Top tips for keeping spiders out of your new home

If you’ve recently moved into a new home, you’ll probably be asking your friends and family around for a housewarming party. But as we enter autumn, you may have noticed an increase in the number of eight-legged visitors who most certainly haven’t been invited.

Despite the old adage, ‘they are more scared of you’, this is cold comfort for those who are terrified of arachnids.

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For home owners who have noticed an increase in spiders emerging from their house’s nooks and crannies, NHBC, the UK's leading new home warranty and insurance provider, have compiled some advice to help dissuade spiders from moving in.

Fill a spray bottle with a mixture of roughly half water and half white vinegar. Avoiding varnished surfaces, spray the mixture in corners and cracks. Alternatively, as strong smells are believed to deter spiders, try mixing natural oils like peppermint, lavender, rose oil, tea-tree and cinnamon into spray bottles and follow the same method.Seal off your home by filling cracks and crevices around doors and windows which spiders could crawl through.Do you still have cardboard boxes around from your move? If so, spiders like these, so where possible, empty and dispose of them. Try to use plastic boxes as an alternative storing solution.Plant mint, lavender or both underneath or near windows as the strong smells will deter spiders.Spiders also dislike citrus, so rub peel from lemons or limes along skirting boards and window sills. You can also try lemon-scented cleaners and furniture polish.It has been said that spiders hate garlic, so place crushed cloves into a spray bottle filled with water and spritz in corners, floors and skirting boards.Dust and vacuum regularly to get rid of webs and de-clutter your house as much as possible to reduce the number of places a spider can hide.

Further advice for homeowners on property maintenance and other issues can be found on NHBC’s new homes website

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