Squirrels are lively, adorable little creatures that can bring a lot of joy—as long as they’re not chewing on your outdoor lights. Every spring, without fail, the landscape lights in my yard end up covered in bite marks—on the wires, on the lampshades, everywhere. That means every now and then, one or two lights stop working.
And since hiring a professional to fix them would cost a fortune, I usually have to do the repairs myself. Over time, the frustration got so bad that I once had the urge to “wipe out every squirrel on Earth.”
Luckily, my uncle, who lives several states away, talked me out of that idea when he visited last year. He shared a handful of practical, reliable tricks that completely changed
everything. Thanks to him, squirrels are still alive and well on this planet (thank goodness, haha), and my garden lights haven’t been chewed once since then.
My uncle told me that if you really want to solve this problem, you shouldn’t treat squirrels as enemies, but as little neighbors. “To stop them,” he said, “you first have to understand them.”
So, I did my homework. I read tons of articles and discovered that squirrels, like mice and beavers, are rodents—and that means their front teeth never stop growing. To keep their teeth from getting too long and affecting how they eat, they constantly look for hard things to gnaw on. Unfortunately, the plastic coating of outdoor wires and the metal surface of lamps make the perfect chew toys in their eyes.
Table of Contents
- Use Protective Conduits or Cable Covers
- Try Natural Squirrel Repellents (Peppermint, Vinegar, etc.)
- Install Motion-Activated Deterrents
- Keep Your Wires Hidden or Elevated
- What to Do If Squirrels Already Chewed the Wires
- Final Thoughts
Use Protective Conduits or Cable Covers
The first method my uncle shared sounded a bit “engineer-ish,” but it works like a charm: cover your wires.
There are many protective conduits made for outdoor use—PVC tubes, rubber sleeves, even metal mesh covers. These not only keep squirrels from biting through but also add waterproofing and sun protection.
I ended up installing black plastic covers over the wires of my garden lights. They looked neat and uniform, and the squirrels instantly lost interest. Obviously, gnawing on something that’s hard, smooth, and completely tasteless wasn’t worth their time.
Pro Tip: If you don’t want to rewire everything, try spiral wrap tubing—you can wrap it around existing cables in minutes. It’s quick, easy, and perfect for already-installed lights.
Wrapping your string lights in a durable cable sleeve is one of the simplest ways to stop squirrel chewing.
Try Natural Squirrel Repellents (Peppermint, Vinegar, etc.)
Out of all the methods I’ve tried, this one is my personal favorite—it’s eco-friendly and actually smells good.
Squirrels have a strong sense of smell and can’t stand certain scents like peppermint, vinegar, chili, or garlic. You can easily make your own repellent spray:
Mix water, white vinegar, and a few drops of peppermint essential oil in a spray bottle. Spray it on your lights and wires every few days.
To us, it smells fresh and clean. To squirrels, it’s pure torture. I still remember the first time I sprayed it—those few squirrels that used to hang around my lights froze, sniffed the air with a “what on earth is this?!” look, and dashed up the nearest tree. They never came back.
If you don’t feel like making your own, you can always buy commercial squirrel repellent spray. Most are made from natural plant extracts—non-toxic, safe for pets, and much longer lasting.
Combine repellents with protective tubing for double defense against curious squirrels.
Install Motion-Activated Deterrents
The third trick my uncle uses in his own backyard feels almost like “sci-fi technology”: motion-activated deterrents. You can find plenty of motion-activated sprinklers or ultrasonic repellents on the market. When a squirrel comes close, they automatically spray water, flash lights, or emit a high-pitched sound that scares intruders away.
I installed one with a flashing light feature, and the result was hilarious. One night, I saw a squirrel sneak up near my string lights—then flash!—A bright light blinked, and the poor thing jumped half a meter into the air. I couldn’t stop laughing.
Since then, they’ve learned their lesson: better to take the long way around than to step foot into the “forbidden light zone.”
Once protected, your garden lights can safely shine without unwanted chew marks.
Keep Your Wires Hidden or Elevated
If the previous methods are “defense,” this one is pure “strategy.” Squirrels chew on things only when they can reach them—so keeping your wires hidden or elevated is the simplest, most effective trick of all.
For example:
- Conceal cables with plants, along flower bed edges, or decorative elements.
- Run your wires along the roofline or higher areas, away from nearby branches.
- Avoid hanging string lights where squirrels can easily jump onto them.
My own string lights used to hang too close to a tree, basically turning it into a squirrel playground. After I adjusted the layout and secured the wires higher up—with extra protection added—the problem disappeared completely.
Neatly routing and shielding your wires along the roof keeps them out of reach from squirrels.
What to Do If Squirrels Already Chewed the Wires
Of course, if you’re reading this after the “crime scene” has already happened, don’t panic. First things first—safety. Turn off the power and check for any exposed or damaged wires. If the damage is serious, replace the entire section. For minor bites, you can repair them with electrical tape or waterproof heat-shrink tubing.
Once everything’s fixed, don’t forget to add protection or deterrents. Otherwise, the squirrels might just come back for round two.
I learned that the hard way—after fixing my lights only to find them chewed again a week later. Once I upgraded my protection system, though, they never touched it again.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, this isn’t really a battle between humans and squirrels—it’s a lesson in how to coexist peacefully with nature. With the right approach, you can protect your lights without harming these curious little creatures. As my uncle wisely said: “Once you understand their behavior, you’ve already won half the fight.”
And he was right. Once I stopped seeing them as tiny vandals and started seeing them as part of the ecosystem, everything changed. The wires stayed intact, the garden lights glowed every evening, and the squirrels—well, they found new hobbies that didn’t involve my outdoor setup.
Now, every time I see one of them darting across the fence with a nut in its mouth, I can’t help but smile. It’s a quiet reminder that sometimes, solving a problem isn’t about fighting nature—it’s about learning to live alongside it.
