We may earn revenue from products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more ›
I never expected our garage to turn into a Halloween nightmare. Creepy spider webs began to appear in the upper corners of the garage. I also noticed many black marks on the ceiling and walls near the traps. But the scariest part was when I peeked behind the window shade and caught a glimpse of endless black webs clinging to both the window and the roller shade.
It turns out that cellar spiders (also known as cobweb spiders) are notorious for making their homes in dark, damp garages and creating messy webs that stain the walls. Often confused with the daddy longlegs, sailor spiders have very long and thin legs and are a common household pest throughout the United States. If you see irregular, tangled webs hanging loosely from the ceiling in outside corners, you probably have cellar spiders.
Keep reading to learn why cellar spiders love garages, how to get rid of them, ways to clean up the mess the spiders leave and how to keep them from coming back. Believe it or not, I will also share the benefits of having them around.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Sailor Spiders
Finding cellar spiders in my garage turned out to be a real problem. Their webs are unsightly, annoying, and make the whole place look like it needs a good cleaning. It took a lot of effort to get rid of them, and I don’t know when they will come back.
However, these spiders are not dangerous to people or pets. They don’t bite. In fact, they can be beneficial for pest control. Cellar spiders typically feed on ants, mosquitoes, bees, wasps, flies, bugs and other types of spiders, so if you have those critters hanging around your property, these spiders can help take care of them naturally. You just have to decide if it’s worth enduring the horror of their webs to keep the other pests under control.
Why do cellar spiders love garages?
These spiders get their name because they are usually found in cool, dark, damp places like cellars, basements, crawl spaces, and garages. They also prefer quiet, uncrowded places where there is not a lot of foot traffic. For these reasons, garages are ideal places for cellar spiders. Also, spiders like to hide behind boxes and storage bins that are often found in garages. Plus, when sailor spiders come looking for their prey, your garage is a great place to find their next meal.
How to Get Rid of Sailor Spiders and Their Webs
The most frustrating part about dungeon spider breeding is their webs. These spider webs are extremely sticky, able to collect dust particles, pet hair, spider droppings, prey remains and other airborne debris. As a result, the web leaves a black, gray or brown stain on everything it contacts. I noticed black streaks and spots on the roof of my garage, on the corner walls, and inside the roller shade of my window.
It was overwhelming to see all the traps and scars, and I wasn’t sure how to deal with them. I first tried using a leaf blower, but that resulted in cobwebs flying around the room. Some resources suggest using a broom or broom with an extension, but the cobwebs are too sticky for these tools to work.
By far the best solution was to use a small vacuum with a long hose and brush attachment. It effectively sucked spiders, cobwebs and black residue all over the garage. However, given the height of the spider webs, I attached the vacuum to a ladder and worked from above to clean the hard-to-reach areas.
How to prevent cellar spiders from invading your home
Now that I’ve gotten rid of the cellar spiders and their webs, I hope they won’t return to my garage. Here are some precautions to prevent them from entering the home in the first place:
- Vacuum and dust regularly to get rid of spiders, webs and egg sacs, especially in corners.
- Organize your home, as clutter provides plenty of places for spiders to hide and build webs.
- Seal cracks or gaps in your home’s foundation and around windows, doors, and walls to prevent spiders from entering. Also, make sure window screens fit properly and have no holes or tears.
- Change your outdoor lighting to yellow bulbs, which can reduce the number of cellar spiders and other insects that are normally attracted to white light sources.
- Run a dehumidifier, as cellar spiders thrive in moist areas.
- Use natural repellants with scents that spiders hate, eg Mint, cinnamon and citrus.
- keep with external care; Trim bushes and trees away from the house and remove exit webs to reduce the number of spiders that enter.
- Limit other insects that spiders eat.
If you try all of these tactics and you’re still being bombarded by sailor spiders, it may be time to call a pest control professional to address heavy webbing, recurring infestations, and other lingering problems. An expert can help identify the root cause, treat the spiders at their source, and set up a long-term prevention plan so you don’t feel like you’re constantly in Halloween mode.
Meet the 2025 tools of the year.
