Best Spider Repellents for the House: Sprays, Peppermint, Traps

The best spider repellent spray for the house is Miss Muffet's Revenge, a bifenthrin spray that leaves a residue spiders pick up for months. Raid MAX and TERRO's aerosol kill spiders on contact, Mighty Mint and Mint Naturals are plant-oil repellents with limited evidence, and Catchmaster glue boards catch spiders without spraying. Sealing gaps matters more than any spray.

What Actually Keeps Spiders Out of the House

Most house spiders are harmless, and many are already living in the house rather than invading it. The ones that do come in walk through gaps under doors, torn screens and openings around pipes and vents, or ride in on firewood, plants and boxes. They stay where there are insects to eat and quiet corners to build in, which is why a basement full of crickets or a porch light covered in moths draws more spiders than any other spot.

University of California IPM's pest note on spiders puts it plainly: spraying is only temporary unless it comes with housekeeping. Its advice is to seal cracks and gaps, keep screens in good repair, vacuum spiders and webs, cut clutter, and keep outdoor lights off the house and away from doors and windows, since lights draw insects and insects draw spiders. The same note names the black widow as the main spider in California that can cause serious injury; elsewhere in the central and southern states, the brown recluse is the other one to know.

A spray works best as the last step of that plan, not the first. Our indoor spider repellent guides go deeper into each product type, and the crawling bugs section covers ants, roaches and other pests that bring spiders in with them.

Spider Repellent Types Compared

“Spider repellent” covers four different kinds of products, and they work in very different ways.

Most homes do best with a combination: sticky traps to find where spiders travel, a residual spray along those routes and entry points, and housekeeping to remove webs and the insects spiders feed on.

Best Residual Spider Spray

A residual spray is the closest thing to a true spider repellent, because the spider does not have to be there when you spray. Spiders that walk across a treated baseboard, window frame or eave later pick up the insecticide. The brown recluse fact sheet from the University of Kentucky's entomology department lists bifenthrin among the active ingredients that are often effective against spiders.

Miss Muffet's Revenge: Best Overall Spider Repellent Spray

Wet & Forget's Miss Muffet's Revenge is a 64-ounce ready-to-use bifenthrin spray with an attached 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 helps with eaves, ceilings and high corners.
• The maker says to spray cobwebs one day and brush them down the next, and to leave treated areas undisturbed.
• 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 house's main entry routes: door and window frames, basement corners, the garage-to-house door, and eaves and porch ceilings outside. Two limits matter. The maker says it is formulated for all spiders except black widows and brown recluses, so pick a product that lists those spiders if you have them, and outdoors it should go on in calm, dry weather with no rain expected for 24 hours.

OUR CHOICE

Wet & Forget Miss Muffet's Revenge 64 oz

BifenthrinAttached sprayer

Best for: A long-lasting barrier at entry points

• ✓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 outdoors

Editor's Note

Its residue keeps working where spiders enter long after you spray. Pick another product if black widows or recluses are your problem.

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Specifications (3)

Active Ingredients

Bifenthrin

Liquid Volume

1.89 liters

Item Form

Spray

Best Contact Spider Killer Aerosols

Aerosols are for the spider on the ceiling and for cracks you can aim a straw into. Both picks also list black widows, which the residual pick above does not. For a deeper comparison of indoor killers, see our guide to the best spider killer sprays for indoors.

Raid MAX Spider and Scorpion Killer: Best for Black Widows

Raid MAX Spider & Scorpion comes in a 12-ounce can that kills on contact, indoors and outdoors.

• 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, which points to a lasting residue.
• 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 for a garage, crawl space entrance or woodpile area where black widows are a concern, and for spot-treating corners where spiders keep returning. It is a can rather than a whole-house sprayer, so it suits targeted work rather than treating every room.

Raid MAX Spider & Scorpion Killer 12 oz

Aerosol12 oz

Best for: Black widows and scorpions

• ✓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 black widows the barrier spray does not. Use it on garages, woodpiles and corners spiders return to.

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Specifications (3)

Item Volume

12 fluid ounces

Target Species

Spider

Item Form

LIQUID

TERRO T2302 Spider Killer Aerosol 2-Pack: Best for Spiders You See

TERRO's T2302 comes as two 16-ounce cans of pyrethrins and deltamethrin.

• It lists black widow, brown recluse and hobo spiders, along with ants, roaches, crickets and scorpions.
• The maker says the pyrethrins knock spiders down fast and the deltamethrin gives extended killing power.
• It is labeled for surface, spot and crack-and-crevice treatment, indoors and outdoors.
• Buyers find it effective on spiders; spray performance gets mixed reviews, with some cans not spraying well.

Choose it as the household can for spiders you see, and for crickets and other insects that feed spiders in a basement or garage. Spray spiders directly where possible, since a quick knockdown is its main strength.

TERRO T2302 Spider Killer Aerosol 2-Pack

Aerosol2 cans

Best for: Killing the spiders you see on a budget

• ✓Lists black widow, brown recluse and hobo spiders
• ✓Fast knockdown, per the maker
• ✓Crack-and-crevice use indoors and outdoors
• −Some cans do not spray well, per buyers
• −Little effect on spiders you miss

Editor's Note

It is the household can for spiders you can see. Two cans cover a house and garage.

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Specifications (3)

Size

16 Ounce (Pack of 2)

Item Form

Aerosol

Scent

Unscented

Best Peppermint Spider Repellent Sprays

Peppermint sprays are the most popular spider repellents online, and the evidence for them is thin but not zero. A lab study in the Journal of Economic Entomology tested peppermint oil, lemon oil and chestnuts on three spider species. Peppermint oil and chestnuts repelled two species, which avoided them in more than 75% of trials, while a third species was not affected and lemon oil repelled none.

Those were choice tests in a lab tube, not whole houses, and the researchers noted that a spider already settled in its web may not leave. Most peppermint sprays are also sold as minimum-risk products under the EPA's 25(b) exemption, a category the EPA does not evaluate for effectiveness. Treat them as an option for people who want to avoid synthetic insecticides, not as a proven barrier; if you have pets, our guide to pet-safe spider repellents covers which plant oils need extra care.

Mighty Mint Spider Repellent: Best Peppermint Spray

Mighty Mint is a 16-ounce ready-to-use spray of peppermint oil and geraniol, sold with a microfiber cloth for wiping it onto surfaces.

• The maker says it repels and kills spiders and is labeled for baseboards, entryways and patios, indoors and outdoors.
• It is marketed as safe around pets and children when used as directed.
• Buyers like the minty scent; results are mixed, with some saying it keeps spiders away and others that it does not work.

Choose it for door thresholds, window sills and baseboards in rooms where you would rather not use an insecticide. Reapply often, since the scent fades, and pair it with sealing and vacuuming.

Mighty Mint Spider Repellent Spray 16 oz

Peppermint oilGeraniolCloth included

Best for: A peppermint repellent for living areas

• ✓Peppermint oil and geraniol, per the maker
• ✓Pleasant minty scent, per buyers
• ✓Comes with a microfiber cloth
• −Mixed results, per buyers
• −Needs frequent reapplication

Editor's Note

It suits rooms where you would rather not use an insecticide. Expect to reapply often and seal gaps too.

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Specifications (3)

Item Volume

16 fluid ounces

Material Features

Natural

Scent Name

Mint

Mint Naturals Spider Repellent: Best Plant-Oil Blend

Mint Naturals is a 16-ounce water-based spray of organic peppermint oil with citronella, cedarwood, eucalyptus and clove oils.

• The maker lists baseboards, corners, window and door frames, closets, crawl spaces and attics.
• It is labeled as safe on sealed wood, tile, vinyl, laminate and concrete when used as directed.
• Buyers find it effective, including on furniture and screens of a covered patio, and like the natural ingredients.

Choose it if you want a blend of oils rather than peppermint alone, or a spray for musty basements and storage rooms where the scent is welcome. Like every plant-oil spray, it needs regular reapplication and works best alongside sealing gaps.

Mint Naturals Peppermint Spider Repellent 16 oz

Peppermint oilTrigger spray

Best for: A plant-oil blend for basements and storage rooms

• ✓Organic peppermint oil plus four other oils, per the maker
• ✓Labeled for sealed wood, tile, vinyl and concrete
• ✓Effective on patio furniture and screens, per buyers
• −Scent fades, so reapply regularly
• −No independent test data for the blend

Editor's Note

It suits musty basements and storage rooms where a mint scent is welcome. Pair it with sealing and vacuuming.

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Specifications (2)

Item Volume

16 fluid ounces

Package Size Name

16 oz

Best Sticky Traps for Spiders

Sticky traps are the one spider product that needs no spraying at all. UC IPM describes them as a non-insecticidal way to remove spiders, and University of Kentucky entomologists recommend placing flat glue traps in corners, along baseboards and behind furniture before applying any insecticide, so you can see where spiders travel and whether treatment is working.

Catchmaster 72MAX Glue Boards: Best for Catching and Monitoring

Catchmaster's case holds 72 glue boards, each about 8 by 5 inches.

• The label lists spiders, scorpions, crickets, cockroaches and mice among target pests.
• Boards lie flat or fold into a covered tunnel to keep out dust and falling debris.
• The maker says vegetable oil dissolves the glue if a pet or child touches it, and directs placing boards where pets and children cannot reach them.
• Buyers find them effective; the glue loses grip in cold areas, per some buyers.

Choose them for a basement, garage or closet where you want to know how many spiders you have and where they come from. A board that fills near one door or vent tells you exactly where to seal and spray, and the crickets it catches are spider food removed from the house.

Catchmaster 72MAX Glue Boards 72-Pack

Glue boardsNo insecticide72 boards

Best for: Catching spiders and finding where they enter

• ✓Lists spiders, scorpions and crickets
• ✓Lie flat or fold into a tunnel
• ✓Vegetable oil dissolves the glue, per the maker
• −Must stay out of reach of pets and children
• −Glue weakens in cold areas, per buyers

Editor's Note

They show where spiders enter before you spray. Place them along baseboards and behind furniture.

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Specifications (3)

Number of Pieces

72

Target Species

Cockroach, Cricket, Fly, Moth, Mouse, Rat, Scorpion, Spider

Material

Cardboard

Spiders in the Garage, Basement and Car

Garages and basements hold more spiders than living areas because they are quiet, cluttered and full of the insects spiders eat. Seal the gap under the garage door, store boxes in sealed plastic bins off the floor, and put sticky traps along the walls before choosing a spray. Our guide to the best spider repellents for the garage covers products for that space.

Cars are a different problem: spiders build in mirror housings, door jambs and vents, and insecticides are not meant for a car's interior. Our guide on how to keep spiders out of your car covers cleaning, parking and what is safe to use.

How to Choose the Right Type

The best spider repellent for home use depends on what you need it to do, and most households need more than one type.

• You want spiders to stop showing up: seal gaps, change outdoor lighting, then a residual spray at entry points.
• You see the occasional spider: a contact aerosol or a vacuum is enough.
• You have black widows or brown recluses: choose a product that lists them, such as Raid MAX or TERRO, wear gloves when cleaning, and use sticky traps to monitor.
• You want to avoid synthetic insecticides: a peppermint spray plus sticky traps and housekeeping, with realistic expectations.
• You want to know where spiders come from: sticky traps first, then treat where they fill.
• You have pets or small children: keep sprays off surfaces they touch until dry, and place traps out of reach.

Total-release foggers are worth skipping: University of Kentucky entomologists note that “bug bombs” are seldom effective against spiders, since spiders hide in cracks the fog does not reach. Whatever you choose, check the label for the spiders and surfaces it covers, and follow its reapplication interval rather than spraying more often.

Common Questions About Spider Repellents

Which One Should You Buy?

Buy Miss Muffet's Revenge if you want spiders to stop appearing. Its residue keeps working along door frames, windows and eaves long after you spray, which no plant-oil spray can match, as long as black widows and brown recluses are not your problem.

If they are, choose Raid MAX or TERRO's aerosol, which list them. Choose Mighty Mint or Mint Naturals if you would rather avoid synthetic insecticides and accept weaker evidence, and add Catchmaster boards in any case to see where spiders travel. Pets in the house make the pet-safe guide in this section worth reading before you spray.

Before you buy, stand inside on a sunny day with the lights off and look for daylight under doors, around window frames and where pipes enter, since those gaps are where spiders get in and where any spray has to go.