If You See Cotton Balls Outside This Winter In Iowa… Leave Them There!

Some pests use the cold weather as an excuse to enter parts of your home. The cotton balls might just keep the worst of them out. Hopefully this holiday season we can keep your home filled with joy, and not creatures. If you walk by a house and smell peppermint, eucalyptus, cinnamon, or cloves... it's not for the holidays. It might just be soaked cotton balls being used to keep pests out.

From creatures that slither to the ones that fly, the low temps bring out the worst of them.

Scents Can Keep Bats Away In Iowa

Bats will go back "home" throughout the year. If your home is that spot... good luck! Maybe these tricks can keep them away. getbatsout.com reports that a few smells may keep bats away.

Bats have a strong sense of smell and are repelled by certain natural scents. You can use essential oils like peppermint, eucalyptus, cinnamon, or cloves. You can soak cotton balls in the oil and place them around your porch. You can also spray a mixture of a few drops of essential oil in water and sugar around your house.

It should be noted that bats are not easily pushed out of the places they prefer to spend their time.

They have strong homing instincts and are adaptable creatures.

Other methods to use that may have better results include:

Using one-way exclusion device: One-way exclusion devices allow bats to escape but not to re-enter. These “one-way doors” can be placed over entry points, such as holes in the wall or roof

Bat-proof screens: These are an inexpensive way to keep bats out.

Bright lights: Bats are nocturnal, so bright lights can deter them. You can install lights and leave them on continuously.

If all else fails... call an expert!