Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, deer deterrent sprays can be highly effective when used correctly and consistently, especially if they’re formulated with strong, nontoxic components like egg solids, garlic, and essential oils. The key is ensuring that the product produces unpleasant tastes and odors without harming plants, people, or pets. A high-quality deer repellent service, such as ohDEER’s, also rotates different repellents or scents occasionally, preventing deer from adapting to a single formula. However, even the best sprays have limitations. Heavy rain may wash away some potency, and rapid new plant growth won’t have the protectant yet. That’s why most deer repellent solutions require reapplication every few weeks to maintain full coverage. For homeowners facing particularly large deer populations, combining sprays with other tactics—like fencing, pruning, or scary devices—can yield even better results. Ultimately, while no deterrent is 100% foolproof short of a tall fence, a professionally managed spray service can significantly reduce deer browsing and preserve the beauty of your landscape.

Deer absolutely hate methods that combine offensive smells, unpleasant tastes, and physical barriers. The most effective deer control services focus on layering multiple deterrents to bombard deer’s senses. Offensive-tasting foliage (coated in strong ingredients like garlic, egg solids, and pepper) is typically the first line of defense. Smells that confuse or alarm them—like peppermint or other potent essential oils—add a second layer. Physical tactics, such as fencing, present a tangible obstacle. An eight-foot fence blocks deer from hopping into your yard. Smaller but strategically placed fences, netting, or spiky ground barriers can also disrupt their feeding routes. Additionally, motion-activated devices that startle deer with sudden sounds or bursts of water can be highly off-putting. Deer respond poorly to unpredictability—constantly rotated scents, random sprinklers, or abrupt loud noises. By mixing these techniques, you maximize discomfort and encourage deer to abandon your property for better foraging spots. ohDEER’s all-natural deer repellent solutions excel by combining relentless repellent sprays with a customized schedule to keep deer guessing year-round.

Deer are known to have an aversion to strong, pungent odors that humans often find pleasant or at least tolerable. Chief among these are garlic, peppermint, and hot peppers like cayenne. Any combination of these scents can be especially effective—garlic and peppermint oil, for instance, form the backbone of many all-natural deer repellent solutions, including ohDEER’s. Additionally, deer loathe the smell of decaying protein, which is why egg solids frequently appear in professional-grade sprays. This odor mimics the presence of predators or other threats, causing deer to become uneasy and search elsewhere for safer feeding grounds. Many herbs—sage, rosemary, lavender—also emit potent fragrances that disrupt a deer’s normal feeding patterns. It’s important to note that while deer might detest these smells, a strong hunger drive (e.g., in winter or drought conditions) can make them less picky. That’s why consistent application of a professional deer repellent service is crucial, ensuring the scents remain strong enough to thwart even the hungriest visitors.

Deer generally avoid surfaces that feel unstable, noisy, or otherwise hazardous to traverse. Crushed gravel or sharp stone pathways can discourage deer from cutting across certain parts of your yard, as the uneven ground and crunching noise make them uneasy. Mulch layered thickly can have a mildly deterrent effect for similar reasons—though mulch alone usually isn’t enough to keep determined deer away. Some gardeners find success with physical ground barriers like netting, low chicken wire, or prickly branches arranged around delicate plants. The idea is to create a tactile environment that deer dislike and prefer to bypass. Additionally, motion-activated sprinklers or lights positioned along walkways can startle deer, making them uncomfortable to proceed further. Though these measures can help in conjunction with deer repellent solutions, they’re typically partial solutions rather than comprehensive strategies. For robust, consistent deer control, it’s best to combine uncomfortable ground surfaces with other deterrents—like natural sprays and strategic planting. This layered approach tackles multiple senses (touch, sight, smell, and taste) and yields stronger, more reliable results.

Timing can be crucial when establishing a deer repellent service. Generally, the best practice is to start applying deer repellent before deer develop a feeding habit on your property. In spring, spray new growth early, since young shoots and blossoms are particularly attractive to deer. This preemptive strike helps condition deer to avoid your yard from the get-go. You’ll also want to maintain consistent treatments throughout summer and early fall, especially if you have a garden full of colorful flowers or produce. As autumn transitions to winter, deer often shift to consuming woody stems, bark, and evergreen foliage. Regular applications—about every three weeks—can protect vulnerable trees and shrubs even in cold months. Some choose to continue treatments year-round with ohDEER’s deer control services, particularly if they enjoy winter gardening or have newly planted ornamentals. Ultimately, the “right time” is whenever deer have anything to eat in your yard, ensuring you always stay ahead of their seasonal feeding patterns.  Your local ohDEER expert will help you evaluate your landscape and recommend the best treatment schedule for your specific property and region.

The longevity of a deer spray’s effectiveness depends on factors like weather conditions, the product’s formulation, and how quickly new plant growth emerges. High-quality, professional-grade deer repellent solutions often remain potent for two to three weeks, although some may last longer. At ohDEER, we typically recommend reapplication every three weeks to ensure continuous coverage. Heavy rainfall or prolonged moisture can gradually dilute the active ingredients. However, an effective formula usually withstands moderate rain without completely washing away. As plants grow, new leaves won’t have the same protective coating as older foliage, making regular treatments essential. By sticking to a consistent schedule, you’ll keep fresh plant material coated, ensuring deer consistently encounter unpleasant tastes and smells.  Other factors—like temperature and the deer’s hunger level—also play a role. Extremely hungry deer might ignore mild repellents, so it’s crucial to use a strong product that deer recognize and avoid. Ultimately, a well-maintained deer spray regimen can keep your property off the menu year-round.

The most effective deer repellent is one that targets deer’s natural aversions—particularly taste and smell—while remaining safe for the environment, people, and pets. Products that use ingredients like egg solids, garlic, pepper, and plant-based oils (such as peppermint) taste foul and create strong, persistent odors that deer actively avoid. Additionally, rotating formula components helps prevent deer from developing a tolerance, which is a common issue with single-ingredient repellents.  At ohDEER, our deer repellent solutions blend multiple defensive agents into a single, powerful solution. This multi-pronged approach capitalizes on sensitivity to both smell and taste, offering a consistent deterrent. Moreover, the spray adheres to leaves and stems over several weeks, providing ongoing coverage even through light rain.  Ultimately, combining a potent formula with strategic application intervals ensures the highest success rate. Physical barriers like tall fences remain the only 100% exclusion method, but they can be costly and visually unappealing. For most homeowners, a comprehensive spray regimen provides a more practical, aesthetically pleasing option.

Deer rely heavily on their sense of smell for both foraging and predator avoidance, making scent-based tactics highly effective in deer control services. Strong-smelling substances like garlic, peppermint oil, cloves, and various herbal extracts can overwhelm a deer’s sensitive nose. ohDEER’s deer repellent service blends these pungent ingredients into a spray that coats your plants, leaving behind an odor deer find unappetizing—while remaining pleasant or neutral to humans. Herbs such as lavender, sage, and rosemary are also renowned for their strong aromas. Planting them in strategic “barriers” around your more delicate flowers or veggies is a form of interplanting that can further discourage deer from wandering deeper into your garden.  Other methods might include placing homemade sachets of essential oils or garlic around your yard, although these can be less reliable than professional-grade sprays. Overall, scent-based repellents offer a safe, non-toxic alternative that keeps deer at bay without the need for fences or chemicals.

Repelling deer naturally involves leveraging their keen sense of taste and smell to create an environment they find unappealing. Plant-based sprays, like those used in ohDEER’s deer repellent solutions, can coat leaves and stems with safe but bitter or pungent flavors deer want to avoid. You may also interplant strongly perfumed flowers and herbs—like lavender, bee balm, or rosemary—around your most vulnerable plants to act as a fragrant wall of defense. Beyond sprays and planting choices, additional measures like installing physical barriers or pruning lower branches can reduce easy feeding opportunities for deer. Some homeowners even set up motion-activated sprinklers or lights to startle them away. By combining multiple strategies—such as dedicated repellents, strategic plantings, and habitat modifications—you create layers of deterrence that make your yard a less appealing dining destination.  The key is consistency: have ohDEER reapply sprays per the recommended schedule, refresh any hanging sachets, and maintain whatever fencing or pruning regime you use. This holistic, natural method preserves your garden’s charm and keeps deer out without resorting to harsh chemicals.

Reducing areas where mosquitoes can breed will greatly reduce the amount of mosquitoes you are seeing. Dump out any standing water on your property, mosquitoes can breed in as little as a bottle cap full of water and in as little as a week during peak season.

Yes it does, our product has a fresh, clean scent of lemongrass and cedar wood oil. Keep in mind, we may use different products throughout the season so it may change. The smell can dissipate as quickly as 20 minutes, but typically lingers for about an hour.

Our product is a contact spray which means it can only kill the insect it hits. This means if the spray hits one bee it will only kill that bee, rather than bringing a poison back that will harm the rest of the hive. We are aware of the bee populations on properties and train our technicians not to spray bees, butterflies, or pollinating plants.

There is no evacuation period for our products, you can go outside during and after the service is completed. You do not have to take toys out of the yard before spraying and your kids and pets can safely enjoy your yard while we spray! We want you to enjoy more time outside so there are no wait times with our chemical-free solutions! We are applying about 40-50 Gallons of product on an average property so you may pick up a little dampness, but this will dry in about 30 minutes.

Our product kills mosquitos and ticks on contact. Once it dries, the product will leave behind a residue that kills mosquitoes within three days of contact.

Getting control can take multiple applications especially if it is later in the season. You will see a reduction in activity after the first application. Then, once the second application is completed, we expect to see great results on the property. If you are not seeing results after two regular applications we are more than happy to do a respray.

For Tick & Mosquito Control, you can water your lawn immediately after we are done servicing. 90% of our product is going to be focused on the woods lines and trees where mosquitos and ticks live and breed. Be aware that excessive watering on the lawn can lead to increased mosquito activity because you are creating a perfect environment for them to breed. For Deer Control, we ask that you wait an hour after receiving a Deer Control spray before you turn on your sprinklers or water your plants. Excessive watering can break down our product early and can lead to deer feeding in between services. Allowing time for the product to set before watering will prevent this.

No, a respray is a stand alone service that is intended to get your property under control. Doing two applications in a short period of time allows us to give the property the boost it needs to achieve the results you’re looking for.

If your last service was in the last two weeks we will provide a respray at no charge. If it was more than two weeks ago, we will move your next spray up to an earlier date.

You can always expect us to come to your property every four weeks but the day of the week may change. The night before your service, we will send you a notification that we will be servicing your property the next day.

We can absolutely reschedule your service for another day, we just ask that you give us a heads up as soon as possible so we can get you taken off the schedule and fit you into another day.

Your service is going to be scheduled for the same week of the month each service period. The day of service may change due to weather or routing options, but we make sure to get your service done in the week it is due. The technician service time may vary depending on where you are located on the route for the day.

We recommend starting service as early in the season as possible so we can get the property under control. You can call us to cancel service at any time.

While you can skip this service, we do not recommend doing so. Our goal is to get your property under control and maintain that control through the season. If we skip a service, we are not able to maintain the control we’ve built.

We’ve never had a property we couldn’t control as a result of our spray. Where we run into problems is when the property is providing the mosquitos and ticks ideal areas to live and breed. Leaf litter, standing water and unmaintained lawns provide an ideal habitat for mosquitos and ticks to breed and return to the property in between sprays.

Our product kills mosquitos and ticks on contact and leaves behind a residual that repels them away for up to 4 weeks. Ticks hit with the solution will die within 8 hours. When a mosquito lands on a treated surface like a leaf, it is going to pick up a small amount of that residual product and kill it within 2-3 days.

Our service team is actively watching the weather throughout the day and making sure we are able to effectively service properties. If we need to reschedule your service due to rain, we will get your service back on the schedule as soon as possible. Usually, we get back to properties the next day but you can expect us to come back within 1-3 days.

Our product has a natural sticker additive that allows it to dry and remain effective an hour before or after it rains. Our service team is actively watching the weather throughout the day and making sure we are able to effectively service properties. If you notice tick & mosquito activity after our service, please give us a call and we will come back for a respray. The products we use are rated to be effective up until a named storm, if we are getting light rain the product will not wash away or be ineffective.

If you’re finding ticks in the middle of your yard they were most likely brought there by a passing animal like a dog, cat, deer, rabbit, etc. We do not normally spray grass areas because as long as it is maintained, it will get too hot for the tick or mosquitoes to live and breed there.

Ticks are active until the ground is completely frozen over, when they hibernate. They will become active again when the ground unfreezes.