How to Clean Squirrel Nest in Grill?
Squirrels are fun animals that can easily come into your compound if they are sure of finding any comfort. They are always out looking for what to eat and shelter when the weather is low.
In search of where to nest, a squirrel may occupy your grill, and this may not go well because they can pass out feces and urine, which can damage your grill if not attended to on time.
Squirrels will always want a quiet and calm place to build their nest where they can comfortably reproduce their younger ones. The smell of leftover foods in the grill is capable of attracting squirrels and can contaminate your grill.
Many homeowners always wonder how they can clean up the squirrel’s nest in their grill or how they can kill the squirrel away entirely from nesting in their grill.
This article is the help you seek. Here, we’ll show you how to remove squirrel nests and clean your grill for future use. Hop in, and let’s get going!
What Exactly Attracts Squirrels to Your Grill?
Squirrels love food and will look everywhere to get it. Although squirrels are known for their love of food, they are not picky eaters like other rodents, so the food scraps on the grill are a fantastic treat. For warmth and protection from predators, they are drawn to your grill.
How to Get Rid of Squirrel Nest From Your Grill
Knowing the type of rodent infestation you want to handle is the first step in cleaning your grill of squirrel nests. To get rid of squirrel nests, you must first identify what attracted them to your grill. It could be shelter or food, whatever the case may be; continue reading to get a detailed solution.
- After a long winter, if you’re grilling for the first time and notice squirrel droppings and nests, you must take the required precautions to remove the squirrel from your grill completely. However, if you open your grill after a while and discover a squirrel and it’s young clinging to it, you don’t need to throw it away and buy a new one; instead, you may use certain cleaning techniques to keep the squirrel, its young, and their nest away from your BBQ.
- When dealing with a squirrel infestation, wear protective hand gloves and a face shield. You will need to manually remove any dead squirrels from the grill, which might be a difficult task. However, you can keep the open grill overnight to lower your risk of catching any sickness, but make sure it’s far enough away from your house that the squirrel won’t feel at home.
- The nesting materials, such as charcoal, leaves, and twigs, must then be removed and burnt. Also, do not forget to wear gloves to avoid contacting squirrel droppings. To prevent squirrels from returning to the grill after clearing out all the nesting material, thoroughly clean your grill to remove any urine, droppings, pheromones, and food remnants.
Ways You Can Decontaminate Your Grill After Getting Rid Of Squirrel Nest
A slightly different strategy is needed to decontaminate your grill after a squirrel infestation than to clean it after a cooking session. Deep cleaning procedures are necessary to restore your grill to how it was before the squirrel nests were there.
- Start by taking off all of the moveable components from the grill’s interior, including the warming rack and grill grates
- The grease tray should then be removed and placed with the other components. When disinfecting your grill, you need a powerful disinfectant for effective cleaning
- Take a large tub or container, add a reasonable amount of quality disinfectant and water, and submerge the grill’s components for two to three hours
- Take away all the grill components from the disinfectant soluble, then start scrubbing them hard using a cleaning brush
- After a thorough scrubbing, soak them back in the bucket of warm soapy water and allow them to stay for one to two hours. Wash them one after the other and put them out to dry. You can continue with this process if the soaps are not properly cleaned.
Proven Tips for Keeping Your Grill Safe From Squirrels
It would help if you were concerned whenever you see traces of any rodents around your house or anywhere close to your grill. Here are some proven tips to keep squirrels away from your grill.
- Seal Up All Entry Space
Make sure to seal the light when putting your grill away for the winter. If possible, use a twist tie to prevent it from coming undone. Keep your grill indoors in the storage shed or garage and wrap it using a grill cover or proof that is appropriate. Do not forget that Squirrels can make comfy homes in garages and sheds, so ensure the bottom of your doors and all openings are sealed up.
- Do Not Allow Foods particles on your grill
Squirrels are constantly searching for tasty food since they adore them so much. Squirrels are messy eaters who are constantly searching for places to find food. If they find food residue on your grill, they may litter the area further and build a nest there.
- Always Seal Pet Foods
Store your pet foods in an airtight container if you have pets at home, especially grains and seeds, to avoid squirrels feasting on your pet’s food. Keep the containers above the ground and properly covered to preserve them from squirrels.
- Ensure Hygiene Around Your Garage and Shed
Keeping our storehouse and garages clean is one of the things we regard as less important while cleaning our house and the outside surroundings. Cleaning the garage and store clean always helps keep squirrels away from your grill, especially when you sore your grill.
Wrapping Up
Finally, squirrels may choose an outdoor BBQ grill as their nesting location because it offers shelter from harsh weather and safety from predators, among other things. Squirrels will come to the grill in quest of food if the grill is not always kept clean. Therefore, to keep them away, thoroughly clean your grill.
Please do not get scared when you see your grill in a bad situation where the squirrels lit it with urine, materials used for their nest, and feces. Follow all mentioned above to put your grill in order and keep the squirrels away permanently.
