While the warmer spring weather is great for many reasons, the increased risk of seeing a bug in your house is not one of them. Despite most of them being pretty harmless, the last thing you want is to be relaxing at home and seeing a spider scuttle across the floor.
Sadly, the higher temperatures and more time spent with windows and doors open means this will become more of a problem as the season progresses. However, you don’t have to avoid letting in the fresh air if you want to avoid bugs entering your home. According to one cleaning expert on TikTok, there’s one natural item that is very effective at keeping them at bay.
Lifestyle influencer and mum Chantel Mila on TikTok says you can stop spiders and insects from entering your home this spring by cleaning with one product that they don’t like the smell of.
This should be enough to repel them effectively, meaning your home will be bug-free even if you like to keep the windows open.
And the secret lies in the scent of citrus – orange, to be exact.
By using orange oil in your cleaning routine, you can effectively banish pests as many of them hate the smell of the citrus fruits. You can buy a bottle for just £2 from Sainsbury’s, and add a few drops to your normal cleaning products.
Then, simply clean as normal, targeting areas where bugs are most likely to enter or gather, such as windows, doors and walls. Not only will this ensure your house is insect-free, but it’ll also add a gorgeous summery scent.
However, it’s not just oranges and other citrus fruits that pests will steer clear of. Another popular way to keep them away from your home is to use peppermint oil, and Chantel suggested a very effective way to do do this.
Just grab some cotton wool balls and add a couple of drops of peppermint oil before putting them in your vacuum and cleaning as normal. Again, you should focus on areas like door and window sealants, as this is a main point of entry for those pesky bugs.
Rats and mice aren’t fans of this scent either, so if you’re dealing with a rodent problem as well, then this product is all you need to repel any unwanted visitors without relying on harsh chemicals.