There are a lot of different substances that gardeners have used to try to keep squirrels away from their garden. But can Jeyes fluid repel squirrels and are we able to use this to our advantage.
Do Squirrels Dislike Jeyes Fluid?
Gardeners have observed that squirrels appear to dislike Jeyes fluid and use it to repel them, this is likely because it has a strong smell that squirrels do not like.
For those of you who don’t know, Jeyes fluid is a brand of external disinfectant designed for cleaning and also repelling pests.
Does Jeyes Fluid Deter Squirrels?
Many people have used Jeyes fluid in an attempt to repel squirrels and many people have reported their success with it. However, there does seem to be a particular way in which you need to use the fluid for it to be effective.
Spraying the surface of your plants, such as a leaf, is not a good idea.
Instead, you should put the fluid on the soil close to the base of plants you want to keep squirrels away from. Putting it in the soil means that the smell is more prominent and lasts longer so you will have to do fewer top-ups.
Does Jeyes Fluid Deter Other Pests?
As well as squirrels, gardeners have noted that Jeyes fluid appears to be effective in deterring other pests too. So, this fluid does appear to have good benefits to your garden, let’s have a look at this quick list of other pests deterred by Jeyes fluid.
Insects
Using a spray of Jeyes fluid on your plants is said to keep that area insect-free. This appears to be especially good for keeping aphids away as many recommend using it on rose bushes.
Cats
Much like squirrels, cats seem to dislike the smell of this fluid so applying it to both your plants and the paved areas of your garden should help to keep your neighbour’s cats away.
Rodents
Squirrels are rodents and other rodents, such as mice and rats, appear to react in the same way that squirrels do to the presence of this fluid. With strong distaste and a desire to leave the area.
Whilst using Jeyes fluid has been highly praised as a pest solution, there is little evidence to prove that it is 100% effective. Jeyes fluid is also very strong as it is a cleaner and you should dilute the solution before applying it directly to your plants.
It is also a good idea to do a test before applying the solution to your garden. Dilute the fluid and apply it to a small area of plants. Then check back in a couple of hours to see if there has been any damage.
If not, then it appears your plants will not react to the solution and it can be used throughout your garden.
Is Jeyes Fluid Safe?
If possible, we would strongly recommend not using Jeyes fluid. Unfortunately, it can cause long term harm to squirrels and other animals were they to ingest any of the Jeyes fluid. For this reason, we would suggest exploring natural deterrents.
What Other Smells Deter Squirrels?
As we have said, it appears to be the smell of Jeyes fluid that deters squirrels from coming to your garden. This is not the only smell that is effective at repelling squirrels, here are a few more smells to seem to be greatly disliked by squirrels.
- Peppermint
- Garlic
- Coffee
- Cayenne Pepper
Summary
To summarise this article, here are a few key points. Squirrels do not like Jeyes fluid, and it appears to deter them from your garden. Putting Jeyes fluid in the soil of disturbed plants seems to be the most effective way of repelling squirrels.
This fluid can also be used to get rid of other pests such as insects, cats and other rodents. Jeyes fluid is just one of the smells that can be used to get rid of squirrels. Other smells include peppermint, garlic, coffee, and cayenne pepper.
But Jeyes fluid can also harm animals and pests. Where possible, consider using natural deterrents to repel squirrels from your garden as Jeyes fluid can harm living things and damage plants.
