Although most people think these critters are cute, a squirrel infestation is a potential disaster. Squirrels and chipmunks cause damage to your garden and eat the birdseed from your bird feeders. Homeowners must know how to get rid of squirrels in their garden and crawl spaces.
If you have a squirrel problem, you do not need to hire pest control services. There are several exceptional DIY methods to keep squirrels out of your backyard. The most efficient way to get rid of squirrels depends on your personal preference. Whether you want to simply repel squirrels or are interested in baiting and trapping these critters, we show you the best way.
Not only do squirrels infest your backyard and bird feeders, but they also find entry points in the eaves of your house and live in your attic. When squirrels make their way into an attic, they live in the walls of your home and destroy your insulation.
- Learning How to Identify Squirrels
- How to Get Rid of Squirrels with Cayenne Pepper
- Do Not Feed Squirrels to Prevent an Infestation
- Get Rid of Squirrels in Your Attic Space with Live Traps
- Mulch is the Best Way to Get Rid of Squirrels in Your Garden
- Building a Fence is One of the Natural Ways to Get Rid of Squirrels
- Use Automatic Sprinklers to Scare Squirrels
- Prevent a Squirrel Invasion by Not Planting Trees
- Repel Squirrels with the Scent of Peppermint
- Eliminate Squirrels with Apple Cider Vinegar
- Plant Flowers to Get Rid of Squirrels
- Get Rid of Squirrels with Coffee Grounds
- Learning How to Remove Squirrels from Your Attic
Learning How to Identify Squirrels
The first step in squirrel control is to know how to identify them. Ground squirrels are about a foot in length, have a bushy tail, and are either brown or gray.
Another way to know that you have squirrels in your attic space or backyard is to find droppings in the area. There are several excellent natural ways to get rid of squirrels, and we provide you with step by step solutions.
How to Get Rid of Squirrels with Cayenne Pepper
If squirrels are eating the plants in your flower beds, cayenne pepper is an excellent repellent. Cayenne pepper is the best way to get rid of chipmunks and squirrels in your garden.
The spices in cayenne pepper are too hot for squirrels to consume, and the foul taste drives the critters away. Sprinkle a little cayenne pepper around the base of your flower beds and over the tops of your plants.
This natural squirrel repellent allows you to avoid using squirrel traps while also maintaining your garden. Cayenne pepper, capsaicin, or red pepper flakes are the best natural ways to keep squirrels away and protect your gardens from being a squirrel’s food source.
Do Not Feed Squirrels to Prevent an Infestation
When squirrels learn that your backyard is a reliable source of food, they continue to come back. For this reason, you mustn’t intentionally put out acorns or food for squirrels.
If you need to find ways to keep squirrels out of deck planters, it’s important to correctly identify a food source that they like.
If you have acorns, clean up the ground so there is no food source for squirrels. One of the basic home remedies for getting rid of squirrels is to take away their food source.
Get Rid of Squirrels in Your Attic Space with Live Traps
The perfect way to get rid of squirrels in attic is to use a live trap. Live traps capture the creature without killing it and make it simple to release them back into the outdoors.
If you do not feel comfortable releasing a squirrel from the live trap, call your local pest control services to remove the animal.
Squirrels most often make their way into your attic space by crawling through baffles. If you notice squirrel droppings or hear scratches in the attic, place a live trap with peanut butter or peanuts as bait to lure the squirrels. Getting rid of squirrels in your house is easier with a well-baited trap.
Mulch is the Best Way to Get Rid of Squirrels in Your Garden
Squirrels dig through your garden’s dirt and consume the plants. If you see evidence of dig marks around your garden, surround your plants with heavy mulch.
One of the natural ways to eliminate squirrels is to use mulches like stones or decorative rock. When you use mulch around your plants, squirrels are unable to dig through the dirt and consume the roots of your flowers.
Squirrels love to eat garden seedlings, berries, flowers, and fruits. Understanding how to get rid of squirrels and stop squirrels from eating trees and other plants starts with knowing what they prefer to eat.
Building a Fence is One of the Natural Ways to Get Rid of Squirrels
One way to squirrel-proof your plants is to use netting or chicken wire to surround the area. A barrier between your plants and the squirrels discourages them from destroying your garden. Get rid of ground squirrels naturally with a net or chicken wire.
Surround either individual plants or your entire garden with wire or netting. Make sure the barrier is well secured into the ground so it withstands the weather. This is a great tool to use in combination with other natural squirrel repellents.
Use Automatic Sprinklers to Scare Squirrels
A straightforward squirrel control method is to use an automatic sprinkler system. Motion activated sprinkler systems detect when unwanted pests have stepped onto your yard and immediately start spraying water.
Another fantastic thing about using sprinklers is that it negates the use of chemicals. To keep squirrels out of your bird feeder, using automatic sprinklers works well. Place the sprinkler system even spaced out throughout your lawn.
When you spread the sprinklers out, it protects all areas of your yard from squirrels and other unwanted pests like moles and raccoons. Understanding how to get rid of squirrels with an automatic sprinkler system is easy.
Prevent a Squirrel Invasion by Not Planting Trees
Squirrels live in wooded areas and large trees. One of the natural ways to eliminate squirrels is to refrain from planting large trees in your yard. Tall trees make it very easy for them to reach your attic or crawl space in your house.
Although ground squirrels dig an underground tunnel system, they still climb trees to search for food and can travel long distances. Refraining from planting trees is a simple way to prevent a squirrel infestation from occurring in the first place.
Repel Squirrels with the Scent of Peppermint
Peppermint plants and other essential oil odors give off a powerful aroma. The scent of peppermint repels squirrels. It can also be used indoors as an easy solution to get squirrels out of your walls. The critters hate the scent and will flee when it’s introduced.
If you have a squirrel infestation in your backyard, using peppermint is an excellent resource. Additionally, using peppermint in your attic prevents squirrels from overtaking your crawl space.
One way to keep squirrels out of planters is with peppermint. After dumping the ingredients into a spray bottle, shake the contents lightly to ensure the essential oils mix in with the water. Spray the solution around your plants in your garden or around your attic.
Spraying a peppermint solution around your plants also repels spiders, aphids, and ants. It’s also what smells do chipmunks hate, along with some other essential oils like lavender.
The best way to get rid of squirrels using all-natural ingredients is to use an essential oil spray.
Eliminate Squirrels with Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is highly acidic. Squirrels don’t like to interact with the overly acidic nature of apple cider vinegar. Additionally, squirrels are repelled by the taste of apple cider vinegar.
Creating an apple cider vinegar spray is one of the natural ways to get rid of squirrels. In a glass spray bottle, mix one-part apple cider vinegar with three parts water. Swish the liquid around gently to ensure the two ingredients are well mixed.
Spray the solution around your garden or your attic space where squirrels are entering. Apple cider vinegar is an inexpensive alternative to chemical sprays that repel squirrels.
Plant Flowers to Get Rid of Squirrels
Many flowers work as a natural squirrel repellent. Squirrels do not like the taste or scent of daffodils, allium plants, hyacinth, or mint. Plant these plants to easily repel squirrels from eating the bulbs of your flowers.
Great natural ways to get rid of squirrels include planting daffodils or mint and also sprinkling cayenne pepper. Squirrels hate the taste of these flowers and spices and do not come back to your yard after they learn it is not a location for a good food source.
Get Rid of Squirrels with Coffee Grounds
Understanding how to get rid of squirrels with coffee grounds is simple and requires only a single ingredient. The scent of coffee grounds is quite unappealing to squirrels, causing them to avoid any area with the grounds.
Using coffee grounds is one of the most inexpensive ways to deter squirrels from invading your garden or crawl space. Generously sprinkle coffee grounds around the area where you want to repel squirrels.
We recommend sprinkling coffee grounds near a garden because it blends in with the soil and is good for it. If you need natural ways to get rid of squirrels, make a homemade squirrel deterrent with coffee grounds.
Learning How to Remove Squirrels from Your Attic
Your attic space is a desirable habitat for squirrels because it is safe and warm during the winter months. To prevent squirrels from infesting your attic, make the space as undesirable as possible.
One great way to get rid of squirrels in your attic is to use a strobe light. Motion-activated strobe lights go off when they detect movement. When squirrels try to run in your attic, a bright light flashes and scares the squirrel out of your crawl space.
Repelling squirrels in your home or garden is simple when you use the correct devices. Simple, easy to find household goods like cayenne pepper or apple cider vinegar are excellent all-natural squirrel repellents.
If you do not want to hire pest control services, there are numerous natural squirrel repellents.
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