People urged to boil lemon peels in water to deter spiders

Households are being encouraged to boil lemon peel in order to deter spiders this autumn <i>(Image: Getty Images)</i>
Households are being encouraged to boil lemon peel in order to deter spiders this autumn (Image: Getty Images)
This article is brought to you by our exclusive subscriber partnership with our sister title USA Today, and has been written by our American colleagues. It does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald.

UK households are being encouraged to boil lemon peels in water this autumn if they want to deter spiders from sticking around.

This comes amid the return of spider season, which starts in the early part of September and lasts until around mid-October.

It sees the critters seeking indoor refuge for shelter and mating, which isn't great news if you aren't a fan of them.

However, there are a few simple ways to try and ward them off/prevent them from entering your home.



Several tactics can be used with regular household items, such as lemon peels.

How boiling lemon peels can help keep spiders out of your home

According to The Express, spiders have a sensitive sense of smell and don’t enjoy strong aromas, especially citrus fruits like lemon.

Therefore, you can utilise this by making a homemade spray solution to spritz around your home to help deter the creatures from entering.

Experts at The Happy House Cleaning Service suggest soaking lemon peels in boiling water, along with a few drops of essential oil.

Then leave this solution overnight before transferring it to a spray bottle.



They add: "Spiders hate citrus fruits! You can easily prepare green repellent by squeezing half a lemon and mixing it with water.

"Pour this liquid in a spray bottle and spray around the house. 

“Spiders usually nest in wall cracks, corners of the walls, and the hidden, dark places – behind cabinets and wardrobes, heavy pieces of furniture, corners of walls and ceilings, cracks in wooden flooring.

“Another way to get rid of spiders is to sun dry citrus fruits peels and grind them in a food processor.


Recommended reading:


"Sprinkle this powder around the house once every week and the spiders will soon disappear.

"You can use grapefruit, orange, lemon or lime peels, or mix of all of them."

It’s also recommended that you simply rub lemon peels along your windowsills and floors, and leave the peels out to discourage spiders.

Get involved
with the news

Send your news & photos