IT’S that time of year again – spider season.
People’s homes are being invaded by sex-crazed creepy crawlies on the hunt for somewhere with warmth and moisture.
Spider mating season can cause chaos in homes across the country[/caption]
Autumn is mating season for spiders, with males often entering homes to find a mate.
According to leading arachnologist Dr Tom Elwood, this time of year marks the peak of spider activity, with the noble false widow — a venomous species – now firmly established in homes across the UK.
While most spiders are harmless, false black widows can bite. And while rarely life-threatening, their bites can cause burning pain, nausea, swelling, and in more serious cases, severe allergic reactions or infections.
“August is when male spiders become active,” explains Dr Elwood.
“They’re searching for a mate and they’ll wander through open windows, up walls, into bathtubs — anywhere they can.”
UK households have already been warned to keep their windows shut at all times for the next four weeks to keep the creepy crawlies out.
But there are extra precautions you can take to deter spiders from your home too.
Citrus peels
Mike Norton, Trade and Projects Director at Magnet Trade, explained that spiders need water and moisture to survive with sinks and dishwashers “drawing them in”.
And the spider expert has revealed the simple 20p hack to deter them from these spaces.
“Rub lemon peels all over the windowsills or anywhere spiders tend to perch, such as on skirting boards and bookshelves”, he said.
“The strong citrus scent will repel them away and give your home a lovely fresh scent.
“This is one of the easiest and most effective tricks.
“Supermarkets charge anything from £5-£11 for spider repellent.
“But using lemons to do the work for you is not only cheaper, but the chemical-free method makes your home look and smell amazing.”
With a four-pack of lemons costing just 79p in Aldi, the hack works out at 20p a go.
And it’s not just lemons, either. Citrus peel from oranges can also deter the creepy crawlies.
Sleep expert Adeel Ul-Haq, from Divan Beds, added: “Citrus peel from oranges can be rubbed on window ledges and skirting boards. These strong smells can overwhelm spiders without harming them.”
Orange peels can deter spiders from your home[/caption]
Chalk
It has been reported that spiders taste with their feet, and don’t like walking over disagreeable or strong flavours such as chalk.
Stationery chain Ryman’s revealed in 2023 that chalk sales had increased as more people bought up the common household item to try to keep spiders at bay.
Chloe Danskin, Head of Marketing at Ryman, told the Irish Mirror at the time: “It’s both unexpected and amazing to see chalk being embraced as an effective, and affordable, spider repellent.
“Our range of chalk products, from traditional white to colourful alternatives, is flying off the shelves as homeowners take proactive measures to keep their homes spider-free.”
Hand sanitisers
Nancy Emery, cleaning expert at kitchen and bathroom retailer, Tap Warehouse, said spider season is the perfect time to hunt out a Covid pandemic staple.
She said: “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.”
Conkers in corners
Using horse chestnuts, more commonly known as conkers, on windowsills or in corners of rooms to keep the spiders away has been an age-old tradition for many.
Often thought of as an old wives tale, conkers are said to contain a noxious chemical which acts as a deterrent to spiders.
Conkers have long been considered as a spider deterrent[/caption]
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.
Vinegar
White wine vinegar is well-known for being a handy substance to use around the home.
With its acidic properties working wonders to clean and degrease especially when mixed with other household products like baking soda.
It is also a pretty good deterrent when it comes to creepy crawlies like spiders too.
If you fill a spray bottle up to around a quarter to half way full with white wine vinegar and top it up with water this can be sprayed around door frames, window sills, corners and even on your bath or sink ceramic and drain.
Sleep expert Adeel Ul-Haq, from Divan Beds, says: “A 50/50 split of white vinegar and water can help repel spiders as the key ingredient acetic acid which gives vinegar its strong smell and sour taste disrupts a spider’s ability to detect prey and navigate its surroundings. This makes spiders avoid any places that it is sprayed.”
‘Strong’ smells
Spiders hate the smell of cinnamon[/caption]
It turns out that spiders are not fans of strong smells either.
In addition to citrus, they hate peppermint, vanilla, lavender, rose, and cinnamon scents.
So, simply add a few drops of your chosen scent into a spray bottle with some water to create your very own spider repellent to spritz around the house.
And bonus, it will make all your rooms smell amazing too.
Mike Norton, Trade and Projects Director at Magnet Trade, said dotting cinnamon sticks around your home or burning scented candles will have them “packing in no time”.
He added: “This isn’t just a scent for autumn and Christmas! The strong scent of cinnamon is perfect for keeping spiders away.
” If cinnamon isn’t your preferred scent, any candle that contains citronella will do the trick.
“You can make your own budget-friendly and natural spider repellent by mixing an essential oil (approx. 20 drops) and water in a spray bottle.
“Spray corners of your home or any moist areas that attract the insects. The best essential oils to use are tea tree, lavender, peppermint, citrus and cinnamon.”
Wall colour
Spider experts at St Modwen Homes also revealed that even the colour of your walls could be making all the difference when it comes to spiders.
Apparently, the creepy crawlies love the colour green, but absolutely despise blue – light blue to be specific.
So, if your home is full of gorgeous green tones and you’re a certified arachnophobe, you might want to think about adding a few light blue additions into your rooms and garden to make spiders think twice before visiting you.
Spider Season – ‘Prepare or Regret’
He adds: “You may not see them, but they’re out there — climbing walls, slipping in through vents, and squeezing through the tiniest cracks.”
His advice for the next month:
- Keep windows closed — day and night
- Clean glass and frames weekly
- Seal up any visible gaps or cracks
- Use vinegar-based sprays to discourage web-building
- Tidy corners and darker parts of the home where spiders hide
“This isn’t paranoia — it’s smart preparation,” he adds.
“Do the right things now, and you won’t be waking up to spiders crawling across your bedroom floor.”