Keep Your Bird Feeder Squirrel-Free With This Handy WD-40 Trick

Bird feeders are a wonderful way to bring all sorts of different birds into your backyard. If you're a fan of stepping out onto your deck or patio in the morning with a hot cup of coffee and watching your winged friends swoop in and enjoy breakfast alongside you, it's a nice way to get them to stop by. However, birds aren't the only neighborhood animals that come to snack on the seeds and kernels inside the feeders. Squirrels also like to take part, which can be a huge nuisance. Not only will they scare off the birds, but these greedy critters will eat all the food, and even chew through the feeder itself in their hurry. To avoid this, you can use WD-40 to shoo them away. 

Most people have a spare can of WD-40 in their garage or cleaning cabinet, making it an easy hack to utilize. Rather than buying a specialty item, you can just use something you already have open at home. If you're tired of squirrels hogging all of the feed, here's how the lubricant can keep them away. 

If you have a bird feeder attached to a pole, take your can of WD-40 and liberally spray it down its length. Just be careful not to spray too close to the feeder not to contaminate the food. When the squirrel tries to jump on it, it won't be able to grip due to the slipperiness, and will slide back down to the grass. If your feeder is on a chain hanging from a tree, simply lubricate the chain with the formula. Not only will this solve your squirrel problem, but it will also keep your pole or chain from rusting due to WD-40's water displacement capabilities.

However, there are some caveats to keep in mind when using this hack. While many people and outlets swear by this trick, others claim it can be harmful to birds and squirrels. For those that want to be eco-conscious and animal friendly, know that there is the potential to get some of the WD-40 on squirrels' fur and birds' feathers, which can either inhibit their temperature regulation or become toxic if ingested. This is true for any kind of grease, including WD-40, Vaseline, or vegetable oil. Instead, you might want to invest in squirrel-proof feeders.