Squirrel Issues

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. There are a few different options available to reduce the chances that squirrels and other animals will get into your cushions.

1) Fox Urine – we have heard stories 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.

2) Critter Ridder – some of our customers have used a product called Critter Ridder. It is safe around pets and is available at PetSmart, Petco, and other stores. It uses a non-toxic irritant to keep dogs, cats, raccoons, skunks, squirrels, and even groundhogs away from an area that has been sprayed.

3) Household pantry items – we did some Googling and saw that some people are using items that they found inside their pantry. We found solutions involving hot sauce, lemons, vinegar, garlic, pepper, and other tastes that squirrels wouldn’t want to eat.

4) Squirrel feeders – one lady said they had luck keeping the squirrels away by setting up squirrel feeders in their backyard. Their reasoning was that by feeding the squirrels something they prefer, they were less likely to eat up the cushions. However, this could potentially draw even more animals in your backyard and once you run out of food, then ALL OF THEM will head straight to your cushions.

5) Treasure Garden Protective Covers – one of the best solutions is to invest in 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.

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.