20 Effective Home Remedies to Keep Snakes Away

Snakes can't stand the smell of cinnamon and cloves. You can make a simple spray by mixing 4 to 8 drops of cinnamon and clove essential oils with a gallon of water. Shake it well and spray it around areas where you've seen snakes. You can also soak cotton balls in this mixture and place them around your yard. Just make sure to do this in a well-ventilated area since the smell can be strong for some people.

Snakes dislike garlic just as much as vampires do! You can make a garlic spray by chopping up garlic cloves and putting them in a bottle of oil. Let the garlic soak in the oil for a few weeks. Then, strain the oil into a spray bottle and spray it around your yard. Do this regularly to keep snakes away. Garlic works because it contains sulfonic acid, which irritates snakes' sensory organs. This method is safe for pets and children, making it a great option for family homes.

A mix of lime juice and hot pepper extract can keep snakes at bay. Mix equal parts of lime juice and hot pepper extract with a gallon of water. Spray this mixture around the edges of your property. The spicy smell will make snakes think twice before entering your yard. This method is particularly useful because the strong scent of chili and the acidity of lime create an unpleasant environment for snakes, without posing any harm to plants or other wildlife.

Snakes don't like the smell of vinegar. To make a vinegar spray, mix a gallon of white vinegar with a cup of salt and two tablespoons of dish soap. Shake it up and spray it around areas where snakes like to hide. This mix is safe for the environment and will help keep snakes away. Vinegar is effective because its strong acidity disrupts the sensory receptors of snakes, making them uncomfortable and encouraging them to leave the area.

Cedarwood and cedar oil are great natural snake repellents. You can scatter cedar chips or sawdust around your yard. You can also mix cedar oil with water and spray it around your property. Cedar products not only keep snakes away but also make your yard smell nice. The strong, aromatic scent of cedar is known to interfere with snakes' ability to detect prey, thus discouraging them from lingering in areas treated with cedar products.

Planting lemongrass around your yard can help deter snakes. Snakes dislike its strong smell. Lemongrass is easy to grow and maintain. You can also use lemongrass essential oil mixed with water as a spray to keep snakes away. Lemongrass is not only effective due to its citrusy scent that snakes find repulsive, but it also has additional benefits, such as repelling other pests like mosquitoes. Planting lemongrass along the borders of your garden creates a fragrant and effective natural barrier.

Now, let's move on to chemical repellents

Sulfur is another smell that snakes hate. Spread powdered sulfur around areas where you've seen snakes. Be careful when applying it, as sulfur can be irritating. This method works best when the sulfur stays dry. Sulfur disrupts the snake's sensory organs, causing discomfort and driving them away from the treated area.

After applying sulfur around your property to deter snakes, reinforce this barrier with HARRIS Diatomaceous Earth, which can also help to keep other crawling pests at bay effectively.

Ammonia has a strong smell that repels snakes, but it is very toxic. Soak rags in ammonia and place them in unsealed plastic bags. Put these bags around areas where snakes might hide. Make sure to keep children and pets away from these areas. Ammonia's pungent odor is highly offensive to snakes, making it an effective yet hazardous repellent.

The toxic chemical compound naphthalene is found in most commercial snake repellents. To save a few bucks, purchase mothballs instead. Their small, round size makes them ideal for popping into cracks and small places, and that unmistakable aroma is sure to keep everything away. A word of warning: mothballs can harm children and pets if ingested.

Ready to see how physical barriers and landscaping can help?

Snakes like places to hide, so keeping your yard clean can help. Remove debris, keep the grass short, and fill any holes or gaps in the ground. Planting snake-repelling plants like marigolds and lemongrass can also help. Regularly maintaining your yard by trimming bushes and raking leaves can reduce the number of hiding spots for snakes, making your yard less attractive to them.

Once you've landscaped your yard to discourage snakes, enhance your efforts with Snake Repellent for Yard.

Installing snake-proof fencing can keep snakes out of your yard. Use vinyl or wire mesh fences and make sure there are no gaps or holes. Regularly inspect the fence to ensure it remains effective. Snake fencing should be buried a few inches into the ground and angled outward to prevent snakes from burrowing under or climbing over the fence.

Attracting birds to your yard can help control snakes since birds like owls and hawks are natural predators of snakes. Place birdhouses in areas where birds can easily spot and catch snakes. Ensure birdhouses are placed away from overhanging branches or structures that snakes could use to climb and access the birdhouses. Keeping these predators around can naturally reduce the snake population in your area.

How can predators and decoys deter snakes?

Encouraging natural snake predators like owls, hawks, and foxes can help keep snake populations down. Setting up birdhouses and providing food sources for these animals can attract them to your yard. Additionally, maintaining a balanced ecosystem with a variety of predator species ensures that snake numbers are naturally controlled without the need for harsh chemicals or traps.

Placing fake snakes around your yard can trick real snakes into thinking the area is already occupied. Move the decoys around regularly to keep snakes from getting used to them. Decoys are a simple and non-invasive way to create an impression of an occupied territory, thus deterring real snakes from entering your yard. This method is cost-effective and easy to implement.

Now, let's move on to ultrasonic and modern repellents

These devices emit high-frequency sound waves that irritate snakes. Place ultrasonic repellents around your yard and move them occasionally for the best results. Ultrasonic repellents are a humane way to deter snakes as they do not harm the animals but make the environment uncomfortable for them.

Solar-powered devices can emit light and vibrations that deter snakes. These are easy to install and maintain, providing an eco-friendly way to keep snakes away. Solar-powered repellents work by continuously creating disturbances that snakes prefer to avoid, making them an efficient and sustainable option for snake control.

Smoke can deter snakes. Create a small fire pit and let it produce smoke. The smoke will spread along the ground and make snakes want to leave. Be careful with fire and always follow safety guidelines. This method leverages the natural aversion snakes have to smoke, providing an effective barrier.

If you have a pool or water feature, vinegar can help keep snakes away. Mix vinegar with water and spray it around the perimeter. This creates a barrier that snakes won't want to cross. Vinegar is an affordable and simple solution that uses the natural acidity of the liquid to deter snakes without causing harm to the environment.

Snakes come looking for food, so controlling vermin like mice and rats can help. Use traps and remove food sources to keep vermin away. Effective vermin control includes sealing trash bins, cleaning up fallen fruit, and securing pet food, all of which contribute to a less hospitable environment for snakes.

After addressing vermin that attract snakes, apply Snake-A-Way Outdoor around your property's perimeter.

Planting snake-repelling plants like marigolds, lemongrass, and garlic around your yard can help keep snakes away. These plants are easy to grow and maintain. Marigolds have a strong scent that snakes find unpleasant, lemongrass emits a citrusy odor that repels snakes, and garlic's strong smell can create a natural barrier. Combining these plants in strategic locations around your yard can create an effective, natural deterrent.

Regularly clean your yard to remove food and water sources that attract snakes. Keep the grass trimmed and remove any standing water. By eliminating these resources, you make your yard less inviting to both snakes and the vermin they prey upon, reducing the likelihood of snake encounters.

If you have a serious snake problem, it might be best to call a professional. Pest control companies can provide safe and effective solutions for removing snakes from your property. Professionals are trained to handle snakes safely and can identify the best strategies for keeping your yard snake-free.

Keeping snakes out of your yard doesn't have to be hard. By using these natural and DIY methods, you can make your yard less inviting to snakes. Remember to keep your yard clean, use natural repellents, and call a professional if needed. Snakes are important to our ecosystem, so it's best to handle them with care and respect.