Chances are you’ve got a few spiders in your home. If you don’t, then you probably did at one point! They sure like to make their presence known – up in the corner of the ceiling, behind that favorite couch, maybe even in your potted plants. When a spider leaves its web and dust sticks to the sticky fibers and then more dust sticks to that dust, you wind up with spooky cobwebs. Thankfully the webs themselves are easy to clean, but if you’re not careful, you can smear them over your walls and wind up with unsightly stains that are much harder to clean. In this article, we’ll go over the ins and outs on how to prevent them and how to take care of them once you have them.
Prevention
As you might expect, you won’t have cobwebs if you don’t get spiders in the home. That’s the first step to keeping unsightly nets of dust from collecting in your home. Check the seals on your windows and the weather stripping at your home’s entrances and exits, and from there, scan for any cracks and holes that spiders might crawl into. If you’ve got an older home, this can be a whole lot of work in its own right! Laying down some peppermint oil in spots spiders are likely to enter is a good solution, as insects and spiders can’t stand the stuff. Diatomaceous earth will also help if sprinkled around carefully near likely entry points.
Diatomaceous earth is useful for more than just spiders. It’s a fine powder made of microscopic seashells that cuts through bugs in a way that makes them unable to survive for very long after stepping on it. It can help reduce the number of several creatures, from ants and roaches to bed bugs, but it’s important to stay on top of other preventative measures like reducing clutter and debris lying around your home. A well-organized home makes it hard for spiders to establish themselves, as there are fewer places for them to hide. Regular cleaning also makes it less hospitable for spiders, as they’re less likely to choose an area that has frequent foot traffic and applications of chemical cleaning products.
Clean-Up
Once you’re sure they’ll have a hard time showing up, it’s time to fight the webs themselves. Keeping a regular dusting routine will help a lot, as cobwebs only become visible with the buildup of dust and lint in their webs. And these webs can be tough! Depending on the spiders in your area, a simple dusting brush might not do the trick. In these cases, rely on a paint roller covered in tape with the sticky side facing out or use a firm bristle broom to spool up the webs the same way a fork handles spaghetti. A vacuum with a long extension brush will also cut through them pretty quickly.
However, the spiders do need help in building cobwebs. Their hunting nets are one thing, but dust is the real culprit here. Dust is, unfortunately, inevitable no matter how much cleaning you do. It falls right off your body, even! To prevent a buildup of dust in the home from collecting in spider webs, cut it off at the source before it has a chance to float up and get stuck. It’s important to get at the hidden spots that you can forget about – Such as behind couches and under the lampshades. This is why a professional cleaning service can be so important. Contact Green Bee Maid Service if you need help shaking off the cobwebs or tidying any other part of your home.