Repel spiders from home ahead of mating season with homemade spray

It’s almost time for spider mating season – any arachnophobe’s worst nightmare. In the UK this usually occurs in late August or early September, lasting until mid-October. Male spiders, who are looking for someone to mate with for the upcoming winter, start moving and venture into homes to find females in warmer environments.

So it isn’t uncommon to find more spiders inside at this time of year, as they shelter from the cold weather.

There are ways of deterriging unwanted visitors. Pest UK recently recommended keeping your windows closed at night and sealing any gaps around your windows. The experts explained: “Keep windows shut at night – Most spiders are nocturnal, so keep windows and doors closed while you sleep to prevent them from getting into your home at night.

“Fill gaps – Check that there are no gaps or cracks – even tiny ones – in walls, pipework, doors, door frames, and windows. Seal or fill any cracks to prevent spiders from moving into them.”

But there’s also another method you can try – and it involves making a homemade repellent, which just so happens to smell amazing.

But before you attempt this hack, be aware that one of the ingredients can be toxic to pets. The method was shared by content creator @home.on.the.glade, who discovered the hack last year and found “it actually works”. In a recent video posted to her TikTok account, she added: “I hate spiders and after using this spray I didn’t see any!”

And for anyone worried about it hurting the spiders, she said: “Don’t worry, it doesn’t kill the spiders, it just repels them because they hate the smell”. She recommended mixing 15-20 drops of peppermint oil into a spray bottle of water, and then wiping the solition “along skirting boards, window frames and door ways,” or any other places they’d be tempted to enter your home.

However, she also added a warning: “Just remember peppermint essential oils are toxic to pets when wet. It is safe when dry, but please judt be careful if you have dogs and cats.”

According to Green Pest Solutions, spiders don’t like peppermint because they “taste” with their legs. It’s a potent natural insect solution, and they’ll want to avoid it.

However, it’s important to remember the majority of essential oils are toxic to cats and dogs, including tea tree, peppermint, citrus oils, lavender, eucalyptus and clove. If you suspect your pet has been in contact with essential oil, you should contact your vet immediately.

If you do have a pet, there are plenty of other solutions to repelling spiders you can try. Instead of using essential oils, you could try mixing equal parks vinegar and water and spray in spider-prone areas.

Another cheap and easy solution is to rub lemon peels over your windowsills, skirting boards and shelves. This is another strong scent which spiders don’t like.

It may seem obvious, but it’s also important to limit the entry points so spiders can’t get into your home as easily. So try to keep doors and windows closed – especially at night.

Having a clean home can also deter spiders. So clean off any windowsills and make sure there are no cobwebs, or anything that could attract insects – which in turn can attract spiders.