Spiders will flee and your home will smell amazing when wiped with 1 natural item

Spiders can be a common occurrence in many UK households this autumn, with the insects looking for shelter from the cold and food to sustain themselves. The colder months are rife for dealing with spiders, so one cleaning fan shared how she keeps them at bay while also helping to give her home a fresh scent to enjoy.

Instead of using chemical bug sprays, Chantel Mila, better known as Mama Mila on TikTok, utilised essential oils as a natural remedy for cleaning. To help your home smell amazing at the same time, she recommended peppermint oil for its cleaning and bug-repellent abilities. This is what you'll need to do.

Next time you're cleaning your house, mix a solution of water and washing up liquid with an added splash of peppermint essential oil. This can be applied to floors and walls with a cloth of mop.

The scent from the essential oil will not only help freshen up your home's smell, but also has the added benefit of warding any pesky insects, such as spiders. When mixing the solution, add between 15 to 20 drops of peppermint essential oil.

The Spruce explained that it's unclear why spiders detest peppermint so much. One theory behind this is because spiders smell and taste with their legs, so they will avoid surfaces with strong odours.

Zoflora explained that spiders aren't fans of strong scents, including citrus, tea-tree, lavender, rose or cinnamon, all of which have strong scents. The Spruce further explained that another theory behind their dislike is down to a chemical compound - monoterpenoids - found in essential oils, which act as a fumigant.

If you're also looking to get rid of spiders completely, you can also try adding salt to the mix. When spiders come into contact with salt - or the salty solution - it draws out the moisture away from the pest's exoskeleton and internal tissues, potentially causing it to dry out and die.

Some websites suggest that salt can also be used as a natural insecticide, potentially killing spiders by disrupting their internal processes.