The recent rainfall will have destroyed many webs and spiders will be hard at work rebuilding them as the drier weather kicks in. Those looking to get back out in the garden this weekend and enjoy the sunshine may find webs built around their outdoor furniture, especially rattan furniture which provides spiders with the perfect combination of warmth and structure to build their webs.

Removing the webs using outdoor brooms, wired brushes and pressure washers can damage furniture, fences and decking by scratching surfaces, chipping paint, stripping protective coatings and causing unnecessary wear. Instead, the experts advise taking a cloth or old sock onto the end of a broom or stick to gently sweep away the webs.

Kym Barlow from TDP said: “It doesn’t sound like a big deal but removing cobwebs with brushes and brooms can damage your garden furniture. Using them on decking and fences can disrupt paint and treatment applied previously which can make them more vulnerable to weather damage later in the year.

“There’s been a decent amount of rain recently which means spiders will find their webs have been destroyed and they’ll be looking to make new ones as the weather remains dry. They tend to gravitate towards furniture like chairs, sofas and tables because they provide a sturdy base. They also favour rattan furniture thanks to its woven design which gives spiders plenty of anchor points and sheltered spots.

“Our favourite way for removing spider webs and dirt and debris in general is to take something soft like a cloth or a duster and gently sweep it away. For higher or harder to reach places you can attach a cloth or even an old sock onto the end of a broom and carefully wipe away webs.”