Ultimate guide to stop spiders invading your home this September – ditch the peppermint oil for a start

SPIDER season is officially here and set to invade our homes this month. The creepy crawlies are on the hunt for somewhere with moisture and warmth, but you can banish them for good with our cheap and simple repellent hacks. Spiders have already started entering homes across the UK Credit: Getty Autumn is mating season for spiders, with males often entering homes to find a mate. Arachnologist Dr Tom Elwood said: “August is when male spiders become active. Sign up for the Fabulous newsletter Thank you! “They’re searching for a mate and they’ll wander through open windows, up walls, into bathtubs — anywhere they can.” Fortunately, there are a whole host of simple non-lethal hacks that help keep the pesky 8-legged nuisances outside your home. Some of the simplest hacks include placing certain items by entrances that happen to repel spiders. Some of these include citrus peels from either lemons or oranges, as spiders can’t stand the smell. They’re also not fond of conkers, you’ll have to remove the nut from the prickly shell and use the smooth, chestnut-brown part as the deterrent. Spiders in general don’t like strong smells, so placing vanilla, lavender, rose or cinnamon scents can also repel them. Most read in Fabulous To stop spiders in their tracks, you can also mix a tiny bit of water with hand sanitiser and spray it at entrances. You can do the same with white vinegar if you fill a spray bottle up to 25 per cent or half full and the rest with water. For the more unique options, chalk also deters spiders as they don’t like stepping on it, so drawing a line at entrances also helps. Spiders are also repelled by certain colours, as they love the colour green but dislike blue, most notably light blue. Spider Repellent home hacks Citrus peels – lemon and orange peels repel spiders at entrances Chalk – draw a chalk line at entrances as spiders hate it on their feet Hand sanitisers – mix about a two-pence piece size amount with water in a spray bottle and use at windows and entrances Conkers in corners – remove the nut from the prickly shell and use the smooth, chestnut brown part as the deterrent Vinegar- mixed with water in a spray bottle becomes a great deterrent at entrances ‘Strong’ smells – spiders hate the smells of vanilla, lavender, rose, and cinnamon scents Wall colour – spiders favour green but despite blue/light blue Comment now