How do I catch a big spider when I’m scared of them?

You do not have to touch it, and you do not have to hurt it. A clear glass and a stiff card will move most big house spiders out of a room with your hands well away from the legs. The trick is having the kit ready and a plan for the few seconds that matter, so nobody ends up chasing it round the skirting with a broom.

Plenty of people freeze at the sight of a big spider, and nobody needs to be brave for this. You just need a method that works first time.

Why the big ones turn up now

In many homes, the large, fast spiders that appear in late summer and autumn are often males out looking for a mate. They wander more, so you see them more, often running across the floor in the evening. It does not mean the house is full of them.

Not sure what it is? Our spiders guide shows the common house spiders. If you are worried it could be one that bites, read is this spider dangerous? before you go near it.

Get the kit ready before you need it

• A clear glass or plastic tub, wider than the spider with its legs out. Clear matters: you can see where it is the whole time. A pint glass or a large food tub works.
• A stiff card, bigger than the mouth of the glass. A postcard, a thin plastic chopping mat or the side of a cereal box. Floppy paper bends and leaves a gap.
• Or a long-handled spider catcher. These close soft bristles round the spider at the end of a long stick, so your hand stays an arm’s length away. Good if a glass feels too close.

Keep the kit in one place, by the back door or under the sink. When a spider appears, nobody has to hunt for a tub while someone else stands guard.

Catch it in five steps

1. Wait for it to stop. Spiders run in bursts and then freeze. Chasing it only sets it off again. If it heads under the sofa, let it go and wait. It will come back out.
2. Bring the glass down over it in one smooth move. Come from above, not from the side. If a leg is in the way, lower the glass slowly and the spider will pull its legs in.
3. Slide the card under the rim. Keep the glass pressed to the floor or wall and push the card in slowly, so the spider steps onto it instead of getting caught.
4. Hold the card tight and lift. Keep your whole hand flat across the card against the rim. It is now sealed in and cannot reach you.
5. Release it well away from the house. Walk it outside, set the glass down by a hedge, wall or shed a good way from doors and windows, slide the card away and step back. Leave the glass there if you like and fetch it later.

High on a wall? Same steps. Glass flat against the wall, card slid down between glass and wall. Use a steady step, not a chair on tiptoe.

Two of you? Split the jobs. One holds the torch and calls where it goes, the other does the glass. Whoever is most scared opens the doors for the release. That is a real job, not a lesser one.

Not sure what it is? If you live somewhere with spiders that can give a serious bite, or you do not recognise this one, keep children and pets back and do not handle it, even with gloves. Use the glass without touching it, or ask local pest or wildlife services. If someone is bitten and feels unwell, see a doctor.

What not to do

• Do not swat or vacuum it. It is unkind, and a missed swing sends it running somewhere you cannot see, which is worse for your nerves.
• Do not shake it out by the door. It can land on the step and walk straight back in.
• Do not count on peppermint oil or plug-in ultrasonic repellers. Neither is a proven way to keep spiders out.

Fewer spiders to catch next time

Most house spiders walk in from outside. Close the easy routes and you will have fewer evening rescues.

• Fit a door sweep or brush strip to the bottom of outside doors.
• Seal gaps round pipes, cables and window frames with a flexible sealant. Sealing gaps shows which filler goes where.
• Put fine mesh over air bricks and vents instead of blocking them. Vents need to breathe.
• Keep windows shut at night when the lights are on, or fit a fly screen. Light draws insects, and spiders follow the insects.
• Brush webs and egg sacs off window frames, porches and sheds near the door.

More on this in how to keep spiders out of the house.

If fear of spiders is getting in the way of daily life, say so to a doctor. They can talk you through the help available for phobias where you live.