Keep Critters Out Of Your Yard With This Common Pantry Staple

Much attention is given to deterring dangerous animals from coming close to living spaces. There seems to be no shortage of interest in methods to keep bears away from homes or ways to stop snakes from slithering into gardens. However, there are a litany of other pesky critters that pose problems for yards and gardens. Luckily, it is easy to keep critters out of your yard with a common pantry staple.

Vinegar has long been a staple in households to tackle a variety of cleaning chores. When properly deployed in yards and outdoor living spaces, it can be equally effective in dissuading a number of unwelcome visitors from entering your backyard. Vinegar has been proven to repel small insects such as ants and common vermin such as rats and mice. It is also effective against encroachment from small mammals such as stray cats and raccoons. Believe it or not, vinegar can also prevent the aforementioned bears and snakes from entering yards and gardens. According to PETA, it is actually one of the safest and most humane pest repellents. In many ways, this common pantry staple is a catch-all for not only cleaning, but safeguarding outdoor spaces. 

Using vinegar to keep critters out of your yard and garden is a very simple process. There are a variety of ways in which it can be used. For maximum effectiveness, you should incorporate them simultaneously. One method accomplishes two purposes. By using a vinegar solution to clean your outdoor furniture you will not only deodorize and sanitize the items, you will also help prevent insects and other critters from climbing onto your porch or patio. You can also use vinegar to clean your grill, giving yet another layer of both cleanliness and protection to your outdoor living space. Cleaning trash bins with vinegar will both mask the scent of garbage and keep critters away.

Another method is to create a perimeter around your yard or garden. This can be used by placing cotton balls or sponges soaked with vinegar along the fence line or at various spots around your house, garden, shed, or patio. You can also fill small jars or cans with vinegar, then punch holes in the lids to release the smell from the vinegar, and place them around the edges of your yard. To create an invisible barrier to keep ants and other small insects from entering your home, spray vinegar solution –- 50/50 vinegar and water — around all doors and windows with a mister bottle. Misting your outdoor living space with this vinegar solution will also reduce the number of mosquitos buzzing around.

Vinegar has a very strong and distinct odor. Anyone who has smelled it once will immediately recognize it. The same can be said of essentially any living critter. However, there is more to vinegar than its scent. It is a very acidic substance. Inasmuch, contacting concentrated vinegar for prolonged periods of time can lead to skin irritation. Breathing in too strong of a concentration of it can cause irritation to nose, throat, and eyes. Given that vinegar can have such impacts on people, imagine how unpleasant it would be for creatures such as dogs or bears, which are known to have a sense of smell more than 100 times stronger than humans.

With that in mind, it is little surprise that animals that get a whiff of vinegar will steer clear of the area emanating it. As an aside, pet owners can also use vinegar to prevent pet dogs and cats from utilizing portions of the yard or garden as restroom facilities if they so choose. Insects and snakes, being far smaller and lower to the ground, are affected even more than mammals. Additionally, for some small insects, a direct spray of vinegar is actually lethal. The only real downside to vinegar as a deterrent is it is short-lived and must be reapplied often. Working it in as part of your outdoor cleaning routine is one way to ensure there is always a fresh barrier present.