Drivers across the UK are being urged to put sticks of cinnamon inside their cars this autumn to keep spiders out.
Spider season is officially underway in the UK, kicking off in early September and running until mid-autumn or early November. While you’re most likely to spot spiders scurrying around your home as they come out in search of shelter and a mate, they can also take up residence inside the warmth of your car. As such, it’s well worth putting some deterrents in place to stop them from sneaking inside your vehicle and causing you a fright while behind the wheel.
According to car expert Lee Caroline, from car scrap company LJC Autospares, drivers who are distracted by a spider in their car while on the road could be handed a fine of up to £1,000 for driving without due care and attention. This can then increase up to £2,500 for careless driving if the distraction leads to an accident, as well as nine penalty points on your licence.
To help avoid any incidents, drivers are urged to make use of natural deterrents during spider season this autumn, including placing cinnamon sticks inside their car.
Spiders are very sensitive to smells and dislike strong scents like cinnamon, so it’s a good aroma to utilise inside your car to keep them out.
Cinnamon contains cinnamaldehyde which irritates the sensitive hairs on spider’s legs and deters them from entering the area where the scent is present.
So placing cinnamon sticks around your car, such as on the dashboard, in your car door, in the boot, or in corners on the floor, can be an effective deterrent.
Lee explains: "Spiders are put off by certain potent scents, so introducing aromas like citrus, peppermint, and tea tree into your car's interior through an air freshener may help deter them. Another scent spiders hate is cinnamon, so placing cinnamon-scented air fresheners or regular sticks in your car can also be an effective solution.
"Keeping your car clean both inside and out is important for deterring spiders and getting rid of the insects they feed on, such as flies. Spiders will naturally gravitate towards dark, sheltered spaces, which include any discarded bags, wrappers and cartons you might have lying around.
"Leftover food can attract insects, which in turn attract spiders. When cleaning the interior, white vinegar can serve as an effective cleaner and repellent."
You can also try using a cinnamon scented air freshener in your car, scatter some ground cinnamon around key entry points, or make a homemade spray solution using a couple of teaspoons of ground cinnamon, or cinnamon scented essential oil, and mixing this with water.
Allow the solution to steep for several hours and then strain the mixture into a spray bottle to remove any clumps before spritzing it around your car.
Experts at Advanced Motoring said: "Spiders are not keen on some strong scents so purposely putting these scents in and around your car could help them stay away.
"You can make your own scented solution by mixing essential oils with water and spraying it around your car’s interiors or investing in an air-freshener."
They added: "A staple ingredient in pumpkin-spiced lattes and the festive season, why not get ahead of the trend and place some cinnamon sticks in your car doors, which will make your car smell lovely and is a great solution for those who don’t like the smell of essential oils."
