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Treatments for Common House Spider Bites

With over 34,000 different species of spiders around the world, chances are pretty high that you might run into one every now and then. Fortunately, only a small percentage of spiders are considered dangerous to humans and less than 0.05 percent have the capacity to break human skin despite almost all having fangs full of venom.



Most spiders are not aggressive unless provoked or forced out of its home. One of the least harmful spiders is the common house spider that normally lurks in the dark cracks and crevices in your home. The close proximity and shared living space means that you might wake up with a spider bite just about anywhere on your body. The good news is that treating common house spider bites is easy.

  1. Cold Therapy

    • Applying a cold compress to the spider bite can alleviate pain and swelling. A small zip-style sandwich bag filled with ice and water or a cooling gel pack from your local pharmacy can be utilized easily. A cold compress should not be used for more than 20 minutes at a time. It can be used in intervals until the swelling and redness dissipates.

    Over-the-Counter Spider Bite Cream

    • There are several over-the-counter spider bite creams and ointments that can be purchased from your local pharmacy. The active ingredient should be at least 1 percent hydrocortisone. The cream can be applied according to the manufacturer's directions or a pharmacist can give advice pertaining to usage. For best results, a bandage can be applied to keep the wound clean as it heals.

    Turmeric and Olive Oil Home Remedy

    • The natural antiseptic properties of turmeric powder make it the perfect home remedy for treating spider bites. The rich emulsion of olive oil also brings soothing relief to an itchy bite. A mixture of two tablespoons turmeric powder and two tablespoons of olive oil can be applied to the wound to promote healing.

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