What Smells do Snakes Hate?

What Smells do Snakes Hate?

Snakes use numerous senses in the world around them. As they hunt their prey, they can also get themselves into all sorts of places, like bathrooms, kitchens, outhouses, and the garden. One of the key senses that a snake uses is its smell, which is why smell can be an effective tool to keep snakes out of the house, naturally. So what smell do snakes hate? And how can you use it to keep them away from your home?


How do Snakes Smell?

Snakes smell in a unique way. Unlike mammals that breathe in the odours from the air, snakes use their tongue to ‘taste’ the air, collecting molecules from the air that they then put into a special organ in the roof of their nose. So technically, snakes don’t smell, they taste the odours in the air.

The two ends on the forked tongue are ways that the snake can determine what direction the odour is coming from. So if they sense something on the right fork, they can turn in that direction.

The speed at which a tongue flicks can determine the interest of a snake in something in the environment. Most snakes, when they get excited, will flick their tongue more frequently.


What smells do Snakes hate the most?

There are lots of natural home remedies that can help you to repel snakes, and not resort to more drastic options. However, scents don’t last as long as we would like. Which is why products that deter snakes via vibrations are an excellent backup to have in the ground at all times. Snakes are super sensitive to vibrations, as they spend their life slithering on the ground. Battery or solar powered repellers can emit vibrations at least once within 90 seconds, to keep snakes at bay when the scents are wearing off. 

So what are the smell snakes hate the most, and what other smells do snakes hate?


Cinnamon and Clove Oil

These common household items are two that omit a smell that snakes hate. If you’re cooking with them often, you will find that snakes will not live near the home. It is a highly accessible option that has been shown in studies to repel the Brown Tree Snake (Boiga irregularis).

One of the reasons why these might repel snakes is because they are known to be toxic to other animals. Pets like dogs and cats can have very bad reactions to the essential oils, a couple of licks can cause burns to the tongue and if it gets on their skin, it can have a similar effect.

Therefore, if you want to use this, then you need to ensure that the oils aren’t accessible to other animals or pets.


Vinegar

Vinegar is not just something that can be added to food to make it tastier or to preserve some food items. It is also a fantastic natural cleaner and it can also be used as a snake deterrent. One of the reasons for this is that snakes are very sensitive to acidic substances, and they will tend to avoid locations that have the very slightest acidic aspect.

You can use vinegar in several ways, one of which is to pour it over high-traffic areas that will push snakes to leave an area or travel across an area.


Mothballs

Mothballs have a chemical in them, Naphthalene, which has demonstrated some tendencies to repel snakes. Mothballs are often used to keep moths and other flying pets away from cupboards and clothes, so they can often be found in home supply stores.

However, mothballs are also highly toxic to pets and children. Camphor is also included in mothballs and these can result in significant health concerns for dogs. A dog digesting just a small amount can become agitated and develop seizures.

So they shouldn’t be used without caution.


Citrus

Citrus is a lovely smell to humans, a slice of lemon is popular in drinks! As citrus is acidic, it is a smell that snakes hate a lot. You can use citrus as an air freshener around your home, placing a few slices of lemon or limes around.

Some people have found that using a lemon or lime cleaner on their door and window frames can help to deter snakes from the home.


Garlic

Garlic is another common ingredient found in the kitchen. It is the smell snakes hate the most. Though it is not known why. It could be because garlic is also known to keep insects away from a home. Insects are often around food items that rodents, a snake’s prey, will often eat.

However, it might be that garlic can also hide the smell of potential prey items. Therefore, snakes don’t want to hunt in those areas.

Smoke

Smoke is one of the few smells that animals universally hate. One of the reasons for this is that smoke is something that often comes from fire, which is highly dangerous to all animals. Smoke is also a deterrent to other pests across the house, including insects.


Peppermint Oil

Essential oils can be an easy way to get a house smelling nice. There are some health benefits for us to having essential oils in the home, but there is another benefit to them, keeping snakes away from the home.

Essential oils affect the snake’s ability to smell, so they tend to stay away from the area. But essential oils can also be dangerous to other animals. So make sure that any cats or dogs that you have can’t gain access to it.

Marigolds

Using marigolds in the garden can prevent snakes from accessing the gardens. Marigolds aren’t the only plants you can use in the garden to deter snakes, but they are relatively easy to buy, grow and keep. Therefore, they are a great item to include in your garden, especially near locations that snakes might like to hide in, like rock gardens and other handy hiding locations.


Final Word: What Smell do Snakes Hate the Most?

Snakes have a very acute sense of smell and if there is something they don’t like, they will often leave the area. Often this is because, without the ability to smell, they can’t track down prey items. 

However, it is important to note that smells are not foolproof, and many require a regular application, like every day or week. So, the best option is to use a mixture of odours along with vibrating snake repellers. 

 

Products

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EnviroBug Powerful Solar Snake Repellers (8th Generation) - Envirobug
EnviroBug Powerful Solar Snake Repellers (8th Generation) from $119.00 $149.00
The original Australian solar snake repeller. Launched in 2008. Now in its 8th generation — stronger, more reliable and more adaptable than ever. EnviroBug didn't follow the market. We created it. Eighteen years of continuous improvement means one thing: when your family and pets are at risk from venomous ground snakes, you're buying the best protection available. Proven Effectiveness EnviroBug solar repellers are recognised as the most powerful and reliable on the market — and they don't stop when the sun does. An internal rechargeable battery keeps them running for up to 10 days without sunlight, through overcast days, long nights and everything in between. Your family and pets stay protected continuously, not just when conditions are ideal. The Threat Is Real Australia is home to 20 of the world's 25 most venomous snakes — and the most dangerous ones are ground dwellers that live exactly where you do.  Eastern Brown Snakes, Tiger Snakes, Red-bellied Blacks and taipans don't announce themselves. They're found in backyards, under houses, in garden beds and along fence lines across regional and suburban Australia.  EnviroBug repellers are specifically designed to deter the ground-dwelling species that pose the greatest risk to your family. The safest encounter with a snake is the one that never happens — and that's exactly what these repellers are designed to deliver. Snake activity peaks in spring and summer as temperatures rise and snakes emerge to feed and breed. That's also when encounters with humans and pets spike dramatically. The best time to install your repellers is before the season starts. 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EnviroBug Powerful Battery Snake Repellers (8th Generation) - Envirobug
EnviroBug Powerful Battery Snake Repellers (8th Generation) from $119.00 $149.00
The Most Powerful Snake Repellers Money Can Buy. #1 in Australia: Rated by Better Homes and Gardens. The safest encounter with a snake is the one that never happens — and that's exactly what these repellers are designed to deliver. We launched Australia's original snake repeller in 2008. Eighteen years and eight generations later, nothing else comes close. These battery-powered units are suitable for anywhere, sun or shade. This includes yards, under buildings, protected zones and anywhere reliable sunlight is off the table. Four D-cell batteries give six to eight months of continuous 24/7 protection. Double the deterrent mechanism of any competitor on the market. Don't compromise when it comes to protecting your family and pets from deadly Australian snakes. Eight out of ten snake bites happen when people try to pick up, corner, startle or accidentally step on a snake.  Battery-powered units are built for the spots solar can't reliably cover — shaded gardens, protected zones, under buildings, decks and dense vegetation.  For complete perimeter protection, run battery-powered units in shaded zones alongside solar-powered EnviroBug repellers in open areas. Together they eliminate blind spots across almost any outdoor environment. Key Features Double Protection — Unique to This Model — The only repeller on the market combining a sonic buzzer frequency AND an offset motor for strong physical vibration. Two deterrent mechanisms working simultaneously — maximum discomfort for snakes, minimising risks of harm to humans and pets. Massive 40-Metre Diameter Coverage — The most powerful repeller available in Australia. One unit protects a 40-metre diameter — that's serious ground covered per device. Works Where Solar Can't — Four D-cell alkaline batteries deliver continuous 24/7 power for 6–8 months regardless of sunlight, shade, season or weather conditions. Ideal for under-building, shaded yards and protected zones. Variable Vibration Pattern — Alternating vibration and buzzing prevents snakes from habituating to a fixed pattern. They never get used to it because it keeps changing. Extra Protection in Soft Soils — Buzzing feature alternates with vibration to transmit through softer soils where pure vibration alone is less effective. Handles the full range of Australian ground conditions. Anodised Stem — Prevents corrosive mineralisation from soil contact — built for years of in-ground use without degrading. Weather Resistant — Tough, Aussie-conditions tested. Heat, humidity — these repellers keep running. 8th Generation Reliability — Continuously refined since 2008. More reliable, more adaptable and more powerful than any previous generation. 12-Month Warranty — Backed by our local Aussie team.  How to Install Insert the batteries — Open the battery compartment and load four D-cell alkaline batteries before deployment Choose your placement — Focus on shaded zones, perimeter lines and high-risk areas around the building Create the hole — Use a metal stake or shovel to create a hole big enough for the repeller, then push it firmly into position — level ground gives best vibration transmission Switch it on — The repeller activates immediately and runs continuously Space correctly — For full perimeter coverage, space units so their 40-metre diameter zones overlap slightly Apply LANOX (or a similar water dispersant formula) annually — A quick application of LANOX lanolin lubricant to internal components before the wet season extends the unit's lifespan significantly. If you anticipate flooding, bring the repellers inside until water recedes. Why Variable Frequency Matters Snakes don't hear sound the way we do (they don’t have ears!). Instead they rely on extraordinary sensitivity to ground vibration to detect movement, assess threat and decide whether to stay or flee. That's exactly what these repellers exploit. The variable frequency vibration mimics the footfall of large animals — an immediate danger signal to any snake in range. Critically, the pattern keeps changing, so snakes can't adapt to it or learn to ignore it. A fixed frequency repeller eventually stops working. A variable one doesn't. The unit also emits an audible buzz so you know it's operating. If the sound is an issue in your environment — near sleeping areas, animal pens or sensitive spaces — you can switch this feature off. Simply get in touch with our friendly customer service team for instructions.  Battery-powered units go where solar repellers can't. Shaded yards, dirt-floor sheds, under buildings, bushes, animal enclosures — anywhere that sees too little sun for a solar unit to charge reliably. Run them alongside solar-powered EnviroBug repellers in open areas and you eliminate the gaps, giving snakes nowhere to settle in.
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LANOX Lanolin Lubricant | 300gm - Envirobug
LANOX Lanolin Lubricant – 300gm Aerosol $16.00 $19.00
Protect Your Repellers. Extend Their Life. Don't Let the Elements Win. Your snake repellers are out there in every condition the Australian climate throws at them — rain, humidity, condensation, frost. They're water-resistant, not waterproof (please remember to bring them in if heavy rains are forecast!). LANOX is the annual maintenance step that keeps moisture and corrosion from quietly degrading the internal components that make your repellers work. One spray a year. Years more protection. Why LANOX? Snake repellers do their job quietly and constantly — which means most people don't think about maintenance until something goes wrong. The reality is that even weather-resistant units are vulnerable to moisture ingress and corrosion over time, especially in coastal, humid or high-rainfall environments. A quick annual application of LANOX to internal components creates a durable lanolin barrier that locks moisture out and keeps everything working exactly as it should. Key Features Shields Your Investment from the Inside Out — Natural lanolin base forms a durable, adhesive film over internal components, blocking moisture, condensation and corrosion before they cause damage. One Spray a Year. Years More Life. — Annual application is all it takes to significantly extend the lifespan of your snake repellers and other outdoor gear. Low effort, high return. Heavy-Duty Protection for Harsh Aussie Conditions — Designed for extreme climatic and high-humidity environments. If it can handle mining equipment and marine hardware, it can handle your property. Completely Safe. No Nasty Chemicals. — Silicon-free, kerosene-free, acid-free and diesel-free. Natural lanolin base derived from sheep wool — biodegradable, safe around gardens, homes and animals. Won't Dry Out or Wash Off — Unlike petroleum-based lubricants, LANOX adheres to surfaces and stays put through rain, humidity and temperature extremes. Versatile Around the Property — Beyond repellers, use it on gate hinges, locks, tools, outdoor electrical connections, fencing hardware and anything else you want protected from the elements. Where to Use It Snake repellers — Apply to internal components annually, especially in humid, coastal or high-rainfall areas Gate hinges and locks — Protects outdoor metalwork from rust and seizing Outdoor tools and equipment — Keeps blades, moving parts and metal surfaces corrosion-free during storage Electrical connections — Non-conductive formula is safe for use on outdoor electrical fittings and terminals Fencing hardware — Spray on staples, wire joins and brackets to prevent oxidation in exposed conditions How to Apply Ensure the surface or component is clean and dry before applying Shake the aerosol can well Apply a light, even coat to the target surface or internal components Allow to settle — LANOX adheres naturally and doesn't require buffing or wiping Reapply annually, or more frequently in extreme coastal or high-humidity environments Tip: Apply to your snake repeller's internal components at the start of each snake season (before you put your repellers back out), before humidity peaks. It takes less than a minute per unit and adds years to the life of your repellers.
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