If you have arachnophobia, you probably don’t want spiders in your home. Arachnophobia is an intense and irrational fear of spiders. Some spiders are venomous and so perhaps a fear of spiders is not so irrational but to an arachnophobe even seeing a spider’s web can trigger an extreme reaction — terror. So how do you get rid of a spider if you are terrified of it? Here are some ways to get rid of a spider, even when you are completely terrified of these arachnids.
A guide to getting rid of spiders when you’re terrified.
If you suffer from arachnophobia or are simply terrified of spiders here is what you can do…
1. Ask someone to get rid of the spider for you
If you do have a phobia of spiders, you may consider consulting a mental health professional and having counselling to help you overcome this fear. But in the meantime, if you see a spider, you could always ask a friend or neighbour to help you remove it humanely from your property — using some of the ways we outline below.
There is no shame in asking for help. You don’t even need pest control professionals to get rid of a lone spider. There are many easy ways for an amateur to get rid of the pest bothering you.
2. Leave the door or window open
You don’t have to actively get rid of the spider when you are terrified. Sometimes, the spider can just get out of its own, especially when it doesn’t see a reason to stay in your place. Sometimes, it’s enough to simply leave the door or window open for the spider to get out of its own.
The spider may have entered your home by passing through an open door or window. You may see the spider still near the passageway it used to enter your home. Simply leave the nearest passageway open and pray that the spider goes out on its own.
3. Terrify the spider with a long object
Spiders are predators. They don’t have a reason to be around humans as we are too big to hunt anyway. Only bloodsuckers like mosquitoes have the incentive to be around bigger targets like humans. With your size, you can easily startle the spider and make it run for its life.
You can use a long object such as a broom or a stick to nudge the spider toward a nearby passageway, like a door or window. Don’t exert too much force when doing this. The spider may become too scared and crawl too quickly. Even worse, it can even crawl in your direction.
4. Leave it alone
As predators, spiders hunt for insects to survive. They can thrive inside your home if you have other pests that can sustain them, such as ants, bed bugs, and cockroaches. If you don’t have insects that can serve as food sources for the spider, it may get out of its own in time. Simply leave the spider and give it time to get out when it finds out there is no food for them on your property.
In the meantime, you can clean your entire home. Vacuum and wipe all surfaces and get rid of clutter where spiders can hide.
5. Use a natural repellent on the spider
You can actually get rid of spiders without using chemicals. You can dilute vinegar in water and use the solution as a spray, for instance. But the problem with home remedies is that they may not be 100% effective.
You can use commercial pesticides, but many of these contain chemicals harmful to the environment. If you really feel you have to use a commercial pesticide then use one that comes in the form of a spray, and that is not so harmful to the environment — do your research — so you don’t need to get so close to the spider.
When you are shopping around for a pesticide spray, make sure that it indicates that it can get rid of spiders. Don’t forget to read the instructions too to keep yourself and the environment safe. These products have toxic ingredients after all.
6. Drop a cloth over the spider
There really is no need to kill a non-venomous spider to get rid of it — drop a large piece of cloth over it and wearing gardening gloves envelope the spider in the cloth and take the cloth outside and shake the spider loose.
If it is venomous your first instinct would be to kill it by picking up the nearest object and hitting it hard. Any solid object will usually do, but a long object like a broom or a bat springs to mind — that way if you are terrified of the creature you do not have to get too close. Make sure to hit it hard enough to crush it. The last thing you want is a venomous spider that is still alive after it has been hit. It may panic and come crawling in your direction.
7. Get rid of a spider with a vacuum cleaner
You could consider using a vacuum cleaner. It’s great because it has a long muzzle and tube that will keep you away from the spider. Once you have sucked the spider, make sure to empty your vacuum cleaner outside your home.
The sucking may not always kill the spider. It can survive and crawl out of the vacuum cleaner, so you will need to bring it out. Killing the spider you have captured is not always necessary. You can release it back into the wild.
8. Catch the spider with a bowl or drinking glass
Spiders play an important role in nature. They help control the population of common garden pests such as aphids and caterpillars. You don’t need to kill the spider bothering you. You can capture it, release it outside, and let it thrive outside your home.
Aside from the use of the vacuum cleaner, you can also catch the spider with a bowl, drinking glass, or jar, especially if it is on a flat surface like a countertop or wall. Once you have trapped the spider, slide a piece of cardboard or paper into the bowl. This way, you can flip the bowl with the spider still inside with no way to escape. Once you have your spider trapped, simply take it outside and release it into the wild…
9. Overcome your fear of spiders
One way to get rid of a spider when you are terrified is to overcome your fear of these eight-legged creatures. Understand why you fear spiders in the first place. Did you have a traumatic experience with spiders? Did you hear bad stories about them? Or do you just hate how they look like?
Becoming self-aware is the first step in overcoming your fear of spiders. If you think you need more help, you can consult a psychologist or therapist to help you overcome your fear.