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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how to get rid of house spiders?

156 replies

Davincisvault · 11/08/2020 11:44

I mean the massive ones that come in from now til end of Oct/ Nov.

Honestly the fear is quite honestly taking over my life Sad I’ll probably have to seek some sort of hypnotherapy but has anyone successfully managed to rid their house of them? I know people say about those plug in things but then often other people say they’re useless.

I have been using Indorex the last couple of years. Last Year I thought I’d conquered them as I only saw 1! Moved house since then and sprayed the whole house, window sills etc about a week ago but since then have seen 3. I just want something that works!

OP posts:
BessMarvin · 13/08/2020 14:46

@Nowifi

See £150 for me was nothing when you consider how bad your fear is, I would have paid double that just to help my phobia. Best money I ever spent!
Oh yes if it wasn't so tricky right now with a baby I'd do it. (Not sure how I'd get up the courage. Tbh that's the stumbling block.)
GladAllOver · 13/08/2020 16:08

It's all very well people saying there are ways to fix your phobia, but hypnotherapy and courses aren't cheap. I'd love to not be scared of them, but I can't spend £150 on it.
I mention this every year when the spider posts start. My friend suffered very badly and went to her GP, who referred her for treatment on the NHS and it was very successful. She even kept a pet tarantula for a while. That was before the lockdown of course - I don't know how long you'd have to wait now, but it would do no harm to ask.

Vivi0 · 13/08/2020 16:24

@GladAllOver - what kind of treatment was your friend referred for?

Chociefish · 13/08/2020 18:27

Diatom earth sprinkled around where you would usually see them should work. I only discovered this while trying to dispatch some other uninvited guests. It's none toxic to humans and animals but to anything with an exoskeleton it's curtains.

Slippy78 · 13/08/2020 18:32

They're house spiders, they don't 'come in' from anywhere. They will be the babies of the house spiders that you already have living in your house.

Snorkelface · 13/08/2020 18:59

Like Chociefish said. This stuff is brilliant.......

www.amazon.co.uk/Diatomaceous-Earth-Food-Grade-1kg/dp/B0083H1B3W?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Somethingsnappy · 13/08/2020 19:23

Slippy78....they still need to come in from somewhere in the first place though? Some may be babies of previous occupants, but others will also come in. They can be seen outside too. There was a huge one in the garden the other day!

Slippy78 · 13/08/2020 20:11

@Somethingsnappy

Slippy78....they still need to come in from somewhere in the first place though? Some may be babies of previous occupants, but others will also come in. They can be seen outside too. There was a huge one in the garden the other day!
Nope.

House spiders can only survive indoors, they'll die if they are outside. Just as outdoor spiders won't survive indoors, they'll die if they come inside.

House spiders are one of the few species that have completely adapted to our living conditions, they can't live anywhere else.

Frazzled13 · 13/08/2020 20:53

House spiders are one of the few species that have completely adapted to our living conditions, they can't live anywhere else.

So, is putting them outside anymore humane than just whacking them with a shoe?

Slippy78 · 13/08/2020 21:44

I'd say that putting them outside is less humane, as they'll die slowly. Whacking them with your shoe is instant....

Bunnybigears · 13/08/2020 21:47

Get a cat, my cats love nothing more to catch and eat house spiders.

Id02242730 · 13/08/2020 22:32

Sorry but they def live outdoors. We had a large pile of bricks outside for over a year and when my husband moved them in April there was a whole community of large brown/black ones.

pinkhousesarebest · 13/08/2020 22:51

Read Charlotte ‘s web. You could never kill a spider after that. I love my spiders but I know how hard it is to deal with a phobia ( wasps here).

Swelteringmeltering · 13/08/2020 22:57

Raid, the red ones.

Get peppermint oil. Spiders come in to mate. The oil hides the pheromones of the female. That's what your masking.

Swelteringmeltering · 13/08/2020 23:00

We had massive load of false widows outside that came inside

Swelteringmeltering · 13/08/2020 23:02

... She even kept a pet tarantula for a while.... 😂 😂

Loving that huge swing, and on the NHS 🤣🤣I can't imagine any of my spider hating pals suddenly greeting me one day with pet tatty on their hand 🖐️ spider 🕸

Somethingsnappy · 14/08/2020 10:12

Interesting! And there was I thinking I was being noble and overcoming my fear, by putting them outside and not killing them. Although I guess they'd just find somewhere else inside, or come straight back in again!

Somethingsnappy · 14/08/2020 10:35

I could release them all into the garage I suppose, but then I'd have a nasty shock when going to retrieve camping gear Shock

GladAllOver · 14/08/2020 10:57

@GladAllOver - what kind of treatment was your friend referred for?
She saw a MH nurse who dealt with all sorts of phobias, went through various stages of gradually getting accustomed. Started with touching a spider picture without touching and went from there. Took several weeks of work but was determined to get sorted because it was so serious for her.

GladAllOver · 14/08/2020 10:57

without looking

EvilPea · 14/08/2020 11:20

@Somethingsnappy

I could release them all into the garage I suppose, but then I'd have a nasty shock when going to retrieve camping gear Shock
You’ll find the one massive one that has survived by eating all the others Shock
EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 14/08/2020 11:25

I found two giant ones in the bath the other day - carefully trapped them in a glass and took them outside.
Ever since I've had tons of insect bites - I should have kept the spiders to eat the bitey things!

JanewaysBun · 14/08/2020 11:25

I'm defo going to do the London zoo course in the next year, I keep meaning to but then have small babies/etc that I put it off

DH is secretly scared so always picks thrm up then DROPS thrm Shock

Lurchermom · 14/08/2020 12:03

I've found if you have growth on the outside of your house (ivy etc) it makes them so much worse. My parents house had climbing plants growing all up the front - looked beautiful! But the giant house spiders were horrific. In one traumatic night I had 4 - 1 in my bed! 2 ran across the floor in the room I had decamped to, and the 4th crept up the wall at the side of the third bed I'd hidden. I got zero sleep that night and for many nights to come.

As part of other work they had all the plants stripped from the brick work and whilst they still get a few, it has massively reduced.

Original poster
Davincisvault · 14/08/2020 12:10

Funnily enough, we moved in the spring and our new house had lots of ivy growing up it, front and back. DH cut it all down a couple of months ago as it was growing into all the brickwork. I was sad as it looked pretty, god am I glad he did now!! We’d be inundated with them I think as we’re surrounded by fields too!

OP posts: