The start of September marks spider season in the UK, when the eerie eight-legged creatures become a common sight on people’s walls and ceilings.
For people with a genuine phobia of the pests, this is less than ideal – but it turns out the creatures can be quite handy to have around the house as they can eliminate other creepy-crawlies like flies and ants.
While this might be true, you may want to banish them altogether. And to do that, there’s a few simple and affordable tasks to carry out around the house.
The Mirror reports that the first step you should take is ensure your home is clean and free of any cobwebs, as this will deter the spiders from wanting to come back.
You can also get creative and make your own repellent spray with some peppermint oil and water mixed together in a spray bottle.
Then, just spray it around your home – especially around windowsills, doors and skirting boards – and the spiders will be repelled.
Experts recommend adding up to 20 drops of peppermint oil to water and you can purchase this for £3.49 on Amazon. With 20 drops equalling around 1ml, it works out at 35p to make up the spray.
Other scents, including lavender, eucalyptus and citronella are also said to work if you aren’t a fan of peppermint.
Another thing to try is the chalk method. Experts say that spiders can taste through their feet, and they don’t like the taste of chalk, so drawing lines on the ground will create barriers the spiders won’t want to cross. Pest control expert Stuart Halliday also recommends checking your windows and doors for any cracks and filling them in to stop the creepy crawlies from coming in.
He suggested: “Sometimes if you have your windows changed, or if you live in an older property, there can be gaps both on the inside and outside meaning spiders and other insects can get in.”
“You should make sure these are sealed up and then to help keep the spiders out put lemongrass cleaners or oil around windows and doors as they don’t like the smell. Also, growing basil, thyme and rosemary on windowsills will keep the pests out and deter wasps, woodlice, and other small crawlies.”
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond – Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
