Households urged to put orange peel by windows, doors and in bins

Households across the UK are being urged to put orange peel by their windows, doors and in bins to help keep spiders away.

Spider mating season is now well underway having kicked off in early September, but the season typically runs until mid-October or early November, so there's still a while to go until the eight-legged creatures retreat into hiding for the winter. It's at this time of the year when spiders head indoors in search of shelter and a mate, which is bad news for arachnophobes. The creatures find their way into homes through any cracks, gaps and crevices they can find, but there are things you can do to deter them and keep your home spider-free.

While the obvious solution is to seal up any cracks and keep your windows and doors shut as much as possible, particularly when you have the lights on inside, there is an extra layer of defence you can use to keep them at bay - and all you need is some orange peel.

Spiders don't like strong citrus smells so orange peel is a great deterrent because of its strong acidic aroma, and it can easily be scattered around your home. Simply place the peel on windowsills, in a bowl in the kitchen, and even in bins, and the scent should deter spiders from entering.

Experts at Enviroliteracy explain: "Orange peels can help to repel spiders. Spiders are known to dislike strong citrus scents, and the compounds found in orange peels can be an effective, natural deterrent.

"While not a guaranteed solution for complete spider eradication, using orange peels is a low-cost and environmentally friendly way to make your home less attractive to these eight-legged visitors.

"Spiders rely heavily on their senses, particularly the tiny hairs on their legs, to detect vibrations and smells. Strong odours, like those emitted by citrus fruits, can overwhelm their senses, causing them to avoid the area."

It's also be a good idea to use citrus scented cleaners around your home to discourage spiders from entering, or use a few drops of essential oils containing orange around your windows and doors.

Alternatively, you could make your own homemade solution by soaking orange peels in boiling water, along with a few drops of essential oil, and leave this overnight before transferring into a spray bottle.

Experts at Lake Norman Pest add: "If you have oranges at home and you tend to throw the peels, better stop doing it, especially if you have spiders at home. Orange peels help in repelling spiders, and it will not cost you much.

"The crawling insect is not friends with citrus scents, and it can be the most effective solution for your problem. You only have to cut the peel in chunks and place it inside a container with boiling water. Soak the orange peel overnight and place the extract on a bottle and spray it on places where spiders are usually hiding.

"If you don't have orange peels, you can also use grapefruit and lemon. Whatever citrus fruits you have, spiders don't like it, and you can use it to drive them away completely."