SQUIRRELS look adorable from a distance, but these creatures can wreak havoc on your property. When they invade, these creepy rodents damage your flowers, grass, trees, tomatoes, and other vegetables, spreading pests and diseases to your crops. These creatures are incredibly agile, and their mischievous behavior can cause significant issues for gardeners. So, what smells deter squirrels? Let’s discuss that subject in detail.

Thus, if you’re wondering how to deter these rodents from your garden, here is the good news: There are various scents squirrels hate, and keep away from them as much as possible. So, what smells deter squirrels from your yard, or is there a scent that squirrels hate?

Related: Does Pine Sol Keep Squirrels Away?

Smells that deter squirrels from the yard include animal urine, spices, coffee grounds, mothballs, vinegar, peppermint, garlic, and rosemary.

Additionally, these animals despise dryer sheets’ unique fragrance and all skunk-like smells. They have a strong sense of smell, which helps them avoid predators and find nesting places and food sources.

Therefore, you can say goodbye to these pesky critters by spraying your home with these scents.

Before we delve into the subject, here is what one of my followers said on Pinterest on the effective way to get rid of squirrels from your yard:

Following Jackie’s confession, you might want to try the product. Who knows, you too could come here with the good news. If you wish to, check out Pine-Sol All Purpose Cleaner on Amazon.

DISCLAIMER: I have not tested the product, but I can confirm to you that this other one – Nature’s MACE Squirrel Repellent 40oz Spray (pictured below), which I have tested works!

Regarding the product above, the manufacturer says, “Our product is powerful, humane, and replaces traps and poisons.”

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10 Scents That Deter Squirrels

If you’re stressed about how to deter squirrels from your garden, spray your entire property with smells squirrels hate. Read on to learn more about what smells deter squirrels.

1. Animal Urine

Squirrels despise any animal urine odor, especially those that feed on rodents. The stink from animal urine makes them believe predators hide nearby, so they run away from that area. But do you go trapping urine from all animals? No, that’s obnoxious!

Instead, you can acquire sprays with such odor from the nearby market, as several squirrel repellants contain this smell. But read the application instructions carefully before use.

NB. You should read the application manual for each scent that repels squirrels before using the product.

2. Spicy Smells

A spicy smell is among the notable scents that squirrels hate. These creatures are not used to the spicy, hot, or sweet scent. Therefore, sprinkling your garden with, for instance, cayenne pepper will deter squirrels from visiting your home.

Mix a few spoons of cayenne or pepper seasoning with a gallon of water to prepare the concoction. Spray your crops and fence with the mixture frequently to repel squirrels.

3. Coffee Grounds

You usually get rid of coffee grounds leftovers, but do you know they can effectively deter squirrels? You read that right. These critters hate coffee grounds’ strong aroma. It’s preferred as it’s inexpensive, works wonders as compost, has a pleasant smell, and gets rid of other rodents.

Layer your crops with 0.5-1 inch of coffee to keep rodents away. You can also spread it on your farm once or twice a week. Using more than that can attract excess moisture, causing mold problems to your plants.

4. Mothballs

Do you remember the mothballs scent you were used to whenever you visited your grandmother’s house (of course, that is where I encountered the scent for the first time)? Grandma used them to deter cockroaches.

That smell keeps squirrels away!

So, if these critters become a problem in your yard, keep mothballs around your house, attic, flowers, or yard. If their perfume begins to diminish, replace them with fresh mothballs.

5. Vinegar

Squirrels are sensitive to vinegar’s pungent aroma and stay far away from places with such a smell. The most effective vinegar is apple cedar vinegar (pictured), as its robust and aromatic scent can effortlessly eliminate squirrels and ground moles. White vinegar also works wonders but is not as effective.

Here are the ways to use it to keep squirrels away;

• First, soak rags in undiluted vinegar and place them around your property.
• Second, mix a gallon of water with an ounce of vinegar, then spray the trees, crops, and yard with the solution.

6. Peppermint

You can also evict squirrels from your property using peppermint. These creatures’ communities hate the peppermint’s cool and powerful aroma, although desirable and refreshing to human beings. They may run miles away once they sense it in your home.

So, its overwhelming smell has proved to be a staple means of repelling squirrels.

Use peppermint to deter these critters in the following two ways;

• Grow peppermint plants outside your house or in the garden. Since it is perennial, it will be a great option to keep squirrels away for a year-long.
• Mix a cup of water with about 15 drops of peppermint oil. Making a mixture of vinegar, peppermint oil, and water is also OK. Apply the spray to your trees, shrubs, and fence to help keep squirrels from your property.

7. Garlic

Maybe you’re stressed about how to deter squirrels from the house, and you have garlic? If you don’t know, the garlic’s strong aroma will repel these pesky creatures from your entire compound for good! But how do you use it? Read on.

• Crush 2-4 cloves of garlic and add it to two cups of boiling water. Stir the mixture and let it simmer at medium heat for at least 5 minutes. Let it steep overnight, then put it in a glass spray bottle. You can then spray your fruits, vegetables, or plants.
• Buy commercial squirrel repellents containing garlic and spray your garden according to instructions.
• Sprinkle garlic powder directly on areas infested by these rodents.
• Grow garlic plants around your compound.

8. Rosemary

Another smell that deters squirrels is that of rosemary. Yes, these critters hate that pungent aroma of rosemary.

However, you must get a strong fragrance of rosemary oil if you want to use it as the only repellent. Otherwise, a hint of its scent won’t keep these creatures away.

So, mix ten drops of strong rosemary essential oil, a few drops of carrier oil, and 2 cups of water. Use the spray on your plants and the entire compound at least once a day.

9. Dryer Sheets

I know you have dryer sheets in your house or are about to order them. But do you know manufacturers tout them to repel rodents and insects naturally? Now you know and this is how you use them:

Tie several dryer sheets on your fence, attic, or any other area around your compound. It’s a bonus if you have the mint-scented one, as squirrels despise that unique aroma.

10. Skunk-like Smells

Just like humans, squirrels don’t tolerate things with a skunk-like smell. But will you be willing to go trapping any obnoxious stench of skunk to get rid of rodents? Definitely no. So, what do you do?

Plant cleome or skunk flowers around your yard and fence to help you do the job perfectly. The plant has a skunk-like odor, which squirrels detest.

What Smell Do Squirrels Hate?

So now, if someone asked you, what smell do squirrels hate? How many would you be able to name?

If you were looking at how to deter squirrels from garden, this blog post has answered what smells deter squirrels. Do not let these pesky rodents ravage your garden.

Preventing squirrels from damaging your garden may seem challenging, especially if you have never tried the aforementioned methods.

But spraying your property with smells squirrels hate can help a great deal. The scents include animal urine, spices, coffee grounds, mothballs, vinegar, peppermint, garlic, rosemary, dryer sheets, and skunk-like smells.

These scents overpower the squirrels’ ability to sense where the food is, so they evade them as much as possible.