. They make my skin crawl. There are some really mean comments on here.
Is there someone can come and help you?

Absolutely this. I can't believe the smug comments on here. For people who don't have this phobia, lucky you! It may not be rational but nonetheless it is a very real fear.

BebbanburgIsMine · 10/08/2026 18:27

ExOptimist · 09/08/2026 21:11

Whether it's recognised still doesn't stop it from being an embarrassingly pathetic phobia.
A phobia such as fear of flying is something that's more understandable as planes can crash and you can die. But in the UK being afraid of spiders is self-indulgent stupid behaviour.

Well aren’t you lovely?

It doesn’t matter if you’re scared of something or not. Some of us really are scared of spiders. It’s not something we’re happy about, and we can’t help it.

I’d rather have a phobia of them, than be an unkind person with no feeling or compassion for other people.

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