The Fragrant Nut You Can Leave Out To Keep Spiders Away

As September rolls in, so does spider mating season, so you'd better be prepared for these eight-legged guests to crash at your pad unannounced. But with autumn comes other flora and fauna, like chestnuts, which taste crunchy and bitter when raw but almost like a sweet potato in their cooked form. It's thought that the chestnut's shiny look actually spooks spiders and that they can't stand the smell of the nut's oil. As opposed to its toxic fauna friend, the horse chestnut (also called a conker in Great Britain), chestnuts are the festive Yuletide snack that's roasted over an open fire during the winter holiday season.

According to the myth, scattering chestnuts strategically around your home, both inside and out, will spook spiders into having second thoughts about forced entry. Chestnut believers state that you should place a few in areas that these eight-legged critters gravitate to, like baseboards, windowsills, and the backs of closets and cupboards. The smell and sight of this fragrant nut will cause the spider to gag and hot-foot it in the other direction. Remember that while edible, chestnuts can pose a choking hazard, so if you share a home with pets or children, you'll want to stay extra vigilant. 

While using chestnuts to frighten away spiders has its appeal, multiple studies have taken a swing at trying to prove that these tasty nuts scare off spiders, but they've mostly struck out. So if you're looking to get rid of spiders for good, it might be time to think outside the chestnut box. Spider invasions aren't a laughing matter, so along with your chestnuts, it's best to try mixing and matching a few other spider-busting methods. 

Certain smells are immediate turn-offs to spiders, so try using herbs or essential oils alongside your conkers — scents like lavender, tobacco, cinnamon, peppermint, tea tree, and lavender all make spiders cringe. Place a few drops of essential oils on a cotton ball and place it strategically alongside your chestnuts. If you prefer the crisp, clean scent of citrus, then combine your chestnut barriers with an all-natural citrus fruit spray. Spiders detest the aromatics given off from citrus fruits because they mask a spider's ability to locate food and potential mates. By combining chestnuts with something citrusy, you'll not only repel the spiders but also keep your home smelling fresh and clean.