3 simple steps I take to successfully spider-proof my home every autumn

Content creator Lucy Kalice is one of Ideal Home's new Open House contributors, sharing her thoughts on cleaning, home decor and making the most of small spaces. See the rest of her articles here.

If you’re wondering why you’ve been seeing more spiders than usual recently, well I hate to be the bearer of bad news… but spider season is here. The eight-legged creepy crawlies are back and let me tell you, they are going to hate to see you coming once you’ve finished this article.

In the UK we have spider season from August through to the end of October. The spiders come inside our homes (uninvited) when the weather changes and the temperature drops. Colder days = cosier corners for spiders…but not on my watch.

Personally, I can’t stand spiders - even the thought of vacuuming them up sends shivers down my spine. My mum told me its bad luck to kill them, so now if I do find one I have to carefully place it outside. Although I think we can all agree it would be easier if they didn’t come inside in the first place. So if you are looking for ways to spider-proof your home then look no further…I’m about to de-web your world.

1. Clear your exterior

The first place I start is with the exterior of my home. Weeds? An unkept garden? Not anymore. Keep this tidy, get rid of any cobwebs and debris and check for cracks. Spiders can come into the home through the teeny tiniest of cracks so keeping on top of these will mean less entry points for the spiders - hooray!

2. Banish clutter

Next I move onto the inside of the house. This next tip might be obvious to some of you, but keeping the inside of your home clutter-free and clean will also deter spiders. Regular vacuuming and dusting of walls and furniture can go a long way in evicting the eight legged roommates.

Ever since I found a spider crawling through my pile of clean laundry, I’ve been pretty scarred. So now I make sure to keep my home tidy and put my clothes away in my wardrobes as soon as possible - and you should too. Because yes spiders do like dirty and messy areas, but they will also hide in other places (like your clean laundry) and terrorise you.

3. Use essential oils

Once I get the house looking nice, now I like to get the house smelling nice. Fun fact: spiders smell with their legs and they don’t like strong smells. They are likely to avoid strong smelling areas. Can you guess where I’m going here…

And this is where essential oils come in. Peppermint, tea tree and citrus oils are all scents which spiders don’t like. You can put some on a cotton wool pad or cloth and wipe them around window frames, doors and skirting boards (or literally everywhere and anywhere around the house) and this will keep spiders away.

You can also use peppermint, tea-tree or citrus scented candles around the house, so long as the candles are pet friendly. It will have the same effect as the essential oils and deter spiders and other pests. Plus it’ll have your home smelling like a spa, so its a win-win.

However, if you are a dog owner like me or have any other pet, then I would strongly advise against wiping essential oils around the house as they can be extremely toxic for pets. Pet-friendly candle are fine to use.

Instead, I’d recommend using white vinegar. It might not smell as nice but it does have a strong smell so it will keep the spiders away.

So take this as a sign to add the above three steps to your weekly cleaning routine and you can say farewell to the spiders this autumn. No webs, no worries just spotless spaces. You’re welcome.