Dont Let Squirrels Destroy your Outdoor Furniture Cushions

Squirrels are one of nature’s cute little creatures, but they can also be a nuisance. When they aren’t out collecting acorns or playing in traffic, they are often at “home” in their nests, or dreys. These nests are made out of twigs and leaves and lined with fur, feathers, or other soft materials. Sometimes the squirrels can find these materials naturally in nature but when they can’t, your outdoor cushion filling makes a great source of fiber for their nests. And in the process, they will destroy your expensive outdoor furniture.

As Sunnyland’s warranty specialist, one of the issues that we deal with is cushions that have been torn apart by squirrels. Manufacturer’s warranties do NOT cover damage from acts of nature and it can be quite costly to replace them. Over the years we have seen many different methods to keep the squirrels away.

We have heard that you can use fox urine (either in liquid or granular form) in your garden or patio to keep the squirrels out. They sense the smell of a predator and they tend to stay away. The downside is that your furniture is covered with fox urine, so it’s not a very practical solution. We also did some Googling and saw that some people are using items that they found in their pantry including hot sauce, lemons, vinegar, garlic, pepper, and other tastes that squirrels wouldn’t want to eat. Another lady said they had luck keeping the squirrels away by setting up squirrel feeders in their backyard.

We have two preferred methods at Sunnyland. The first is investing in Treasure Garden Protective Covers. Sunnyland carries a large section of Treasure Garden covers. Each champagne-colored cover is made from an exclusive designed Rhinoweave™ fabric which is durable, water resistant, breathable, and will not crack or peel. This will protect your furniture not just from squirrels, but the outdoor elements as a whole which will keep your furniture looking new for a longer period of time. The downside is that if you enjoy the view of your patio from inside your house, it does take away from the beauty of the furniture when they are covered up.

We also carry a product called Squirrel Stopper from Messina Wildlife products. Squirrel Stopper is an effective repellent that works by smell, taste, and feel. It prevents squirrel and chipmunk foraging, nesting and damage to tree bark, planters, flower beds, bird seed and feeders. We have also found that if you spray Squirrel Stopper around the perimeter of your outdoor furniture, it tends to keep the squirrels away as well. Squirrel Stopper is an organic product and safe for use around fruits and vegetables. These pleasant to use products all dry clear and odor free and can be applied to landscape areas as well.

These are just a few suggestions that we have to help you with your squirrel issues. If you have your own suggestions or tips, we want to hear from you. You can share them on our wall at facebook.com/sunnylandfurniture or in the comments section of our blog at sunnylandfurniture.com/blog.

You can also purchase Squirrel Stopper at our store. https://www.sunnylandfurniture.com/c/Covers-&-Maintenance/32/Animal-Repellents/35