Best Way to Keep Squirrels Out of Your House

If you buy an item via links on this page, we may earn a commission. Our editorial content is not influenced past commissions. Read the full disclosure.

It was a common cold winter virtually iii years ago when my female parent-in-constabulary and her best friend decided to take a trip to the city to go buy crochet textile.

When they made it, her car began giving them some trouble so they took it took a mechanic shop nearby to have them check it out.

Well, what they found was hysterical (simply slightly embarrassing for her.) Squirrels had begun hiding their winter stash nether the hood of her car. The car had nuts in its air filter and a few other places. This was giving her machine fits. (Nut allergies)

Yet, in one case the acorns were removed, her car was fine.

Now, you lot have to know when this happened we lived downward a private clay road manner back in the woods. Our area was flooded with squirrels.

So beyond the fact that squirrels can exist a nuisance for your garden and bird feeders, they can likewise give you some troubles around your abode equally well by hiding things in your auto or even getting into your attic or chimney.

Which is why I'd like to share a few tips with you on how to discourage squirrels from your belongings. Hither they are:

How to Rid Your Property of Squirrels

i. Hide the Nutrient

Whether yous live in the woods where nature provides squirrels' nutrient, or y'all live on a booming property where yous've planted lots of delicious treats that squirrels honey, you're going to have to hide the nutrient.

But why?

Well, because if there is nutrient merely hanging effectually, and then a squirrel is going to encounter it every bit a means of survival and exist drawn to information technology.

In our example, we lived in the woods where we had lots of acorn trees. If we didn't want squirrels we had to exist persistent with scooping up the acorns then the squirrels wouldn't come up to our m looking for food.

Nor would they be tempted to hibernate on our property either (or use our cars as a food storage space.)

If yous have copse that produce nuts or acorns, then rake them up. If you have berries just lying around on the ground endeavor to rake those upwards as well.

Finally, if you have a trash can that is exterior, and so you'll have to exist sure that squirrels tin can't open up it and forage through. Otherwise, your trash will get a food source.

2. Your Four-Legged Friends

When we lived on our smaller homestead down the dusty individual dirt road manner back in the wood, we likewise had an ambrosial English Bulldog. She was a great protector. If anyone came downwardly that road beside the mail service lady, they didn't make it far before they met her.

Naturally, squirrels were no dissimilar. My mother-in-law lived right across the street from the states at the time so our canis familiaris patrolled our yard and hers. If a squirrel was nearby, they weren't for long because our precious Trudy, our bulldog, would quickly hunt them up a tree and away from the property.

Not to mention, information technology was a nifty practice for her too.

So if you lot have a squirrel problem, so consider getting a dog. Almost dogs will chase them abroad from your belongings, and it is pretty entertaining to sentinel.

iii. Muy Caliente

Squirrels are non a fan of spicy foods. Who knew, right?

They aren't. If you don't want a squirrel on your belongings, so simply sprinkle black pepper or cayenne pepper around your holding. They will catch a whiff or a gustatory modality of that spiciness and caput for the hills.

Not to mention, this is an inexpensive set up that the materials can be easily located in the spice aisle. This makes it a great selection for nearly anyone.

4. To Feed or Not to Feed?

There has been a bitter debate for years equally to whether starving squirrels off of your property is the best bet, or just feeding them something dissimilar that you know they like in the hope that they'll leave your plants solitary.

I'thou going to weigh in a fleck on that argument. It all depends on what your end goal is. If you are an gorging gardener and are looking to rid your holding of squirrels because they keep earthworks everything up, so you may take some luck with offering them an alternative food source.

Yous'll demand to be sure to put different nuts around the base of operations of a tree or somewhere else that it is easily attainable.

However, if you are in a situation like nosotros were, where their presence on our property was causing an overall issue, then you might have to rid your holding of anything that they could possibly munch on.

Afterwards all, if there is no food source then why would they come up? If you lot can't get rid of every food source, then keep reading for tips on how to make that food source inaccessible to them.

5. Protect Your Bird Feeders

My parents alive in a house in the woods. They often battle squirrels like you wouldn't believe. Squirrels are definitely animals that could laissez passer every bit acrobats. The things they do in gild to reach their food!

And the times nosotros have seen these squirrels do acrobatic things to accomplish a bird feeder that my parents had hanging out on their deck. It is insane to watch.

You'll have to protect your bird feeders for this very reason because they will view it every bit an open nutrient source.

So think not to place your bird feeders anywhere well-nigh a tree. Instead, effort to identify it on a pole.

Then you'll have to buy a squirrel guard to go effectually the pole of your feeder.

Finally, fill your feeder with safflower seeds. The birds don't listen them, but the squirrels find their flavor very bitter and not very appetizing.

six. Put Upwards a Argue

We've already discussed how squirrels are similar tiny little acrobats. If you lot make up one's mind to debate off your garden or another surface area to keep squirrels out, you lot'll take to put a tall fence around any constitute that you lot want to protect.

Also, consider adding some of the other options listed hither to fully protect your crops because even if you exercise argue off your garden, chances are the squirrels will however notice a way in.

However, it is a solid beginning step when combined with some other options.

7. Put Things in Movement

If you lot desire to keep squirrels out of your yard without actually harming them, then you'll have to consider this pick.

Basically, you'll install motion activated sprinklers. This will startle the squirrels as they run across your g and will probably quit coming back if information technology scares them bad plenty.

This might be a good gear up to go along with a fence to ensure that the squirrels get the message that they aren't welcome on your holding.

8. Clean Out Your Attic

Do you accept squirrels that get into your attic? If so, that has to exist very annoying and feel quite intrusive. Yous can utilize some of the tips here to go them out of your attic.

However, it is also important to remember that if they are in your attic, there is something drawing them in that location.

Be certain that there are no food items in your attic that could potentially be what is drawing their attention.

9. Chimney Cap

Did y'all know some people have bug with squirrels coming down their chimney? Yeah, as funny equally it may sound, some people have squirrels using their chimney equally a door into their home.

So if you lot are someone that has this problem, y'all may have to consider investing in a chimney cap. This will forestall squirrels from crawling down inside the chimney and should solve this problem.

x. Requite them a Rope Ladder

If you have squirrels that crawl in and out of your chimney, and you aren't a big fan of a chimney cap, then you'll need an alternative option.

And then if y'all give the squirrels a rope ladder on the outside of your chimney, and so this will at least make information technology to where they tin become out.

Then you won't accept squirrels trapped (or worse dying) within of your chimney.

11. Mulch

If squirrels visit your home to dig up your plants and bulbs, in that location is 1 way around this. You can actually mulch effectually the bulbs.

There is something near the experience of the mulch that squirrels don't seem to exist a big fan of. Nosotros actually mulched all around our garden beds a few years ago. This deterred squirrels quite well because they wouldn't walk on it to become to the beds.

Requite it a endeavour and come across what you call back.

12. Netting

I mentioned before that you should hibernate the food from the squirrels. However there are some plants that you can't but rake up effectually.

For instance, if you take drupe bushes. Raking up the berries is difficult because they plough into a squishy mess, and you still accept to worry about the ones that are producing on the establish.

In those cases, netting is a great option because and so you can nonetheless abound what you want without having to worry about the squirrels taking it.

xiii. Greenhouse

If you are worried virtually squirrels eating your garden, then you should actually consider building a greenhouse.

And so y'all tin can grow for extended periods of time, and yous don't have to worry about those pesky petty buggers taking your harvest.

Here are some swell ideas for greenhouses that you lot may really enjoy.

xiv. Minty Fresh

Isn't it odd how much we as humans enjoy fresh mint and other minty flavored items, but then you have and so many animals and insects that despise that flavor?

Well, squirrels are the exact same way. They don't relish the minty flavor or olfactory property. Therefore, if you have a squirrel problem, consider planting some mint to keep them at bay.

xv. Live Trap

My parents had a raccoon problem at their house. They had a large detached garage they refer to as the 'warehouse.'

Well, the warehouse has ofttimes been a place where wild animals like to go and hang out. This includes raccoons. They got sick of finding trash tore upwards and constant nastiness in their garage.

Then they purchased a live trap. They'd catch them and so have them down to the river and release them. That way no harm came to the critter, and they didn't have a mess in their garage any longer.

Well, the same rule tin apply to squirrels. If you want them gone simply don't desire to injure them, then consider buying a live trap.

Then y'all can take hold of them and release them somewhere far from your property.

16. Stop the Digging

If you've ever had a squirrel problem on your holding, then you lot probably know that squirrels will dig until they go what they desire out of the footing.

We learned this lesson the hard way 1 year when nosotros planted corn. Those petty squirrels came and dug up every single piece we planted.

Yet, if you take larger plants or bulbs that yous'd like to protect from their excavation, and then consider putting chicken wire in the footing effectually them.

Then when the squirrels dig it volition hurt their feet and discourage them from digging up your plants and bulbs.

17. Purchase a Repellent

If you would like to just spray something that yous tin purchase at the store that volition simply deter squirrels from your property, then you can actually buy squirrel repellent.

However, exist advised there are 2 different types. The first type has a black pepper or cayenne pepper base to it. This can be directly sprinkled or sprayed on your bird feeder as it won't damage the birds.

The squirrels won't like it and so they'll stay abroad.

However, if you take an event where squirrels are just running the show on your belongings and digging at more just a bird feeder, so you lot may want to consider the second type of repellent. It is urine-based.

Basically, manufacturers take the urine of predators of squirrels and make a repellent from it. You can spray this around your property and keep squirrels at bay.

18. Prune

Finally, consider pruning whatsoever trees that are near your domicile. This will hinder squirrels from jumping onto your house or bird feeders.

This means the less leverage they have to get to the food sources they desire, unremarkably the easier they will be to rid from your property.

So now y'all are armed with almost 20 different methods to rid your belongings of squirrels. That means you accept lots of options to defeat the well-nigh stubborn of squirrels on your property.

Was this article helpful?

Yes No

brewershoothe.blogspot.com

Source: https://morningchores.com/how-to-get-rid-of-squirrels/