Pest experts recommend this unusual boiled lemon trick to keep spiders out of your house this autumn

Pest experts want you to boil your lemon peels this autumn if you want to ward off spiders from your home.

If you’ve landed on this page, it’s no doubt because you’re looking for ways to get rid of spiders. And who can blame you? While not harmless, spiders are a huge phobia for many adults in the UK, which doesn’t exactly make them welcome visitors.

Luckily, several scents deter spiders without harming them, and citrus (lemon) is one of them. This is everything you need to know about using lemon peels to keep spiders out of your home.

Why do spider hate the smell of lemon?

As the temperature starts to drop, spiders start looking for warmer, cosier places to live, such as our homes, which is why you may have seen a sudden increase in spiders in your property. Spiders are very sensitive to certain smells, so they will avoid areas that smell of particular scents, such as citrus.

(Image credit: Future PLC/Polly Eltes)

‘Citrus oils contain compounds like limonene and citral, which are natural insect repellents. These compounds interfere with spiders’ sensory receptors, overwhelming their senses and acting as a deterrent. Additionally, they can affect the spider’s nervous system, making the environment unpleasant or even harmful for them,’ explains Daniel Steward, Managing Director at Shield Pest Control.

Similarly to how spiders don’t like peppermint, citrus is too overwhelming a scent to be around, which makes your home feel uninhabitable to them.

How to use lemon to deter spiders

It’s really easy to use lemon to deter spiders, too. You can choose from two methods, according to Daniel, including boiling lemon peel to help make a scented spray to use around your home.

(Image credit: Future/Phil Barker)

‘You can place fresh lemon peels around your home in areas where spiders tend to appear, such as windowsills, doorways, and corners. To keep the scent strong, replace the peels every two to three days. Alternatively, dry the lemon peels and place them in small cloth bags to position around these same spots,’ he says.

‘Another effective method is to make a lemon peel spray: boil 1-2 lemon peels in water for 10 to 15 minutes, then let the mixture cool and strain out the peels. Pour the lemon-infused water into a spray bottle and use it to spray baseboards, windowsills, and corners where spiders are likely to be found.’

It’s important to remember that a scent deterrent is a temporary measure, so you will have to keep repeating the method if you want it to continue to be effective. However, it is an effective choice if you want to deter spiders without using harsh chemicals in your home. And alongside using sprays, you’ll want to remove clutter, as spiders hide here, and seal any entry points.

Would you try this non-toxic method this autumn? Let us know how you get on in the comments below.