November is the time when most of us are tucked up indoors, which makes it all the more unpleasant to spot a sudden flash of movement and realise there is a spider lurking nearby. As the weather turns colder, many people do not realise that small critters like flies often move inside to hibernate, hiding in the dark corners of rooms where they are hard to spot.
Spiders move into homes as they are attracted to the readily available food source, and tend to be more noticeable than other insects due to their large size. It can actually be really useful to have one or two spiders in a home, but if you really cannot stand them, there is an easy way to keep them away that only takes about five minutes. Anna Sharples, an expert from Solane & Sons, has shared a simple method to repel spiders: simply sprinkle a little cinnamon around your house.
She said: “Ground cinnamon has a scent that spiders hate, making it an effective deterrent. However, note that cinnamon-scented candles won’t serve the same purpose. Instead, opt for natural cinnamon sticks or quills typically used in cooking.”
It might sound a little strange if you have never tried it, but cinnamon sticks contain compounds which naturally repel many insects, as the scent really irritates them.
Spiders use tiny hairs on their legs to detect smells in the air, and cinnamon can overwhelm their sensory organs, discouraging them from staying in an area.
Cinnamon will also mask the scent trails, making it difficult for spiders to navigate and search for food, which will cause them to quickly move along.
This is an easy and quick way to keep most insects, but especially spiders, away this winter, while also making your home smell wonderful in time for the Christmas holidays.
How to use cinnamon to keep spiders and other insects out of your home
All you need to do is place some cinnamon sticks in areas spiders tend to frequent, like near windows, dark corners of rooms and behind furniture.
Make sure to also put some in your bathroom or kitchen, as the humidity can attract small insects, which will also encourage spiders.
It is worth noting that cinnamon can stain, so place a piece of paper underneath the sticks if you are placing them on a white windowsill or a light-coloured carpet.
You do not have to replace the cinnamon, as it can last months, so it should keep all creepy crawlies away for most of winter.
However, insects tend to enter the home if there is a food source, so be sure to clean up any crumbs and dust in the corners of rooms to keep them away for good.