UK households are being urged to use a common kitchen spice to help banish spiders from their homes this autumn. As temperatures drop and mating season begins, more spiders are finding their way indoors, and cinnamon is one natural way to keep them at bay.
Why spiders are appearing in homes
Autumn is the mating season for spiders, so males often enter homes in search of females. Females are also attracted to warmth as outside temperatures fall. Many Brits who kept windows open during the summer months are now inadvertently inviting spiders inside.
How cinnamon deters spiders
James Higgins of Online Carpets told GoodHomes that introducing the scent of cinnamon throughout the home, especially in rooms where spiders are regularly seen, can be effective. This can be done with cinnamon-scented candles and diffusers, or by leaving cinnamon sticks near entry points.
"The perfect autumnal scent, spiders dislike the warm spice of cinnamon," James said. "Cinnamon comes in different forms, so you can either place cinnamon sticks around your home, or alternatively, opt for a scented candle to deter any spiders and give your house a cosy feeling."
Other scents and prevention tips
For those who do not like cinnamon, lighter scents such as lavender and lemon also deter spiders. These smells disrupt a spider's sense of direction, which relies on smell, and the same applies to many pests, including rats.
Other ways to deter spiders include plugging gaps that could be entry points and keeping rooms clean, tidy and decluttered.
