Does Vinegar Deter Squirrels?

If you’re dealing with squirrels in the attic or garden, it might seem like the only way to keep them away from your home is by using harsh chemicals that can be harmful to both you and the environment. 

But there’s another way to effectively deter squirrels from your property that won’t harm the animals or your home – by using vinegar! 

Vinegar is an environmentally safe and highly effective means of squirrel prevention that works best when used in conjunction with other methods of squirrel control, but can also help on its own if used consistently and properly. 

This article will cover exactly does vinegar deter squirrels or not. Or how you can use it properly to keep them out of your yard.

Do Squirrels Like the Smell of Vinegar?

In order to figure out whether or not squirrels like the smell of vinegar, I conducted an experiment. I placed four piles of seeds in my backyard and sprinkled them with either water, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar or black coffee. 

The following morning I found that the coffee-covered seeds had been eaten but the other three piles remained untouched by squirrels. This seemed to indicate that they don’t like the smell at all! In contrast, vinegar smells sour and has an acidic taste. 

So what other you can do to make your yard less appealing for squirrels? Well, one thing you could do is sprinkle some garlic salt on your bird feeder poles. Since most birds don’t eat garlic, it will discourage squirrels from climbing up the pole and stealing their food. 

Another good idea is to put some chili powder on the ground near your bird feeder. You could also spread some dried chili pepper flakes around your bird feeder area since this will irritate the skin on a squirrel’s paws and force them to leave for greener pastures.

What Types of Vinegar Deter Squirrels?

Vinegar is a pungent agent that squirrels dislike, which may be why it has been found to be an effective deterrent. 

The acetic acid in the vinegar produces an uncomfortable sensation for these rodents and is thought to cause them to flee. 

Here are some types of vinegar that work well as squirrel deterrents.

1. Apple Cider Vinegar

Squirrels have been plaguing homeowners for years, and it’s no wonder why. These animals are highly adaptive and have found ways to get around many different types of deterrents. 

Some methods that homeowners use involve trapping the squirrel, removing their food sources, or trying to scare them off with loud noises. Vinegar is a more humane way to deter the squirrels on your property without harming them. 

The best way to do this is by spraying apple cider vinegar from a spray bottle in places where you don’t want them to enter your home. One place you can do this is underneath any bird feeders that you may have near your house.

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2. White Vinegar

There are many products designed to keep squirrels out of your yard, but the simplest and most effective may be the least expected: white vinegar. This common household item is stronger smelling than water, which discourages these pests. 

There is also some research that suggests that vinegar can create an environment that is not conducive to the desired type of growth for them. 

It has been found to reduce the pH in soil, which may be discouraging for plants (and squirrels) to grow in it. 

To use white vinegar as a deterrent, you need to find its source and pour it over areas you want to keep them out of.

How to Make a Vinegar Spray

Order to make the most effective solution to deter squirrels means a vinegar spray which is the least expensive. You just need vinegar, water, and a bottle of spray to perform this remedy. 

Simply mix 1/2 cup of vinegar with 2 cups of water. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and shake well. Spray the mixture on trees and other plants in your garden to keep squirrels away. 

Be sure to reapply this solution every time it rains or after watering your garden. 

It may take some time, but eventually, the scent will deter them. You can also try placing bowls of cat food around the outside perimeter of your yard – since they are natural predators for rodents such as squirrels, this should help dissuade them from coming near your home.

What Other Smells Deter Squirrels?

It turns out that many different smells can help deter squirrels, so you don’t have to rely solely on vinegar. Popular deterrents include moth balls, cayenne pepper, ammonia, etc. 

Here are some most effective and popular among many gardeners.

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1. Coffee Grounds 

If you don’t want to pour vinegar around your garden, then coffee grounds might be the next best option for deterring squirrels. Coffee grounds are another natural way of keeping squirrels away from your plants and trees. 

You can also try using crushed eggshells or dried corn cobs in your garden. These materials will have a similar effect on protecting your plants from squirrels. 

When it comes to pest control, prevention is always better than trying to remove the pests once they have already arrived.

2. Garlic

For the sake of your garden, you may want to try an inexpensive add-in spray with vinegar and garlic. This is easy to make and will keep squirrels away. 

It has been proven that this mix does work as long as you keep applying it. It also works on other animal rodents as well.  

So if you are looking for a natural way to deter those pesky critters from eating all of your plants, look no further than this mixture. The key point here about garlic is it not only tastes bad but smells bad too!

3. Pepper

There are many home remedies that people believe will keep pesky squirrels away from their homes. Most of these tricks involve either getting a cat, putting up bird feeders, or trying to scare them off with noise. 

But one popular home remedy is using pepper to deter squirrels. And it’s not just for your house: Many people have found success in using pepper to deter squirrels from chewing through their car wires, spoiling their garden, etc.

Also, Read Do Slugs Eat Grass?

Final Verdict! Does Vinegar Deter Squirrels?

Vinegar seems to be a popular method for getting rid of squirrels. There are many sources online that provide anecdotal evidence as well as scientific explanations as to why vinegar will keep squirrels away. 

Vinegar is said to provide a very unpleasant smell and taste, which is enough to make them not want to visit the area again. There are also other reasons why they might not want to come back, like the acidity of the vinegar being bad for their teeth. 

The most obvious way of how this would work is that it would taste terrible and they wouldn’t want any more of it.