As summer approaches, the annual battle against bugs and spiders entering homes commences. Not only do the rising temperatures mean that insects are more active, but we are more likely to want to open our windows to let in fresh air - which can help the critters find a way in.

A new hack using a piece of cutlery and a cloth has been praised for being able to help keep bugs outside of the house. Dirty door tracks (the bottom part of your front or back door frames) can be a “breeding ground for bugs”, cleaning expert Chantel Mila said. You can wrap a microfibre cloth around a blunt knife to get into the crevices and clean them out, the influencer told her 1.5 million TikTok followers. The nooks and crannies will collect dirt, grime, and even bits of food which can attract bugs.

Peppermint oil can also be a useful tool in ridding your house of bugs. Mila recommends putting it on cotton balls and placing them in your bin under the liner.

You can also put them inside your vacuum to “make your whole house smell like peppermint”, but should avoid doing this if you have pets.

Spiders “hate the smell of orange oil”, Mila said, so you can use it to wash your walls and floors. If you have pets you can use white vinegar instead, she advised.

Pestco, a pest control company, said flies are also repelled by peppermint oil and suggested adding a few drops to the wick of a candle before lighting it - as this will go a “long way” in spreading the scent around a room.

It added that peppermint oil is most effective when used against soft-bodied insects.

To repel insects from entering your home through windows, you can place fresh mint in water-filled jars on your window sills.

Rosemary can also be useful in keeping bugs away, with Mila saying: “Spiders hate the smell of rosemary, so boil lemon and rosemary on your stove to make your home smell incredible.” You can then use the extra water as a spray on your windows.

Mila’s other home hacks include adding salt to a load of black laundry to prevent colour fading, rubbing candle wax on taps to prevent hard water marks, and applying shaving foam to a mirror to make it shine.

She also suggests cleaning your bathtub with a mop to help reduce back ache, cleaning suede with micellar water on a cotton pad, and deodorising your sink by adding baking soda to a lemon half and scrubbing.