Spider-proof your house and garden

Do spiders give you the creeps? Surprisingly, most spiders are harmless and although no one likes spider webs, these creepy crawlies actually help keep your home free from other insects. But no matter what, no one likes a spider hanging around the house — pun intended.

Committed to keep your house and garden eight-legged critter free? Try these easy tips…

1. Remove webs

Regularly check for and remove spider webs from about your house and garden to prevent them from creating new webs and reproducing in your home.

2. Use oils & candles

Use cinnamon candles and spray eucalyptus and lemon/orange oil in areas where you often see webs. Spiders don’t like the strong odours such as cinnamon, eucalyptus and citrus and that should keep them away. They also dislike the scent of mint, so you can try that too.

3. Limit lighting

Insects are attracted to lights and spiders eat insects. So to keep the spiders out, turn off lights in unused rooms. No spider food, no spider.

4. Spray white vinegar

White vinegar has so many uses and apparently, it can repel spiders too! Fill a spray bottle with vinegar and water, and spray cracks and crevices around your home to keep them out.

5. Get a pet

Most dogs and most cats will chase anything that moves and they could be good spider deterrents.

6. Fill in gaps

Spider-proof your house by filling in the gaps between walls and under doors where possible to prevent spiders from moving in. Lots of hardware stores sell those door seals that also help insulate your home.

7. Apply insecticide

To prevent spiders from entering your house, apply an insecticide to the perimeters of your home. You can buy them at Bunnings and similar places or alternatively call in pest control.

8. Maintain a clean house

Yup, they love hiding in little nooks and crannies of clutter and you already know that. So to prevent spiders from moving in, vacuum regularly. Also keep piles of wood and other debris in your garden to a minimum and store these as far as possible from your house.

Since we’re on the subject of spiders, it might be a good idea for you to be able to recognise poisonous spiders and harmless ones.

How do you get rid of spiders? Do you have lots of them around your house?