There’s a simple way to keep those eight-legged pests at bay – and it only takes a few minutes to do.
With summer rapidly drawing to a close and chillier temperatures on the horizon, spiders begin seeking out cosy, undisturbed spots to settle down in, and your property makes an ideal refuge.
Without proper preventative measures, these eight-legged intruders could “lay hundreds of eggs” in concealed nooks throughout your dwelling without your knowledge.
Thankfully, an influencer on TikTok has disclosed one straightforward homemade spray that can help ward them off entirely.
Carolina McCauley posted on the widely-used social media platform and revealed: “Why isn’t anyone talking about this? It’s the easiest way I’ve found to keep spiders from the house.”
She continued: “Spiders lay hundreds of eggs in hidden spots. Peppermint oil keeps them away. This little spray has changed my life.”
How to create peppermint oil spray
Carolina disclosed: “It is just water with 20 to 30 drops of peppermint essential oil. I spray it around door frames, windows, corners, and anywhere spiders love to hide.
“They hate the smell and actually stay away. Bonus point: your house ends up smelling fresh and amazing. Just a heads up: do not use it if you have pets around, especially cats or small animals. Peppermint oil is not safe for them.”
A specialist at Happy Homemaker also endorsed this approach but suggested a slight modification, reports the Express.
They explained that you simply require a spray bottle to combine roughly 10 to 15 drops of peppermint or citrus essential oil with two cups of water. For additional effectiveness, include several drops of washing-up liquid.
This simple hack, which will take about five minutes to do, can help to deter spiders from your home.
Alternative approaches, according to Pest UK, includes lemons, limes, oranges, eucalyptus oil, and tea tree oil.
Vinegar is another pungent fragrance that deters spiders, though some people dislike the vinegar odour hanging about their home.
The pest specialists also suggest shutting your windows and curtains: “Just like moths, spiders are drawn to light, so turn outside lights off when you’re not using them and keep doors and windows closed, or blinds shut, when the lights are on inside.”
They continued: “Most spiders are nocturnal, so keep windows and doors closed while you sleep to prevent them from getting into your home at night.”
When autumn arrives, households might even attempt an age-old remedy and place conkers by their windows.
“While there’s no evidence to back this up, a row of conkers on the windowsill still makes a festive autumn decoration,” said Pest UK.