It’s the time of year again when the house spider population seems to increase. This summer has been long and hot. Cleaning nooks and crannies of their insect population was last on my list of tasks!
It’s only when I look into corners that I find evidence of my neglect over the past few months.
We have spiders galore along with spider webs and, of course, spider poop too. I can take the vacuum to it, but rarely does the poop come up. Not even a wipe over will do it.
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What does spider poop look like?
If you are wondering whether what you are looking at is actually spider poop, then I have the answer for you!
This is more than a little embarrassing. I went searching for some spider poop in my house, and it didn’t take me long. All I had to do was move a table and there it was.
When first dropped, spider poop is a thick white liquid. When it dries, it becomes greyish-white and chalky. Each poo is about the size of a pin-head.
Spiders don’t urinate, they only have this one waste-product. It doesn’t dissolve in water and doesn’t generally come up with a vacuum. So your only option is to clean it off by hand.
The quicker you can clean off spider poop, the easier it will be to clean.
The good news is that, however long you leave it, spider poop generally comes off wooden floors quite easily.
How to clean off spider poop from wood floors
Things you will need to clean spider poop from wooden floors
- Two microfiber cloths
- Dish soap
- Water
Step 1 Wipe with a dry cloth
Take a dry microfiber cloth and wipe over the whole area, removing all the debris and webs and as much of the spider poop as you can.
Step 2 Wipe over with a wet cloth
Now wet your second microfiber cloth in some cold water and add a couple of squirts of dish soap to the cloth. You don’t want it to be too wet. Too much water can damage the wood.
Wipe the area again with the wet soapy cloth. You might need to scrub a bit to remove the spider poop, but it should come off cleanly.
Step 3 Wipe again with your dry cloth
If your floor was really dirty, then take a new clean cloth, otherwise use a clean section of the first dry cloth and wipe over the floor. It should come up like new again.
Didn’t work for you? Other things to try
Plain dish soap works really well for me on my floors, even old spider poop comes up a treat. My particular floor has a varnish on it. If you have bare wooden floors, you may well find the stain is more ingrained and doesn’t clean off so easily.
If you still have spider poop stains on your floor that just won’t budge, here are some other things to try:
Oxygen-based cleaners (Oxiclean)
Mix some oxygen-based cleaner, such as Oxiclean with water to make a paste and rub it into the stained area. Then wipe off with a clean dry cloth.
Mineral oil
Once you have wiped over the floor with a dry cloth to remove all surface dirt, take a new cloth and dab some mineral oil on it and then rub into the poop.
Baking soda
Mix some baking soda with water to a paste and then rub it into the spider poop stain.
How to clean spider poop off cushions?
If you have spider poop on your couch cushions or your patio cushions, here is what you can do:
- Clean off as much of the dry material as you can with a brush or use a vacuum with the small brush attachment.
- Mix up some dish soap and cold water and apply it to the poop stain with a clean microfiber cloth.
- Gently rub from the outside in and keep folding the cloth, so you always use a clean part.
- Allow to dry and then repeat if the stain is still present.
Homemade spider deterrent spray
If you don’t like to find spiders in your house and the inevitable webs that come with them, here is a natural spider repellent recipe you can safely use around your house. This one is by Jillee at Onegoodthing.
Simply add these ingredients to a spray bottle:
- 1 Tbsp dish soap
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 10 drops peppermint essential oil
- 5 drops lavender essential oil
Jillee says that due to the vinegar, this spray will actually kill the spiders as well as deter any new ones from coming back. If you only want to deter them, leave the vinegar out.
Find out more on how you can kill spiders naturally.
Frequently asked questions
Are spider droppings dangerous?
Spider droppings are not generally dangerous to your health. They should not be ingested, of course, and if found near a food preparation area, they should be thoroughly cleaned off.
Can spider poop stain?
Unfortunately, spider poop can stain. The longer the poop stays on surfaces, the more the stain can set, and it becomes harder to remove.
