How can I keep bats away from my house?
Emily Sparks
Published Jan 09, 2026
Bats don't like the smell of mothballs, white phenol, cinnamon, or eucalyptus. Install bright lights to help deter them. Bats also don't like objects that reflect light, so you can hang strips of aluminum foil, mirrors, mylar balloons, or even old CDs.
How do I get rid of bats outside my house?
15 Tips on How to Get Rid of Bats Fast [Humanely]
- Fill up holes and seal cracks. In the wild, bats like to hang out in caves during the day. ...
- Install a bat net. ...
- Install a decoy bat house. ...
- Remove food sources from your garden. ...
- Implement a bat cone bat deterrent. ...
- Install bright lights. ...
- Use mothballs.
How do you stop bats from pooping on your porch?
So we decided to put up a few insider trade tips that may help deter them from returning again.
- Use Your Porch Lights To Deter The Bats. Turn your porch light on. ...
- Find their main roosting spot. These bats would not just be roosting at your front porch, they are most likely coming from the attic. ...
- Set up bat houses.
What can I spray to repel bats?
How to make the bat repellent:
- Add 3 cups of water to the pot.
- Bring the water to boiling.
- Add 1 capful of peppermint oil.
- Stir for 3 minutes.
- Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
- Pour some of the mixture into a spray bottle, depending on how much volume your spray bottle can hold.
What do bats hate most?
Bats don't like the smell of mothballs, white phenol, cinnamon, or eucalyptus. Install bright lights to help deter them. Bats also don't like objects that reflect light, so you can hang strips of aluminum foil, mirrors, mylar balloons, or even old CDs.
30 related questions foundWhat is the best bat deterrent?
Top 5 Best Bat Repellents
- Tenax Hardware Net, 3 by 15-Feet.
- Yogasleep Dohm White Noise Machine.
- CLEANRTH CB006 Advanced Ultrasonic Bat Repelling System.
- ET Pest Control – Bat Targeting System.
- Enoz Original Moth Balls.
Are there sounds that repel bats?
Yes. An ultrasonic bat repellent can emit sound waves that can pass through walls and ceilings. This is why you need to get a long-range device, like the one we recommended. Ultrasonic bat repellents use both ultrasonic and electromagnetic waves.
Do wind chimes keep bats away?
The noise from the windchimes will not drive the bats out, nor will it spook them enough to leave. Bats do not easily or willingly leave their roost. Leaving lights on because bats are nocturnal will also do nothing. Bats can wake up during the day; they choose not to.
Will keeping a light on keep bats away?
If you want to implement a practice to deter bats, putting up bright lights probably won't do the trick. It seems reasonable, as bats will avoid bright lights, but it often exacerbates the problem.
Why are bats attracted to my house?
As with any other wild animal or household pest, they choose to cohabitate with humans for three reasons: Harborage, food, and water. If they have chosen your attic or outbuilding as a roosting spot it is likely because they have discovered that your home or property is a fertile food source.
How do you make cinnamon spray for bats?
Mix powdered cinnamon with water in a spray bottle and spray any area of your home you have noticed bat activity. You can continue to do this as often as needed, however we should note that this method will likely need to be used with other methods of bat removal.
What does it mean when a bat is outside your house?
Bats in buildings have also been seen as omens of lesser evils than death. Various myths relate that bats in houses may bring bad luck, or portend that someone in the house will go insane, become blind, be missing the next day, that a letter with bad news will arrive, or that the people in the house will move.
What kills bats instantly?
Bat poison spray, or bat fumigation, occurs when an exterminator sprays a pesticide into the infested area. The poison will kill the bats immediately. Once the poison has worked, the exterminator will enter the area to remove the dead bats.
What are bats attracted to?
Bats are attracted to an area if it meets their need for food, water, and shelter. The presence of a fairly large source of fresh water, especially a stream, river, or lake, is one of the key indicators of good bat habitat. These areas provide not only fresh water, but also an excellent supply of insects.
Are bats attracted to heat?
Bats require specific temperatures for hibernation, too. An ideal temperature for them is 35-40 degrees Fahrenheit. Too warm, and they will use up too much energy. Too cold, and they will freeze.
Are bats attracted to light at night time?
It is well established that bats are sensitive to light while hunting at night. While some species are attracted to artificial light sources because of the insects nearby, most bat species generally avoid artificial light.
Can you ever get rid of bats?
The easiest way to get rid of bats is through a process called exclusion. Bats love old houses: All those crumbling chimneys, cracks and holes, and vents with missing screens are open doors for little mammals that can squeeze through a 3/8″ x 1″ crack, or into a hole smaller than a quarter.
What to do if you have bats in your walls?
If you suspect you have a bat colony living in your walls or attic, contact a wildlife removal expert immediately. Bat removal should only be completed by professionals. Because of the dangers listed above from bat guano and other bacteria and diseases, along with the fact they are a protected species.
Do pest repellers work on bats?
Unfortunately there is no such thing as a "bat repellent". There are many gimmick devices out there claiming to be repellents, but they flat out do not work. High frequency devices that plug into your wall will not work either.
How do you poison a bat?
Bats are not insects. There are no registered or manufactured poisons designed to kill bats. If you do use an insecticide, like tenting your house for bats, not all of them will die. Many will crawl down the walls and find their way into the house.
How do I get rid of bats on my porch?
While do not offer services to prevent bats from roosting on the front porch, you can try a few options. Bats need a rough surface to grasp and hang out. Consider attaching Plexiglas or other smooth material over the usual roosting spot. Sometimes a well placed obstacle, such as wind chimes does the trick.
What do you do with bats in the daytime?
What do I do if I spot a bat during the day time? Do not touch the bat and try to stay away from it if possible. It is important to call a professional to remove it and do not try to swing at it or get rid of it yourself. Removal of bats and other wildlife animals is to be done by professional experts only.
What to do if you find a bat outside?
If you find a bat in your home…
- Open all doors and windows that lead outside.
- Close off the rest of the house, leaving a path from the bat's location to the outdoors.
- Turn out the lights.
- Leave the bat for a few hours to see if it leaves on its own.
- If it does not leave, call your local animal control officer.
What oils do bats hate?
Like many other pests, bats hate the smell of mint, peppermint specifically. By using peppermint, spearmint, or other mint-based oils you can be sure to avoid harming the bats while also effectively keeping them at bay.
Do bats bite humans while sleeping?
Bat Bites. Bats do sometimes bite people, and they may even bite while you are sleeping. The bites can be painful because a bat's teeth are small, pointed, and razor-sharp, but if you are asleep when the bite occurs, you may not even know you were bitten.