SEPTEMBER is spider season and the creepy crawlies will be heading inside looking for warmth.
But if you’re one of the 18% of Brits experiencing arachnophobia (the fear of spiders), here are a few ways to stop them coming in.
Nancy Emery, cleaning expert at kitchen and bathroom retailer, Tap Warehouse, shared six easy and affordable ways to deter spiders from your home this autumn.
1. Conkers
Often thought of as an old wives tale but placing conkers in corners and on windowsills has traditionally been done across Britain for decades as a way to keep these creepy crawlies at bay.
Conkers are said to contain a noxious chemical which acts as a deterrent to spiders.
It’s thought that if a spider gets close to one, they will curl up and die quite quickly.
Although it’s never been scientifically proven, placing them in the likely areas of a home where spiders may enter such as by your front door and in the corner of your hallway and bathrooms is a great place to start.
Next time you take the dog for a walk or head out for a relaxing stroll, bring along a bag and start collecting conkers from the ground below horse chestnut trees.
You’ll need to remove the nut from the prickly shell and use that lovely smooth, chestnut brown part as the deterrent.
Do conkers really work at deterring spiders?
Fabulous’ Associate Editor, Rebecca Miller, shares her verdict.
“I absolutely hate spiders, big ones, little ones, outside or in. I jump, scream and stand pointing, demanding someone else remove it instantly.
So there are not many spider repellents or DIY hacks I haven’t tried – the conker being one of them.
As autumn descends, I love to get outside for a crisp walk, and look for conkers to take home.
I place them on windowsills in bedrooms and hang them from doors after drilling a hole for string to be threaded through.
Whilst there is no scientific evidence to suggest conkers repel spiders, in all my years of placing them in obscure places, I’ve not had a spider enter when a conker is around.
Either way, it’s a fun activity to get the kids outside to find them, you can play a round or two of conkers when you get home, before adding them to your autumn wreaths and decor. And if they repel a spider or two, then it’s a win-win!”
2. Essential Oils
Using peppermint oil is one of the most effective ways to deter spiders. These creepy crawlies really do not like the minty, fresh scent given off by this type of oil!
Add 15-20 drops to a spray bottle and fill it up with water. Spray this around door frames and window sills especially across the bottom where spiders are most likely to enter and crawl past. You can buy these oils in your local supermarket or online from sites like Amazon for as little as £4.99. A little goes a long way so one 10ml bottle will almost certainly last till the end of the year.
If you’re not a fan of peppermint, there are plenty of other essential oils that spiders don’t like the scent of, including orange, lemon, lime, citronella or tea tree oil.
3. Hand sanitisers
If you are really trying not to spend, then you can always dig out your hand sanitiser from your bag and mix about a two-pence piece size amount with water in a spray bottle.
Spray this around door frames and window sills. Spiders do not like the alcohol in the gel which gives it that clinical scent.
4. Vinegar
White wine vinegar is well-known for being a handy substance to use around the home.
It is also a pretty good deterrent when it comes to creepy crawlies like spiders too.
Fill a spray bottle up to around a quarter to half way full with white wine vinegar and top it up with water then spray around door frames, window sills, corners and even on your bath or sink ceramic and drain.
5. Cinnamon
Another essence that spiders hate is the spicy scent of cinnamon but thankfully one us humans all love to smell as we move into the later months of the year.
This joyful, festive scent can be found in candles, fragrance diffusers and wax melts to bring the season to life around the home, but for spiders we recommend using drops of cinnamon oil in water and spraying this around doors, walls and windows.
You can also add cinnamon sticks to just enough water to cover them and let them sit overnight for the oils to come out and use this.
6. Spider catchers
If you still find that spiders make it into your home and you’re worried how to catch them safely without harming or having to touch them, you can invest in a spider catcher that can do the job at arm’s length.
These are a quick and easy solution and won’t cause any harm or mess.
Everything you need to know about spiders
- UK spiders: The 24 British spiders you could find in your house
- How can I get rid of spiders from my house?
- Do UK house spiders bite?
- When is UK spider season?
- What do spider bites look like?
- Do conkers keep spiders away?
- What are the biggest spiders found in the UK?
- What is a spider wrangler?
- What are Huntsman spiders?
