Not everyone likes spiders, and that’s okay, but they still deserve respect. They prevent disease by eating mosquitoes and are quiet guests in your home. As the days grow colder, spiders will want to find somewhere warm to rest, and your home might be that place. But don’t panic, you can keep spiders out easily.
Peppermint oil
Spraying peppermint oil deters spiders as well as mice.
Peppermint is a natural insecticide with a smell that bothers many animals, humans are one of the few animal species to like mint. Spiders taste with their feet so the oil irritates their sensory receptors.
Seal windows and doors
Closing any gaps in walls, door frames, and ceilings is a sure-fire way to keep spiders out. Tape and draught excluders work well to fill gaps in entrances. Sealing holes in walls and ceilings with caulk, spackle, or drywall patches works as well. Consult your landlady/landlord before any repairs.
Keep windows closed
Ventilating is important for fresh air and preventing mould, but windows should not be left open too long or overnight. With the cold weather, this is an invitation for spiders, flies and even bees who might have lost their way.
Control other insects
Spiders are natural pest control and eat the flies, mites and other insects that live in your home. One way to keep spiders out is to make them not want to come in. Keeping food in cabinets and fridges, as well as cleaning up crumbs, controls insect numbers by limiting their food source. Therefore, you limit the spider’s food source, making them want to leave.
Removing spiders
When a spider gets in, and they will, do not kill it. An animal should not die simply for living. Spiders are natural pest control and members of the ecosystem. If you see one, get a cup, slide some paper under it and gently release it outside. You can always ask a partner or flatmate to escort your arachnid guest out.
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