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Preventing Spider Bites

Topic Overview

To avoid bites from spiders:

  • Wear gloves if working in an area where spiders are likely to live.
  • Avoid wood or rock piles and dark areas where spiders live.
  • Look for spiders in low-lying webs in garages, barbecue grills, around swimming pools, and in wood piles.
  • Clear away old furniture, tires, junk, newspaper, and old clothes. This will eliminate places spiders like to live.
  • Plug openings and crevices into the house.
  • Move your bed away from walls so spiders will be less likely to creep into bed with you.
  • Shake out and check bedding for spiders before getting in the bed.
  • Shake out and check clothing and shoes for spiders before putting them on.
  • Do not leave your child's toys outside.
  • Consider spraying insecticides on any high-risk areas, such as known black widow spiderwebs, indoor cracks and crevices, closets, attics, wood piles, and under eaves and around baseboards and window areas. Repeat treatment is usually necessary.
  • If a spider gets on you, brush it off. Do not crush it.

Credits

By Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Last Revised October 14, 2011

Last Revised: October 14, 2011

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine

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