Gardeners urged to spray patios and paths with vinegar until November — and it’s not as strange as it sounds

If you’ve spotted an alarming number of spiders around your home, it can be unnerving to try and get rid of spiders. According to pest experts, ‘spider mating season’ is peak during the months of September until early November. Which is why people are being urged to take preventative measures this month.

Such eight-legged pests are notorious for creeping into our homes to escape the cold through windowsill cracks or tiny gaps, hiding in your home, and leaving unsightly cobwebs.

Luckily, there is a DIY repellent that you can easily make with a common cleaning ingredient found in many kitchens. All you need to do is spray this homemade solution on patios and paths to keep spiders at bay. What’s more, it’s cheap and will only take seconds to do.

Banish spiders with white vinegar

It seems like white vinegar can do so much more than cleaning and removing limescale, it also makes a great natural spider repellent. This is because spiders have a highly sensitive sense of smell, and the vinegar odor can overwhelm and confuse the chemoreceptors on their legs, which they use to sense their environment.

Experts recommend making a DIY solution of diluted white vinegar and water, before spraying around patios and paths. The idea is to literally stop spiders in their tracks, preventing them from entering our homes through tiny cracks and gaps. The good thing is, white vinegar spray is non-toxic and safe to use inside the home too.

“Vinegar can also be a handy natural deterrent, working in much the same way as essential oils,” says Liam Cleverdon, cleaning expert and Director at Flooring King. “A simple mix of half white vinegar and half water in a spray bottle is enough; just spritz it around door frames, window ledges, or corners where spiders are likely to enter. The only thing to watch out for is varnished or polished surfaces, as vinegar can dull the finish over time.”

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This pure peppermint oil is paraben free, and provides a fresh scent. Versatile to use in aromatherapy, or in an oil or reed diffuser. And while the fragrance is pleasant to our senses, it is also known to be a natural pest repellent.

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Alternatively, experts advise people to soak cotton wool balls in peppermint essential oil, before putting them on windowsills or around door frames. Similarly, the strong fragrance will be too overpowering for such pests, and will keep them away.

"Peppermint oil emits a strong scent which repels spiders," states Robert Collins, pest control expert at MyJobQuote. "Add 15 – 20 drops of peppermint oil to a spray bottle with water and spritz this in any areas where you’ve noticed spiders in the home.”

Or you could try these 9 plants that repel spiders and keep them out of your home.

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