How to get setae out of.....

drainbran

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 4, 2025
Messages
7
Hi I am wondering how to get setae off / out of different things.

-carpets
-towels
-clothes like a long sleeve shirt used for rehousing


I stupidly searched through some tarantula used earth next to a carpet and then later just slapped some water in my face and rubbed it wit a towel. Now I am worried about setae that might have gotten on there! (And my partner already washed it with other towels because he didn't know....) I shook it out before the washing but not sure if that would have helped in any way....

Are we doomed to have setae on everything that was washed with it? Like underwear and more towels? :'D

I get phantom itches at that possibility... :'D

The carpet can be cleaned by vacuuming I guess?

How would you proceed?

Thanks!
 

Mustafa67

Arachnobaron
Active Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2021
Messages
426
Hi I am wondering how to get setae off / out of different things.

-carpets
-towels
-clothes like a long sleeve shirt used for rehousing


I stupidly searched through some tarantula used earth next to a carpet and then later just slapped some water in my face and rubbed it wit a towel. Now I am worried about setae that might have gotten on there! (And my partner already washed it with other towels because he didn't know....) I shook it out before the washing but not sure if that would have helped in any way....

Are we doomed to have setae on everything that was washed with it? Like underwear and more towels? :'D

I get phantom itches at that possibility... :'D

The carpet can be cleaned by vacuuming I guess?

How would you proceed?

Thanks!
Duck tape
 

drainbran

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 4, 2025
Messages
7
Well I can't tape it anymore now...and taping a whole fluffy towel would be difficult.
Like... how would I know if I got them all in the fluff of a towel? :'D

And I don't think I should try taping a whole carpet?
 

Andrew Clayton

ArachnoHelper
Arachnosupporter
Joined
Dec 19, 2018
Messages
931
Hi I am wondering how to get setae off / out of different things.

-carpets
-towels
-clothes like a long sleeve shit used for rehousing


I stupidly searched through some tarantula used earth next to a carpet and then later just slapped some water in my face and rubbed it wit a towel. Now I am worried about setae that might have gotten on there! (And my partner already washed it with other towels because he didn't know....) I shook it out before the washing but not sure if that would have helped in any way....

Are we doomed to have setae on everything that was washed with it? Like underwear and more towels? :'D

I get phantom itches at that possibility... :'D

The carpet can be cleaned by vacuuming I guess?

How would you proceed?

Thanks!
Vacuum the carpet to clean the mess. I don't see what else the issue is here, if you had any UrS on you're hands when you wet them, then rubbed youre face, you would be feeling the effects. The fact you're not mentioning any issues your cool.

Also duct tape if you ever do experience it.
 

Arachnophobphile

Arachnoprince
Active Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2018
Messages
1,230
Hi I am wondering how to get setae off / out of different things.

-carpets
-towels
-clothes like a long sleeve shirt used for rehousing


I stupidly searched through some tarantula used earth next to a carpet and then later just slapped some water in my face and rubbed it wit a towel. Now I am worried about setae that might have gotten on there! (And my partner already washed it with other towels because he didn't know....) I shook it out before the washing but not sure if that would have helped in any way....

Are we doomed to have setae on everything that was washed with it? Like underwear and more towels? :'D

I get phantom itches at that possibility... :'D

The carpet can be cleaned by vacuuming I guess?

How would you proceed?

Thanks!
I have to ask how in the world did you get UrS everywhere? What makes you believe UrS are on your towels etc. etc. ?

I've never had this issue with my NW's
 

Mustafa67

Arachnobaron
Active Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2021
Messages
426
Hi I am wondering how to get setae off / out of different things.

-carpets
-towels
-clothes like a long sleeve shirt used for rehousing


I stupidly searched through some tarantula used earth next to a carpet and then later just slapped some water in my face and rubbed it wit a towel. Now I am worried about setae that might have gotten on there! (And my partner already washed it with other towels because he didn't know....) I shook it out before the washing but not sure if that would have helped in any way....

Are we doomed to have setae on everything that was washed with it? Like underwear and more towels? :'D

I get phantom itches at that possibility... :'D

The carpet can be cleaned by vacuuming I guess?

How would you proceed?

Thanks!
Put them in the washing machine with your underwear
 

Ultum4Spiderz

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 13, 2011
Messages
6,359
Washer and drier usually gets everything out for me but it depends how soiled they are with hairs you might have to run them a few times.
 

drainbran

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 4, 2025
Messages
7
I have to ask how in the world did you get UrS everywhere? What makes you believe UrS are on your towels etc. etc. ?

I've never had this issue with my NW's

Most likely I didn't.

I just dug through old tarantula earth trying to find its last molt next to a carpet.
And later just put water in my face and rubbed it dry with a towel.
And then panicked that I might have put them on it with that action. :'D

Curious...
Species ?
Type of Urticating Setae ?
Best Wishes
If any even got aywhere it was from a Brachypelma boehmei.

Most likely I am just paranoid.
 

Arachnophobphile

Arachnoprince
Active Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2018
Messages
1,230
Most likely I didn't.

I just dug through old tarantula earth trying to find its last molt next to a carpet.
And later just put water in my face and rubbed it dry with a towel.
And then panicked that I might have put them on it with that action. :'D
Oh I see
Well the most important thing to pay close attention to is your eyes. The worse place to get UrS is in your eyes. If you have discomfort or it feels like something is in your eyes that causes you to rub it then you'll need to see an eye doctor. If that happens don't rub your eyes it's the worse thing you can do when it's UrS.

Honestly use that towel as a rag for anything tarantulas now. IMO it's now unusable for humans if in fact UrS got on it. Throw it away or just keep it with your T stuff. Use it for cleaning enclosures after a rehouse or whatever. If UrS did get on the carpet I don't believe vacuuming will get them all.
 

drainbran

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 4, 2025
Messages
7
Oh I see
Well the most important thing to pay close attention to is your eyes. The worse place to get UrS is in your eyes. If you have discomfort or it feels like something is in your eyes that causes you to rub it then you'll need to see an eye doctor. If that happens don't rub your eyes it's the worse thing you can do when it's UrS.

Honestly use that towel as a rag for anything tarantulas now. IMO it's now unusable for humans if in fact UrS got on it. Throw it away or just keep it with your T stuff. Use it for cleaning enclosures after a rehouse or whatever. If UrS did get on the carpet I don't believe vacuuming will get them all.

Problem:
It would not just be one towel. My roommate already (at the time of the post) had taken it and washed it. (He mistook it lying in a different place than usual as a "please wash me" instead of "unsure what do do with this".
With other towels and who knows what.

If I were to throw that all out I would have to buy about 100 to 150€ in new clothes and towels. And thats not even counting everything that might have come into contact with it after or was washed after.
(That might be: All of his underwear that is in the same drawer as possibly washed with it underwear. 2 blankets on my bed - that he placed the washed and dry stuff on. A lot of socks. At least 4 big towels - think 150x80cm or bigger. Plus some T-shirts that might have been in that washing cycle. Plus possibly 8 Shirts, 4 Jeans, 8 pairs of socks and more in the cycle after. Plus the carpet of course. And everything that came into contact with the shirt I wore. Heck throw out all fabric in the house and hey - why not the whole washing machine and dryer too? There could be hair/setae in that still!)

Since I can't throw out every fabric in the house and replace every single thing it might have had contact to... Or I would be out of over 1k€ at the very least. More likely even over 2k and I don't have that money lying around.... plus one of the ones he had put in with it has sentimental value to him.


What is a more realistic take on it?
Like do you all never again wash clothes that might have gotten haired at one point? Like same long sleeve shirt gets used everytime dealing with a NW tarantula and never washed until its so stinky it has to get thrown out? Or just buy 10 cheap shirts and instantly throw them away after one use? There must be some way to get rid of that if hair gets into a washer/dryer/on clothes? Because even with a lint roller you could never be sure you got ALL of it from the clothes, right?

PS: My eyes are fine so far. I feel nothing unusual. I felt nothing unusual in my face. I even have underwear on that most likely was in that washing cycle - nothing unusual.
 

HoneyOilers

Arachnopeon
Active Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2024
Messages
49
I think you’re overreacting. I’ve got some spiders with some pretty serious setae living literally above my clothing in my walk in closet and never have issues.
 

drainbran

Arachnopeon
Joined
May 4, 2025
Messages
7
I think you’re overreacting. I’ve got some spiders with some pretty serious setae living literally above my clothing in my walk in closet and never have issues.

That would be nice. Someone told me they accidentally washed a whole old molt! And...the clothes needed two more washing cycles after it. (And that one seemed enough but they were paranoid about it so they did a second) O_O

As I said as far as I know I just have phantom itching. That right now was the reaction to someone telling me to throw away the towel - taht has already been washed with other stuff that I would - by consequence - all have to throw out too.

How does B.boehmei setae even feel?
Because... I think it's always said I would know if I got any on me. But I don't think I currently do know so maybe I got none on me at all?
More like a sheep wool on sensitive skin itch? (Yes I can't wear sheep wool socks or sheep wool shirts of any kind, they make me itchy lol) Or more like a glass wool between fingers itch(but maybe in more / different places)? Or even different?

I knida wanna know so I know...but I don't want to annoy it just to know that. I stupidly grabbed in later to put in a fake plant and something felt a bit poking and itchy between two of my fingers. That MIGHT have been some. But I still don't know if it was.
 
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