Will powdered sulphur repel snakes?

No, it will not.

This decades-old belief seems to be one that will never fade away no matter how many times scientists prove it is a myth.

One of the largest experiments to bust this myth was conducted by researchers from University of Nebraska in the United States in 1995.

They caught 96 snakes and subjected all of them to barriers of powdered sulphur as well as naphthalene, another substance that people believe snakes avoid.

All 96 snakes in the experiment slithered across the sulphur and naphthalene, and the scientists added in their report that the snakes did not even display any sign of hesitation nor even cognisant of the chemicals.

Another scientist from University of Pennsylvania plainly wrote in his 1985 research report: "Sulfur is not effective at deterring snakes and is a waste of money".

Despite this, bags of snake repellent containing sulfur continue to be sold everywhere.

The best way to keep your house free of snakes is to just keep it clean and tidy and not leave piles of wood, metal scraps and leaves around, on top of making sure that the grass is always mowed.