If you’re reading this article, chances are you have bats and you are in need of a quick acting bat repellent. These flying mammals are good for the environment when they stay outside. Indoors, bats can make humans sick. Their excrement can contain toxic fungus that causes a serious upper respiratory infection called histoplasmosis. A serious health hazard.
Luckily, there are a variety of bat repellent methods on the market. This article will cover the most common bat repelling options. By the time you finish, you’ll have the knowledge and confidence to rid your belfry of bats. Bats provide a critical service. We just don’t prefer them indoors.
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Bat Removal Basics
As outdoor bat habitats are destroyed, bats are moving indoors to find shelter. Bats tend to roost in rarely used spaces such as attics and even cabins. The best way to remove bats is to prevent them from entering your home in the first place.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, but sometimes you have no idea bats are dwelling with you in your structure. So, how do you know if you have bats? Besides seeing them, you may be able to hear them in your attic space or walls at night. The easiest way however is to look for sign of bat poop.
What Does Bat Poop Look Like?
Bat poop, also called guano, is sometimes confused for mouse droppings. Guano looks similar, but it’s bigger in size. Bat Poop or Guano looks like elongated, brown pellets, and smells musky. There may be streaks of black (urine) in the poop as well. If you have a bat problem, you can find excrement inside where they hang out and outside around the structure entry points.
Once you know you have these critters, there are a variety of ways to get rid of them. In the United States, bats are protected on a state and federal level. You can’t kill them so please do not use bat poison! Instead, you can use the safe and humane practices that we discuss here.
Note: You can’t remove bats during bat mating or maternity season (between April and August), so these methods should only be applied from September through March.
Bat Repellent Spray
White phenol is a chemical used to sterilize medical equipment. Phenol is colorless and has a slight odor. Since bats have a strong sense of smell, the scent is overwhelming to them. Spray the white phenol spray for bats in infested areas until the bats are no longer in your home. White phenol spray is great for bat control and eliminating bat infestation areas.
Bat Repellent Sound
Bats prefer to roost in quiet places. To get rid of bats, you can make commotion with a white noise machine, a radio, or other electronic device. Put your chosen sound machine in the room with the bats during the day as they try to sleep.
Ultrasonic Bat Repellent Devices
There are also specialized sound machines called ultrasonic bat repellent devices. These ultrasonic bat repelling systems produce noises only bats can hear so humans, pets, and other animals don’t have to suffer. Think dog whistle. This is especially helpful when the bats are in your walls and you need to put ultrasonic bat repellent in your living spaces. Ultrasonic sounds work well for indoor use bat control.
CLEANRTH CB006 Advanced Ultrasonic Bat Repelling System
ET Pest Control (Bat targeting system)
Natural Bat Repellent
Like other invasive mammals, bats do not like cinnamon. Sprinkle their nesting area generously with this spice. Since bats like sleeping or hanging out in high up in spaces, you may need a ladder to get near the bats with cinnamon or cinnamon essential oils. This is a great repellent if you want to use natural ingredients as a deterrent.
You can also use mothballs. Hang the bat repellent moth balls where the bats sleep and replace them frequently. The smell of the moth balls help to keep the vampires at bay.
Homemade Bat Repellent
Light is like kryptonite to a bat. Try bringing light into the space with a lamp or flood light. If that doesn’t work, add a mirror. Use the mirror to reflect bright light on the bats while they’re asleep (during the day). You can also reflect bright lights by hanging strips of aluminum foil in a lit room or install strobe lights in large areas to brighten up a dark space.
Bat Magic Indoor Scent Packs
Bat Magic repellent indoor deterrent products repel bats using natural ingredients. The active ingredient in Bat Magic include essential oils such as peppermint oil and spearmint oil. Bats simply do not like the strong scent. Humans on the other hand tend to consider peppermint and spearmint as a pleasant scent. Bat Magic can also be found at your local Home Depot or Lowes and is one of many available commercial repellents.
Bat Removal Devices
Bat removal devices are used in the exclusion method. This technique is recommended by bat conservationists and removal experts. It’s also the most useful method if you have a colony of bats in your home.
This method requires setting up one-way exit devices and sealing all other points of entry. Bats can leave your home, but they can’t come back in. You can find bat exclusion devices, netting, screening, and cones at home improvement and pet stores.
To find where bats are entering and exiting your home, look for dark spots around cracks and holes. Bats have oils on their fur that rub off and stain fascia and soffits. Chimney tops, vents, and window cracks are all common and convenient bat access locations.
After you’ve set up your bat exclusion devices and repaired potential entry sites, watch for the bats at dusk. Look for bats exiting and ensure they’re not re-entering through the bat exclusion devices or anywhere else in your home. If the setup works, leave it in place for at least a week.
Once all of the bats have relocated, remove the bat exclusion devices and seal off those areas. We recommend using polyurethane foam and caulk. This is important because bats have great memories and will try to come back and roost at your home.
Bat Removal Cost
Bats bite when they feel threatened or scared, and some bats carry rabies. You can try removing the bats yourself. Some people however may not be comfortable with removing bats on their own. In this case, calling a professional isn’t a bad idea. Not to mention many of the methods we discussed may require the use of a tall ladder.
The cost of bat removal varies widely by area, so we recommend calling around for the best price. If you’re on a budget, Bat World Sanctuary has a list of volunteer rescuers who will come out for free to help you get rid of bats.
Post Bat Removal
Bat repellent is only as good as what you do after the bats are gone. To keep them away, you must fill the small holes and make any repairs to prevent them from getting into wall voids, behind shutters, or into attics. Remember, bats can fit into holes as small as a quarter. Installing bat boxes or a bat house nearby may also keeps bats away by giving them an alternative place to nest. Another good idea is to try to identify the surrounding bat food sources. Can you address or remove those food areas?
Bat Removal Do It Yourself
Removing bats from your house is no easy task. Some of these methods may work better than others, and a combination of techniques works the best. If you’re still on the fence about do it yourself bat removal, consult with a bat rescuer or call a professional because your safety comes first. No matter which method you decide to use to humanely rid your home of these flying mammals, we’re cheering you on!
