How to Keep Spider Webs From Forming Outside Your Home

While spiders play an important role in nature (and, let’s be honest, make excellent Halloween decorations), you probably don’t want their masterpieces covering your windows, doorways, and patio furniture year-round. Not exactly the aesthetic you’re going for. 

Luckily, there are simple ways to keep spiders from spinning webs all over your outdoor spaces.

Photo credits to unsplash.com

Tips to Prevent Spider Webs From Taking Over Your Yard (Without Burning It Down)

1. Reduce Outdoor Lighting

Did you know your outdoor lights are probably the reason why spiders are attracted to your place? It’s true! Bright lights attract insects, and where there are bugs, spiders are sure to follow. 

Here’s how to keep your lighting from turning into a spider magnet:

• Switch to Motion-Sensor Lights: These only turn on when needed, reducing the steady glow that lures insects.
• Use Yellow or Warm LED Bulbs: Bugs are less attracted to warm-toned light compared to bright white or blue-tinted bulbs.
• Turn Off Lights When Not Needed: If you don’t need outdoor lights on all night, switch them off – especially near doors and windows where spiders love to set up shop.
• Keep Light Fixtures Clean: Regularly wipe down outdoor lights to remove dead insects, dust, and spider webs, making the area less inviting for both bugs and spiders.

2. Keep Your Home’s Exterior Clean

Spiders are creatures of habit, and if they find a good web-building spot, they’ll stick to it. 

Here’s how to keep your exterior web-free:

• Sweep Away Webs Regularly: Use a long-handled duster, broom, or even a vacuum with an extension hose to clear webs from porches, eaves, and outdoor furniture.
• Clear Out Gutters Regularly: Remove leaves, twigs, and debris to eliminate hiding spots and reduce insect attraction.
• Hose Down Exterior Surfaces: Every now and then, spray your home’s walls, windows, and light fixtures with a garden hose to remove web remnants.
• Don’t Forget Hidden Spots: Spiders love to tuck their webs into corners, under railings, and behind outdoor decorations—so check those areas frequently.
• Repair Damaged Gutters: Standing water attracts bugs, which in turn attracts spiders. Ensure proper drainage to reduce this issue.
• Declutter Outdoor Spaces: Remove old furniture, unused gardening tools, or other clutter from patios and yards. Also, regularly clean and organize areas like sheds, garages, and storage spaces to minimize spider hiding spots.
• Elevate Storage: Store items on shelves or racks rather than directly on the ground to reduce potential web-building locations.

3. Trim Vegetation and Landscaping

Overgrown plants and dense landscaping create the perfect environment for spiders to remain hidden and thrive. Tall grass, shrubs, and vines provide ideal web-building locations while also attracting other insects, which coincidentally are the spiders’ favourite meal.

Here’s how to keep your yard spider-free:

• Limit Decorative Rocks and Wood Features: Features can provide prime web-building spots, so position them away from high-traffic areas to reduce spider activity near your home.
• Trim Back Trees and Bushes: Keep branches and shrubs at least 12–18 inches away from your home’s walls to prevent spiders from easily moving from plants to your house.
• Mow the Lawn Regularly: Overgrown grass and weeds give spiders extra hiding spots. Keep your yard tidy to reduce their habitat.
• Avoid Dense Ground Cover Near Your Home: Instead of thick vegetation, opt for gravel or mulch barriers to discourage spiders from setting up webs right next to your house.
• Remove Piles of Leaves and Debris: Spiders love to hide in leaf piles, wood stacks, and garden debris. Regularly clear these areas to eliminate potential nesting spots.

4. Use Natural Repellents

So this works to a certain limit. Spiders dislike certain scents. A few simple additions to your outdoor space may make your home much less appealing to them.

Try these natural deterrents:

• Peppermint Oil Spray: Mix 10–15 drops of peppermint oil with water in a spray bottle and spritz around windows, doors, and light fixtures.
• Lavender and Mint: Plant lavender or mint near entryways, windows, and outdoor seating areas. Their strong scent repels spiders.
• Vinegar Solution: A 50/50 mix of vinegar and water can also help repel spiders. Just avoid using it on surfaces that could be damaged by acidity.
• Citrus Peels or Essential Oils: Spiders dislike the smell of lemons, oranges, and limes—rub citrus peels on windowsills or use citrus-scented essential oils around entry points.
• Eucalyptus: Spiders dislike the scent of eucalyptus; consider planting it in your garden or using dried leaves near spider-prone areas.

5. Call in the Pros

If you’ve tried everything and spiders still keep spinning webs around your home, it might be time to call in the professionals. Persistent spider problems often signal a larger insect issue, meaning your home could be attracting spiders because of an abundance of their favourite food: bugs.

Here’s how professional pest control can help:

• We Target the Root Cause: We don’t just remove spiders; we address the underlying insect problem, making your home less appealing to them.
• Customized Treatments: As pest control professionals, our goal is to provide long-term solutions tailored to your home’s specific spider hotspots.
• Dewebbing: We get rid of those hideous webs so you have no evidence of creepy crawlies in your space. 
• Year-Round Protection: We bring you pest control packages like our BuzzShield® create a barrier around your yard and home for year-round defense.

We specialize in proactive pest control, and so we deal with spiders and the pests they feed on before they become a problem for you. Our expert team serves Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, and Regina, ensuring your home’s exterior is protected from pests. 

Contact us today for an estimate, and let’s make your home a no-web zone!