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Wolf spiders enter businesses and homes to get warmth and food but will leave to the outdoors to hunt their prey and hide. So, if you're wondering how to get rid of wolf spiders in the home, yards, or garden, and before you contact the spider exterminator for a quote, then read on! Because wolf spiders are hairy and have large bodies, they are often mistaken for tarantulas or the Brown Recluse. But wolf spiders... Have a body length ranging from 1/2" to 2 inches They have a variety of colors with stripes or spots; they're generally gray and black but some are tannish orange. Outdoors, you'll find the wolf spiders in grassy areas such as in pastures, fields, and yards Indoors, you'll find the wolf spiders in basements, garages, and around doors or windows. Related: What Is A Hobo Spider? Step-by-Step: How to Get Rid of Wolf Spiders Wolf spiders are known for their tendency to nest in burrows in earth and other soft surfaces, rather than create webs. Step 1: Seal any Entry Points and Voids Excluding wolf spiders from your home is important. Be sure to seal any voids, holes, or entry points to the home before starting inside. So, seal all gaps, holes, and cracks using caulk or Stuff-It Copper Mesh so that spiders and other pests like rodents do not get inside. Stuff-It Copper Mesh is a versatile, flexible, and corrosion-resistant material that will fit tightly into any void to block and prevent the spiders from entering your home. This mesh is also a great choice for sealing the perimeter of your foundation, decks, or porches where spiders might enter through cracks in the wood or concrete. Stuff-It Copper Mesh can be cut with scissors to make it easier to seal those hard-to-reach places! To make sure your doors are sealed in order to prevent spiders from squeezing themselves in the house; The easiest way to keep wolf spiders out of your home is by installing a door sweep under doors (those opening to the outside). Furthermore, you can install a garage door sweep as well and use caulk to seal off those edges on all the exterior doors and utility openings. Step 2: Rid the Yard or Debris and Clutter Next, clean up your yard by removing any debris or clutter that might attract a wolf spider. This includes piles of leaves, stacks of firewood, and even old tires. Wolf spiders like to hang out in areas that are near their prey insects like beetles. So, get rid of wolf spiders in your garden or backyard by looking for and controlling them under logs or leaves. Remove all piles of debris and clutter including compost, mulch, firewood, leaves, and grass clippings. Expose the yard to sunlight by clearing away any debris or overgrowth that covers up this area of land, and you'll keep the yard not attractive to wolf spiders. Other dark areas or objects that you must clear or declutter include the grills, stones, and empty planters. Step 3: Clear Perimeter Vegetation This means trimming back bushes and trees or ground-covering plants that can provide shelter for rodents and are near the buildings. Weeds, which are the ideal food supply to both mice and wolf spiders, should be controlled. A wolf spider's diet consists of other insects and crawling animals. Oftentimes, they will hunt down prey in the night while they're resting. So make sure to get rid of any insect-friendly plants or flowers that are near your home because this is what attracts them and makes it easy for a wolf spider to find its next meal! In addition, it is necessary to regularly pick up any clutter like woodpiles or lumber stacks in order to reduce their habitat. Wolf spiders love to live in dark spaces, including low vegetation, and thus control them. One way to protect your home from wolf spiders is by removing any ground-covering plants from the perimeter of your yard. Or, you can also try moving these plants to the outer yard perimeter to attract the spiders away from your house. Step 4: Install Bug Screens Install some fine-mesh bug screens over all vents to keep spiders and other pests out of the house. Bug screens can be installed over a doorway or window to create easy access from your porch or deck. The U-Shaped flange along the bottom rail should fit snugly against the lower edge of the opening with no gaps found between rails on either side of the window frame. In cases where more than one panel is needed to cover a door, ensure the screens overlap at least 8 inches so that they block as much space as possible. Wherever you see gaps in the foundation vents, place bug screens to deter wolf spiders from entering and you may also check the chimneys and attic vents too. The gaps around which wolves are most likely to wander into your home typically are the crawl spaces and vents of your building's foundation. Step 5: Change or Turn off the Outdoor Lighting Outdoor lights attract insects like moths and flies, a popular source of food for the wolf spiders. When it comes to outdoor lighting, turn your lights off as much as you can. Keeping the number of insects close to zero will help limit the potential for wolf spiders in and around your home. Curtain your windows or make sure to close the blinds so that artificial indoor light does not flood outside. Consider outdoor lighting with a softer color, such as sodium vapor lights. Orange and blue lights may be more attractive for bugs like mosquitoes. Making a few changes to your outdoor lighting can do wonders for pest control. Wolf spiders are most active at night, so by reducing the number of food sources available to them (insects), they will become less attracted to exploring in your home. Step 6: Vacuum the Home Thoroughly Would you like to know how to vacuum the home thoroughly and get rid of wolf spiders? It just needs a little cleanliness. Regular vacuuming is the best way to ensure your home will stay pest-free. So, use your vacuum cleaner or broom regularly inside and outside of the house. Vacuum the home as often as necessary to reduce the number of insects in your house, and thus one less food source for wolf spiders. Take care to remove spider webs from the home as this will discourage spiders from rebuilding their webs in the same location. Step 7: Remove Cardboard Boxes Cardboard boxes are a favorite nesting spot for Wolf Spiders. These spiders often live in dark, dry, and cluttered spaces that give them protection from their predators. Cardboard boxes offer the ideal hiding place with plenty of small crevices for these nocturnal hunters to lurk within. Luckily there are many ways you can get rid of cardboard boxes in order to remove these pesky creatures from your home! Use tape or glue to permanently seal up any old holes on the outside of the box before placing it into storage - this will prevent new unwanted inhabitants from entering Never store anything inside an open container as tempting as it may be (particularly if food is involved!) - instead invest in airtight containers such as Tupperware Alternatively, if you're storing boxes of clothing or other items that can't be sealed up then place them inside a large trash bag before sealing the top. This way any unwanted guests won't have access to your belongings and they'll be able to breathe easily as well! Just remember: removing old cardboard boxes will help prevent an infestation in your home while also keeping these dangerous spiders from getting near children and pets! Step 8: Use caulk around cables and cracks Fill the tiny gaps with caulk to keep pests away - including around the cables and cracks. You should also install caulk around cables on the ground and tiny crevices in your walls to avoid attracting Wolf Spiders. Wolf spiders love to live in crawl spaces and the basement, so it's important to spider-proof these areas first and foremost. Begin with the basement and move up with sealing the tiny cracks up to the attic. Use caulking (or silicone) as well when necessary – usually at the corners or the cracks where cables enter your house. Step 9: Remove Indoor Clutter Remove Indoor Clutter to get rid of Wolf Spiders. Use a vacuum cleaner or broom and dustpan. Vacuum up spider webs from the ceiling, corners, and high areas in the room. Sweep floors free of crumbs, hairballs, litter, and other debris that may provide food for spiders. The idea is to remove any dinner invitations for Wolf spiders lurking about your living quarters! Clean up the piles of boxes, stacks of books, and other assorted items that have long been awaiting a transfer to the attic or garage. Remove any clutter in corners where spiders may hide during daytime hours. Also, remove spider eggs located on nearby surfaces by vacuuming or wiping them with a damp cloth or paper towel. Step 10: Spray or Apply pyrethroids Insecticides Spray or Apply pyrethroid insecticides (derive from pyrethrum) to kill the wolf spiders in a way that is environmentally friendly and safe for humans as well. Pyrethroids are broad-spectrum, contact insecticides or residual insecticides that also have some repellent properties - making them an ideal choice when killing spider infestations inside homes. When choosing which product to use, look for one registered by the EPA as being "Green" and those containing other approved active ingredients such as cyfluthrin, tetramethrin, permethrin, deltamethrin (DeltaGard), etc. One popular option is Cyper WP from Bayer; it has been used successfully on wolf spider infestations, and it is a "Green" product registered by the EPA. Use approved active ingredients with an EPA label to be safe and environmentally friendly in your home. Step 11: Use Boric Acid If you know the areas of your home where wolf spiders are typically found, it is advisable to use Boric Acid as a method for keeping them off. This method can be used in areas where you know there's been an infestation as well as other places where wolf spiders might gather such as dark corners, cracks in floorboards, etc. This will not only keep them away but also kill any that have already gathered. Hydrogen borate (or simply boric acid) is used for industrial and insecticidal applications but it's highly toxic to kids & pets. Boric acid has an abrasive effect on the wolf spider's skin and thus will damage it causing fluid leakage. Also, the chemical is a stomach poison to the wolf spiders as the bugs will ingest white powder during their grooming. If you use boric acid, be sure to wash all surfaces with soap and water before allowing your dog or cat back inside the house. Boric Acid can cause injury if ingested by either an animal or a human. Lastly, remember to empty and clean up any spilled residue as it may still contain enough potency for another application. Related: Does Bleach Kill Spiders? Step 12: Spray the House Perimeter Apply outdoor pesticides around the perimeter of the house to create an impenetrable barrier for wolf spiders. You can do this in a variety of ways, such as using a sprayer or by pouring granules into a band at the foundation and along retaining walls. Don't spray on any firewood or furniture that's close to the house. Leave for a couple of days and then come back to spray again for good measure. This is how you get rid of wolf spiders by attacking them on their own turf, rather than waiting around in your home while they hunt you down! Step 13: Set Spider Glue Traps It is important to quickly find the spiders and bait them into a sticky trap to remove these pests from your property. This should be done in areas where the spider congregates such as garages, basements, dark corners of the house, or behind furniture. Also, identify where the spider is hiding (i.e., a crack, hole, or window seal) Ensure kids & pets don't get near the spider glue traps as they may get stuck. Monitor Traps - For the traps to be effective, they need to be monitored. Check your sticky spider glue traps for spiders at least once a day and remove any captured pests immediately with gloves or by hand so that you don't get bitten. If there are no more sightings of wolf spiders on your property after few days, then you can move the traps to another area of your property where spiders may be hiding. Conclusion So, in conclusion on how to get rid of wolf spiders, by cleaning up clutter and getting rid of other types of spiders, you will be able to remove the wolf spider population. How to get rid of wolf spiders: Clear away any outdoor debris or woodpiles that may provide a great hiding place for these pests. Look around your house for dark corners or cracks. Spray insecticides containing pyrethroids to kill the spiders around door and window frames, baseboards, or any other place where they may be entering your home. Seal cracks under doors with silicone caulk or another sealant such as caulking compound. Apply at least once a Boric acid is an effective way to get rid of wolf spiders - sprinkle this powder where they hide. Use sticky spider glue traps in the garden, around doors and windows, or anywhere else you have seen wolf spiders crawling about. Cheers! I hope these tips help you get rid of these pests.