Best Outdoor Spider Repellents: Sprays, Concentrates, Bug Lights

The best outdoor spider repellent is Miss Muffet's Revenge, a ready-to-use bifenthrin spray with a 10-foot sprayer for eaves, door frames and siding. Talstar One is the concentrate for large homes, Black Flag and Raid MAX kill black widows on contact, a Buyplus cobweb duster clears webs, and Qualilux amber bulbs draw fewer insects to the door.

Why Spiders Gather Around the Outside of the House

Spiders on the outside of a house are there for food. Porch lights, window light and lit garages draw moths, flies and beetles at night, and orb weavers and cobweb spiders build exactly where those insects arrive: under eaves, around light fixtures, in window corners and along railings. Shrubs, woodpiles and stacked items against the walls add shelter close to the house.

University of California IPM's pest note on spiders sets realistic expectations: insecticides outdoors will not give long-term control and generally should not be the main tool. Its advice is to knock down webs with a broom or a strong spray from a hose, keep lights off the house and away from doors, and clear debris and clutter near the foundation. Sprays still have a place, but as one step in that plan.

Our outdoor spider spray guides go deeper into each product type, and the crawling bugs section covers ants, roaches and the other insects that bring spiders to the house.

Outdoor Spider Repellent Types Compared

Most homes get the best result from three types together: a barrier spray along the eaves and frames, a duster to clear webs between treatments, and warmer bulbs by the doors.

Best Ready-to-Use Outdoor Spider Spray

A ready-to-use residual spray is the simplest way to treat the outside of a house: no mixing, and the residue keeps working on spiders that walk across it after you spray. For more options in this type, see our guide to the best outdoor spider sprays.

Miss Muffet's Revenge: Best Overall Outdoor Spider Repellent

Outside, Miss Muffet's Revenge works straight from its 64-ounce jug: the attached sprayer puts bifenthrin on eaves and porch ceilings without mixing or a pump sprayer.

• The maker says one application kills spiders and leaves a barrier inside and outside the home for up to 12 months.
• The sprayer reaches up to 10 feet, which covers eaves, soffits and porch ceilings on a single-story house.
• Apply in calm weather with no rain expected for 24 hours, per the maker.
• Buyers find it effective and fast, but many say the attached sprayer does not work well, and opinions on how long it lasts are mixed.

Choose it for the eaves, door and window frames, porch ceilings, railings and the bottom edge of the siding. The maker says it is formulated for all spiders except black widows and brown recluses, so add a contact aerosol that lists them if they live around your home. Given UC IPM's note on outdoor sprays, expect to retreat sooner than the label's best case where rain and sun hit directly.

OUR CHOICE

Wet & Forget Miss Muffet's Revenge 64 oz

BifenthrinAttached sprayer

Best for: A ready-to-use barrier on eaves, frames and siding

• ✓Up to 12 months per application, per the maker
• ✓Sprayer reaches up to 10 feet
• ✓Effective and fast, per buyers
• −Not formulated for black widows or brown recluses
• −Needs 24 hours without rain

Editor's Note

It treats eaves, frames and siding straight from the jug. Retreat sooner where rain and sun hit.

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Specifications (3)

Active Ingredients

Bifenthrin

Liquid Volume

1.89 liters

Item Form

Spray

Best Insecticide Concentrate for Spiders

For a big job, a concentrate is cheaper by the square foot and suits large homes, outbuildings and long perimeters, but it needs a pump sprayer, protective gear and careful mixing. Our guide to the best insecticides for spiders outdoors compares concentrates in more depth.

Talstar One: Best Concentrate for Large Homes

Talstar One comes as a 1-gallon jug of water-based bifenthrin concentrate that you dilute and apply with a sprayer.

• The maker lists spiders, ants, roaches, fleas, ticks and mosquitoes among the pests it controls.
• It is labeled for perimeter sprays around foundations, doors, windows and exterior surfaces, and for cracks and crevices indoors.
• It dries clear with little odor, per the maker.
• Buyers find it effective on spiders, call it exceptional value and report that it lasts for months.

Choose it for a two-story house, a long perimeter, a deck and a shed, where ready-to-use jugs would run out fast. Mix only at the label rate, wear gloves and eye protection, and keep it off plants that bees visit when they are in bloom. Check the label for any limits in your state before buying.

PREMIUM PICK

Envu Talstar One Insecticide 1 gal

BifenthrinConcentrate1 gallon

Best for: Large homes and whole perimeters

• ✓Lists spiders among many pests
• ✓Exceptional value, per buyers
• ✓Lasts for months, per buyers
• −Needs mixing and a pump sprayer
• −Keep off blooming plants bees visit

Editor's Note

It covers large homes and outbuildings for less per square foot. Mix only at the label rate.

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Specifications (3)

Unit Count

128 Fluid Ounces

Target Species

ants, beetles, spiders, flies, ticks, and wasps

Material Features

Water-Based

Best Contact Aerosols for Black Widows

Aerosols are for the spider you can see: a black widow under the deck rail, a wolf spider by the steps, a web in the corner of the garage door. Both picks list black widows, which the barrier spray above does not.

Black Flag Spider and Scorpion Killer: Best for Black Widows and Egg Sacs

Black Flag's Spider & Scorpion Killer comes as a case of 12 16-ounce aerosol cans.

• It lists black widows, brown recluses, wolf spiders and scorpions, and the maker says it kills black widow spiders as they hatch.
• The maker says to spray spiders directly or spray webs and egg sacs, from up to 5 feet away.
• Buyers find it kills spiders and scorpions quickly, including inside egg sacs; some say it does not reach the full 5 feet.

Choose it if black widows or scorpions are a regular problem around woodpiles, decks, crawl space vents and outbuildings. A case lasts a season or more and leaves cans for the garage, shed and house.

Black Flag Spider & Scorpion Killer 16 oz 12-Pack

Aerosol12 cans

Best for: Black widows, scorpions and egg sacs

• ✓Lists black widow, brown recluse and wolf spiders
• ✓Sprays webs and egg sacs
• ✓Kills quickly, per buyers
• −Does not always reach 5 feet, per buyers
• −A case of 12 is a large purchase

Editor's Note

It handles black widows and scorpions around woodpiles and decks. A case covers house, garage and shed.

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Specifications (2)

Unit Count

12 Count

Item Form

Spray

Raid MAX Spider and Scorpion Killer: Best Single Can

Raid's Spider & Scorpion Killer is a single 12-ounce can for the odd black widow on a deck rail or step.

• It lists black widow spiders, household spiders, scorpions, roaches and ants.
• The maker advises retreating every 7 weeks on porous surfaces and every 12 weeks on non-porous surfaces.
• It leaves no lingering chemical odor, per the maker, and buyers agree.
• Buyers find it effective on spiders and scorpions; spray performance gets mixed reviews.

Choose it when you need one can for the odd black widow rather than a case. Spray the spider directly, then the spot where its web was anchored.

BUDGET PICK

Raid MAX Spider & Scorpion Killer 12 oz

Aerosol12 oz

Best for: A single can for the odd black widow

• ✓Lists black widow spiders and scorpions
• ✓Retreat every 7 to 12 weeks, per the maker
• ✓No lingering odor, per buyers
• −Small can for targeted use
• −Mixed spray performance, per buyers

Editor's Note

It covers the odd black widow without buying a case. Spray the spider, then its anchor point.

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Specifications (3)

Item Volume

12 fluid ounces

Target Species

Spider

Item Form

LIQUID

Best Cobweb Duster for Outdoor Webs

Removing webs is the step UC IPM recommends first, and it also removes egg sacs before they hatch. A long pole lets you clear eaves and soffits without a ladder. For other non-chemical options, including hose spraying and plant-oil sprays, see our guide to homemade outdoor spider repellents.

Buyplus 26-Foot Reach Cobweb Duster: Best for Eaves and Soffits

Buyplus pairs a soft cobweb brush with an aluminum pole that extends from 5 to 20 feet, giving roughly 26 feet of reach when standing, per the maker.

• The flip-lock pole adjusts to the height you need, and the brush detaches for close work.
• The brush head rinses clean with water.
• Buyers find it effective on gable ends and outdoor nooks, sturdy when fully extended and easy to use.

Choose it for weekly sweeps of eaves, soffits, porch ceilings and window corners on one- and two-story houses. Sweep before spraying and between treatments, and rinse the brush so you are not carrying egg sacs from one spot to the next.

Buyplus 26 ft Reach Cobweb Duster

No insecticidePole 5 to 20 ft

Best for: Clearing webs from eaves without a ladder

• ✓Pole extends 5 to 20 feet
• ✓Sturdy when fully extended, per buyers
• ✓Brush rinses clean
• −Does not kill or repel spiders
• −Webs return without other steps

Editor's Note

It removes webs and egg sacs from eaves and soffits. Sweep before spraying and between treatments.

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Specifications (3)

Size

20FT

Handle Material

Aluminum

Item Firmness Description

Soft

Best Bug-Light Bulbs for Porches and Doors

Changing the bulbs by your doors cuts the insect supply that feeds spiders there. In a field study of six household bulb types, warm-white LEDs and yellow “bug” lights drew fewer flying insects and spiders than incandescent and compact fluorescent bulbs, though the yellow bulb drew more earwigs. The study is a preprint, so treat it as useful evidence rather than the last word.

Qualilux Dusk-to-Dawn Bug Light Bulbs: Best for Entry Lights

Qualilux sells a 2-pack of 9.5-watt amber LED bulbs at 1900K with a built-in light sensor.

• The bulbs turn on at dusk and off at dawn automatically, per the maker.
• Each gives 600 lumens, comparable to a 60-watt incandescent bulb, per the listing.
• Buyers report fewer bugs at the door, and one notes far fewer spider webs and flying insects; some report bulbs failing early.
• The deep amber color divides buyers: some like the warm tone, others find it too dark.

Choose them for porch, entry and garage fixtures, the lights spiders build around most. They do not kill or repel spiders themselves; they reduce the insects that bring spiders to the door, which works best combined with web removal and a barrier spray.

Qualilux Dusk to Dawn LED Bug Light Bulbs 2-Pack

No insecticideAmber LED2 bulbs

Best for: Fewer insects at porch and entry lights

• ✓Fewer bugs at the door, per buyers
• ✓Automatic dusk-to-dawn sensor
• ✓600 lumens from 9.5 watts
• −Some bulbs fail early, per buyers
• −Deep amber color is too dark for some

Editor's Note

They cut the insects that draw spiders to the door. Pair them with web removal and a spray.

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Specifications (4)

Color Temperature

1900 Kelvin

Light Output Maximum

600 lumens

Light Source Wattage

9.5 watts

Bulb Base

E26 Medium

Where to Spray Outside the House

Outdoor sprays work only where spiders actually walk and build, so a careful band in the right places beats soaking the whole wall.

• Eaves and soffits: the most common web sites on any house, especially above lights and windows.
• Door and window frames: the outside edges and the trim around them, where spiders enter and anchor webs.
• Bottom edge of the siding: a band where the siding meets the foundation, which ground spiders cross to reach the house.
• Porch ceilings, railings and light fixtures: where insects gather at night.
• Vents, utility openings and the garage door edges: gaps that lead inside.

Keep sprays off plants in bloom, vegetable beds, ponds, birdbaths and pet areas, and do not spray before rain. On brick and stucco, which soak up spray, expect the residue to wear off faster than on painted trim and vinyl.

How to Choose the Right Type

• Webs under the eaves and around lights every week: change the bulbs, sweep with a duster and spray the eaves with a barrier spray.
• A large house or several outbuildings: a concentrate in a pump sprayer covers the most ground for the money.
• Black widows, brown recluses or scorpions: a contact aerosol that lists them, plus gloves when moving firewood and stored items.
• Wolf spiders coming inside: seal gaps under doors, clear debris along the foundation and treat the bottom edge of the siding and door thresholds.
• You want no insecticide: a duster, a hose, warmer bulbs and clearing the foundation; our homemade outdoor guide covers plant-oil sprays.

Whatever you choose, timing matters. Spiders and webs are most noticeable from late summer into fall, so sweep and treat before then rather than after every corner is full.

Common Questions About Outdoor Spider Repellents

Which One Should You Buy?

For most homes, buy Miss Muffet's Revenge along with a cobweb duster and warmer bulbs for the entry lights. The spray handles spiders along the eaves and frames, the duster clears what it misses, and the bulbs cut the insects that keep bringing spiders back.

Choose Talstar One instead of the ready-to-use jug if you have a large house or outbuildings and do not mind mixing. Add Black Flag or Raid MAX if black widows or scorpions are around, and if you would rather avoid insecticides altogether, the homemade outdoor repellent guide in this section covers your options.

Before you buy, walk around the house after dark and note which lights have the most insects and webs, since that is where to start.