Turns Out, The Way You Clean May Be Accidentally Inviting Spiders Into Your Home

Usually the goal of cleaning is to keep the creepy-crawlies out of your house. That’s the whole reason we put away our half-eaten food, sweep the floor, and clean the counters.

Well, the goal is keeping the bugs out AND the fact that it’s just gross to leave out food and have piles of goo on your kitchen counter and floor.

Don’t get me wrong, cleaning all those things is great. The clean-freak in me HAS to have a perfectly clean kitchen — bonus points if it smells like kitchen cleaner!

But, there are unfortunately some things you do when you are cleaning your house that acts as an invitation for spiders to come right in to visit like a family member that just won’t go away.

Listen up, because here are a few cleaning mistakes you are making in your attempt to keep the spiders at bay.

1) Pet Food – We are quick to clean up OUR half-eaten food, but what about your pet food? Do you leave a bowl of food out for your fur baby to munch on whenever he or she feels the urge.

Yep, I do this too. But, it’s one way to attract the bugs and spiders (not to mention the mice. Ew.).

Pick a time or two during the day, and put food out for your pet. Let them eat, and then pick up any leftovers. Your pet will soon learn that it gets food on a schedule, and you won’t have any tempting treats for those creepers!!

Speaking of picking up their leftovers, make sure you store their food in an airtight container and wash out their bowl.

2) Clean Those Kitchen Counters And Stove Right Away – I’ve made the mistake of, every once-in-a-while leaving spilled food on my stove or counter. I always clean it up before I go to bed, but sometimes I get busy with dinner and forget the pasta that boiled over on the stove.

This is just fodder for the 8-legged creatures. They will come in and feast on your spilled goods without you even knowing they’ve been there.

Take the extra 10 seconds and wipe down your tables, counters, and stove.

While you’re at it, make sure your sink is cleaned out, and all that food waste is taken care of.

Get your kids to clean their rooms!!

3) Messy Rooms – Now, my daughter’s room is in a whole nother dimension in our house. I keep the rest of the house pretty organized, but that child’s room is a disaster area.

She has clothes, food wrappers, papers, stuffed animals, school backpacks, and only God knows what else all over her floor.

I ask her over and over again to pick up her room, but maybe if I tell her that all that junk actually makes nice little houses for spiders, it will freak her out into cleaning!

4) Clean Those Ceilings And Fans – Get a broom, and wipe those ceiling fans and ceiling corners. Yes, in every room.

If you are paying attention, ceiling corners and fans are where a lot of cobwebs pop up. I’m all for Halloween decorations, but save the cobwebs for the fake kind you put out during that spooky season. You don’t want REAL cobwebs hanging out in your house.

If you knock down their houses, and keep those corners clean, the spiders will have no choice but to find an alternate living situation.

5) Bath Toys Put Away With A Lid – Get a container with a lid, and put your kids’ bath toys inside in between bath times. Spiders will find plenty of nooks and crannies to hide inside bath toys that are just piled up in the bathroom. Even if they are in a basket under the sink. Spiders can still find their way in.

You can get a rubbermaid-type container that has a lid, and put the toys inside to store them. It’s just as easy to pull out a box with a lid as it is to pull out an open basket. AND, you will stay spider free.

Stick a lid on that trash can.

6) Trash Cans With A Lid – I am guilty of this in every room of my house. But, open trash cans only invite the spiders to come hang out as if they own the place.

Now, it helps if you only throw away food trash in the kitchen (someone teach this to my son), and put a lid on that trash can.

The lid will ensure that the smells and trash stay contained, and will keep the creepies at bay.

7) Do Your Laundry – Pick up your laundry, and don’t leave it on the floor. Especially if it’s dirty laundry. The aromatic essence of the clothes, mixed with the dark environment on the inside of the clothes makes a perfect house for those 8-legged little freaks.

If you are slower at getting your laundry done, and it’s going to sit for a few days, consider getting a laundry basket with a lid. Just like the trash can with the lid, a lid on your laundry will help keep the spiders away.

8) House Plants – If you are a fan of indoor plants, make sure they are well taken care of.

By that, I mean, make sure it isn’t overgrown, and that you pay attention to it daily. Clean off any spiderwebs you find, and cut it back to a manageable length.

Lots of foliage makes for excellent spider hiding places.

Good luck, and may you stay spider free! Do you have any other ideas to keep those spiders away? Leave them in the comments.