The quickest and least-expensive solution is to make chewing on your deck an experience that squirrels find repellent. There are products for this, such as motion-activated devices that make noise, flash lights or spray water, as well as home recipes, such as concoctions that smell or taste repulsive.
Try sprinkling cayenne pepper, ground chili peppers, or pepper flakes around your plants when they are ready to bloom. Peppers have “capsaicin” which squirrels hate, so it's a natural squirrel deterrent. Or, make a pepper spray; you can mix dried pepper with apple cider vinegar.
Squirrels also chew things to gather material to build a nest. Wood especially makes a good base for them, so watch your wood siding, deck, attic beams and any other wood around your yard carefully. Squirrels are quite smart, and if there is something in their way that can be chewed through, they will do so.
Squirrels have strong noses and are not fans of pungent aromas like coffee, peppermint, apple cider vinegar, and soap. For an easy, low-cost solution, sprinkle leftover grounds in your garden, spritz vinegar on your vegetation, place soap shavings around your patio, and rub peppermint oil on your furniture.
Try spraying your plants and flowers with water and then sprinkling on pepper or peppermint oil to deter squirrels. If this technique seems to be keeping your yard or garden safe, reapply as frequently as needed! Don't forget to sprinkle these scents on again after storms too.
Most squirrels are repelled by the smell of peppermint and peppermint oil. Pleasing for our human noses, squirrels hate the smell of it. The strong scent of peppermint overwhelms their sensitive sense of smell so most squirrels and other rodents like mice give it a wide berth.
Now that we know more about them, we'll discuss the scents they hate! The scents on this list are: Peppermint Oil, Capsaicin, Coffee Grounds, White Vinegar, Garlic, Cinnamon, Predator Urine, Irish Springs Soap, Dryer Sheets, and Rosemary.
Cut back any overgrown landscaping near your deck, patio, or pool that wildlife may be using to hide or nest. Use motion-activated repellants to deter animals from coming near your patio or deck. These can also be used to keep animals from entering your backyard if they are positioned near a known entry point.
Believe it or not, mothballs are not a good remedy for repelling squirrels from your yard. They are harmful to the environment and can kill many insects and rodents, such as squirrels. Currently, it is illegal to use mothballs in your garden.
One solution is to put vinegar into a spray bottle and spray on the areas squirrels most commonly visit. Another option is to soak rags or cloths in the vinegar of your choosing and place them throughout your garden.
If you suspect something may be taking a bite out of your deck or wooden fixtures, here are a few insects to look out for. Termites: Of all the wood-eating/burrowing insects, this is the most dangerous. While they may not pose a physical threat, these colonizing pests can cause millions of dollars in damages.
Squirrel damage is seen on the corners of your upright post. Young squirrels are stupid and they will chew just about anything, including pressure-treated wood. On the other hand, pileated woodpecker's will pull the wood back as they look for boring insects.
Yes, Irish Spring soap can help to keep squirrels away. The scent of the soap is unpleasant for the animals and will prevent them from entering your home or yard. You can use either a liquid soap solution or shave bars of Irish Spring and sprinkle it around areas that squirrels are known to frequent.
Bait and Trap. If you're dealing with a squirrel infestation inside your attic, basement, or crawl spaces, one of the easiest ways to get rid of them is to use baiting and trapping methods. Most squirrel traps allow you to catch and release the squirrels, but there are also spring traps that will kill them.
To get a squirrel to stop chewing on something specific, make it taste bad. Commercial capsaicin or bitter apple sprays are effective. Rubbing the area with a very perfumey bar of soap will also work.
Under your decking looks like a wonderful place for a family of mice or rats to set up home. To stop rodents getting under your decking, use wood, mesh or chicken wire and run it along the entire edge between the boards and the ground.
Rodents — Mice, rats, and, to some extent, squirrels, can present a threat to the wood of homes in Aiken. Rodents chew on wood and other materials using strong teeth that are able to make impressive holes.
One of their most feared predators is the common fox. While you don't have to get a pet fox to keep squirrels out of your yard, you can create the illusion of a fox nearby. Fox urine can be purchased at almost any hunting and fishing supply store and is an excellent squirrel deterrent.
Coffee grounds will keep squirrels away from your garden because they do not like the smell. Simply sprinkle some fresh grounds on the soil surrounding your plants every two weeks. You can also try spraying your plants with a hot pepper spray for the same effect.
To protect your pet, use statues and silhouette cutouts of natural predators to scare squirrels away from your home. Fake owls, foxes and hawks may deter squirrels from venturing too close to your property. You may also use motion sensor floor lights to deter squirrels from your property at night.
According to experts, squirrels are repelled by the smell and texture of vapor rub! Do you have a Who Knew You Could suggestion?
Directions. Mix 1 quart of water with 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon of paprika, and 2 chopped jalapeño peppers.