Squirrels can be a major nuisance in yards and homes. They eat food out of bird feeders, destroy gardens and planters, and leave unsanitary droppings in the home. Many homeowners, parents, and avid gardeners strive to rid their properties of squirrels. However, they often have concerns about removing squirrels through inhumane methods or spreading chemicals throughout their yard that might come into contact with and harm people or other animals. Fortunately, there are several humane, natural ways to effectively eliminate squirrels from your yard without resorting to harmful or expensive methods.

1. Eliminate Food Sources

One of the most effective ways to eliminate squirrels from your property is to get rid of any source of food they might find in your yard or your house. Obviously, homeowners who strive to remove squirrels do not intentionally put out food for the wild creatures. However, many of the materials which naturally grow or find their way onto your property may be a source of food for squirrels and a point of attraction for them. Common sources of natural squirrel food are nuts, acorns, and berries which grow on many plants and trees. If you want to decrease the number of squirrels in your yard, remove any trees that drop acorns or berries and pick up any that have already fallen and scattered on the ground. If you have a problem with squirrels infiltrating the inside of your home, determine where they are entering the home and ensure that there is no food for them to find and collect in that area.

2. Use Natural Repellants

There are many excellent alternatives to toxic, expensive rodent repellants that are one hundred percent natural and can be made at home. Squirrels are repelled by peppery spices such as cayenne or chilli powder; dust or sprinkle one of these spices in your birdseed or on your garden plants and reapply when necessary to keep the squirrels away. Another effective natural squirrel repellant is water mixed with hot sauce; this spray can be used outdoors or indoors and strongly adheres to plants and other surfaces to ensure that its repelling effects are long-lasting.

3. Block Entrances

Squirrels cannot pose a problem if they’re unable to make their way onto your property. There are many ways to keep squirrels out of your yard and home with simple, unimposing guards and other devices. If squirrels often eat seed out of your bird feeder, you can buy an attachable squirrel guard at any home and garden store that will inhibit squirrels from climbing into your feeder. You can also deter squirrels from your garden by building a wire fence around your plants. The fence does not need to stand very high, but it must be buried at least one foot underground to prevent the squirrels from digging underneath it. If squirrels are a problem inside your home, buy wire mesh to place over your chimney and other common entrances. The mesh will not affect the functionality of the chimney but will prevent squirrels from climbing through it to gain entrance to your home.

Squirrels are pesky, clever creatures. However, by using the tips above, you can rid your home and property of the rodents and permanently eliminate the negative consequences of their destructive behaviour from your life.