Buy a cat, change your furniture, eat oranges… and 10 other ways to spider-proof your home
September is the month that arachnophobes fear most - but there's plenty you can do to keep the creepy-crawlies away
SEPTEMBER is the one month of the year that’s dreaded by a specific section of society – the arachnophobes.
Swarms of spiders leave their hiding places around the house and come out to mate in YOUR house as summer turns to autumn.
However, there are ways to avoid those nerve-shredding encounters with them, where you’re squeamishly attempting to catch them in upturned cups or simply walloping them with a rolled up newspaper.
Follow these simple precautions to stop them sneaking into your house in the first place...
1) Attract ladybirds
Ladybirds are great for getting rid of spiders as the little creatures eat nearly 50 bugs a day.
By planting ladybird-attracting plants, such as dill, fennel and marigolds, near to the perimeter of your house you can naturally keep the critters at bay.
2) Get minty
Spiders hate peppermint oil, so an easy way of keeping them away is to dilute some in water and spray it around your home.
You can also buy readymade diffusers and sprays to use.
3) Mind the gaps
Scour your pad for cracks and holes in the walls, floorboards and windows. After all, if there’s no way for them to get in, you can enjoy a spider-free September.
Head to your local DIY store, pick up a tub of Polyfilla and convert your abode into a fortress.
4) Spider-repelling spray
Similar to the peppermint oil, you can make another spray proven to ward off the creatures.
Mix a cup of apple cider vinegar, a teaspoon of oil, a handful of ground pepper and a teaspoon of washing up liquid and spray it in your bathroom and along windows and doors. You should also spritz outside after rain.
5) Remove webs
It may sound simple, but regularly checking for webs and removing them is the easiest way to stop spiders lurking and reproducing around the house.
6) Limit lighting
Spiders, like many bugs, are attracted to light.
Keep house lighting at a minimum and turn off lights when you leave your pad.
You will save on your electricity bill at the same time as curbing infestations.
7) Get a pet
Pets are the perfect antidote to pests around the house.
Animals, and particularly cats, chase anything that moves and will hoover up those unwanted bugs before you notice they are there.
8) Change your furniture
A popular investment among arachnophobes is the purchase of cedar wood furniture.
Spiders absolutely loathe the smell of cedar wood – and some people put blocks of the stuff in their garden and around possible entry points to stave the pests off.
9) Clear out the cupboards
Spiders love nooks and crannies they can hide in.
Having piles of wood, old flower pots and debris around your house can attract them and give the creatures somewhere to hide.
Make sure unnecessary material is stored as far from the house as possible.
10) Use Eucalyptus
Another scent spiders avoid is eucalyptus, so dot the plant around your bathroom and in wardrobes to deter them from creeping in.
This should keep them away and also leave the house smelling fresh and clean.
11) Eat oranges and lemons
The eight-legged beasts hate citrus smells, so keeping these fruits around the house and eating them regularly can deter them from sticking around.
12) Wash windows
Cleaning windows with ammonia and water helps to prevent the creatures from getting inside.
When the windows dry, go over the whole thing with newspaper and kerosene – the kerosene evaporates immediately but leaves a repellent for spiders, flies and mosquitoes.
13) Light cinnamon candles
Investing in a cinnamon candle is a great way to keep the critters away.
Cinnamon is another scent spiders can’t stand, and wafting it throughout your house should prevent any from settling in.
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