I tried Aldi’s viral spider catcher and it saved my home

Although many of us will have started decorating our houses for autumn with knitted pumpkins and vanilla-scented candles, you’ve probably found a few long-legged insects putting their own spin on things around your bedroom or living room.

That’s because in late summer to early autumn (September to mid-October) spiders are known to appear the most during this time of year to make their way into people's homes in search of mates.

But this year, I was determined to get ahead of them invading my personal space so when I saw Aldi’s viral spider catcher (priced at £8.99) was back, I had to give it a go.

@costoflivingcrisistips #costoflivingcrisis #aldi #spiders #aldispecialbuys #spiderseason ♬ original sound - Cost Of Living Crisis Tips

The main reason I was intrigued about this was because (for once) getting rid of the unwelcome guests didn’t seem to involve using any chemicals or sprays.

Do spider catchers work?

The good news is, my fellow arachnophobes, it really does work (remarkably well as these kinds of gadgets go), and if you have avoided trying the spider catcher because you don’t want to kill them in the process, you don’t need to worry about that.

Measuring 60cm long, I can safely say no nook or cranny was left unturned and you don't need to be anywhere near the webby areas or spiders in the process of using it.

The Aldi spider catcher actually keeps the insects trapped (Image: Molly Court/Newsquest)

After practising with the fake plastic spider the product comes with, I blitzed every corner, skirting board and shelf in my home, using the catcher’s humane (and very long soft bristles) which delicately held the insects without harming them, just like it says on the tin (or cardboard packaging in this case).

The Aldi spider catcher simply looks like a bright orange and green litter picker, but it has a firm grip, meaning once the bristles are forced open by squeezing the leaver, the insect is swept into the brush end and it isn’t going anywhere until the leaver is released.

But as there are gaps for the spiders to sit in, they aren't going to be crushed to death either.

It just holds them in place before you take the insects outside, where you release the trigger to let the spiders free, in the hopes they will spin their next web far, far away in the bottom of the garden.

This is how I store my Aldi spider catcher (Image: Molly Court/Newsquest)

Recommended reading:

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• 8 scents you can use in and around your home to keep spiders away

​As mentioned above, what I particularly like about this gadget is the critters can be picked up (and remain caught) without needing to get up close and personal as it can reach up to 2 feet in front of you.

It’s also easy to store too, as it comes with a small green stick-on hook which you could attach inside cupboard doors or on the wall, meaning it’s easily accessible and you don’t need to go hunting for it in a hurry when you see a spider crawl across the room.

The spider catcher became available in all Aldi stores on August 22 while stock lasts.