SPIDER season is in full swing.
And while we’re all trying different tips and tricks to keep the creepy crawlies out of our houses, our cars are often forgotten.
However, according to one car expert, there’s a “spider hotspot” in every vehicle that could be housing tonnes of the little beasts.
“If you suffer from arachnophobia – aka, a fear of spiders – don’t be afraid of cleaning your vehicle’s interior regularly during spider season,” Graham Conway said.
“Spiders will naturally gravitate towards dark, sheltered spaces – which includes any discarded bags, wrappers and cartons you might have lying around.”
So by having a messy car, you’re effectively “rolling out the red carpet for arachnids”.
And don’t forget to get rid of stray items of clothing or shoes too, as they can be “another obvious place for spiders to potentially lurk”.
You should also give your car’s air vents a good clean regularly, because “this is another spider hotspot”, Graham, from Select Car Leasing, warned.
Another way you can keep spiders out of your car is by picking up an orange in your next supermarket shop.
Spiders are believed to “detest” the smell of citrus, Graham explained, which we can use to our advantage.
“You might try rubbing some lemon or orange peel around your window and door frames as a means to repel spiders,” he said.
“You could also leave the peel in the car overnight.”
But if you’re still finding more spiders than you would like in your car, it’s important to check if there’s an “obvious entry point into your vehicle that you’re missing”.
“The rubber seals around windows and boots might be a potential weak point, particularly if they’re perished or broken,” he continued.
“The good news here is that rubber seals are relatively inexpensive to replace.
“And it might sound obvious but make sure your windows are fully rolled-up, too, as even the smallest gap is enough to invite spiders inside.”
Even with all these tips, you may still encounter a creepy crawly in your car.
And if that happens, it’s vital to make sure you stay calm.
“Simply pull over when it’s safe to do so, rather than panicking and potentially causing a risk to other road users,” Graham said.
“If a spider encounter leads to a complete head loss behind the wheel, you could end up with a prosecution for careless driving – which means a fine of up to £2,500, nine points on your licence and even worse if anyone is injured as a result.”
