This trick to get rid of spiders is all-natural – and good enough to eat

Spiders inevitably find their way into our homes sometimes, but what if you're seeing more of them than usual? As temperatures cool, some spiders will gravitate towards the warmth of our houses, and any insects that may be sheltering inside. And while one or two spiders in your house are completely harmless, if you have too many for comfort, you may wish to come up with an effective deterrent strategy. 

The following hack uses nothing but an ingredient you most likely already have in your kitchen: cinnamon. Read on to find out what to do with it to repel spiders.

Find more advice on how to get rid of house spiders in our guide.

How to get rid of spiders using cinnamon

Yes: spiders hate the smell of cinnamon. We'll tell you outright what won't work, though: cinnamon-scented candles. While they're good for fragrancing your home, they don't really work against spiders. What you need is proper, all-natural cinnamon quills that you use in cooking. 

Position the quills strategically where spiders have been seen. This might be unpleasant if you don't like them, but you'll need to watch the spiders in your house to figure out where they're coming in from. 

If spiders have been nesting in your door or window frames, you'll need some ground cinnamon, sprinkling some carefully into the gaps. You do need to be careful with white window frames, though, because cinnamon can stain – avoid any cinnamon getting on the outside of the window where it gets wet from the rain. 

How long will cinnamon work to deter spiders?

A couple of months; after that, the quills will start losing their natural scent. You don't have to replace them immediately: see if the spiders come back (they probably won't if it's winter by then). 

Is cinnamon safe around pets?

Yes! The great news is that cinnamon isn't toxic to dogs or cats, so even if your dog ends up chewing it or your cat playing with it, they'll be fine. Another pleasantly surprising feature of cinnamon? It'll deter ants as well as spiders. A magical spice.

Read more:

• How to get rid of flies
• How to get rid of ants