The Cleaning Tip That Will Prevent Brown Recluse Spiders From Invading Your Home

Many people immediately panic after spotting a spider in their home. This is especially true for larger spiders, like brown recluse spiders, which can reach ½ inch in size with legs stretching over 1 inch long. If you spot one of these brown arachnids, don't freeze — with a little help from your vacuum, you can eliminate them from your home for good.

These arachnids are uninvited guests, so it's completely understandable that you'd rather they stay out of your home, but it's important to know they can also pose health risks to humans. Indeed, these spiders will bite if they feel particularly threatened. Though most of the time the bites are minor and the small marks they make will fade over time, they can also become serious. Some become dermonecrotic lesions, large black wounds that take anywhere from two to four months to heal. In the rarest situations, their bites can result in hemolytic anemia and acute kidney injury, which can be fatal if not tended to immediately (via Penn State).

Brown recluse spiders — scientifically known as Loxosceles reclusa — primarily inhabit 16 American states but have been spotted all throughout the country.  They are easily identified by their brown coloring and their violin-shaped marking (hence the nickname "violin spider"). Full-grown female brown recluses are about twice the size of their male counterparts, and both have varied shades of brown coloring throughout their cephalothorax and abdomen.

Once you identified them, begin sucking up any spiders that you see with the long attachment on your vacuum. And if you notice them in your home, there are likely webs and eggs somewhere as well. Check tucked-away parts of the home like baseboards, wall corners, behind appliances, closets, and underneath furniture. Use the same attachment to remove any eggs and webs you find. After doing a thorough sweep and removing any signs of brown recluse spiders, dispose of them in your outdoor trash bin along with the rest of your vacuum's contents to ensure that these unwanted guests stay out of your home for good.