It’s Squirrel Season…

Have you experienced tiny little scratch marks all over your outdoor furniture frames and wonder where they are coming from?

Can’t get anyone to fess up? Maybe your culprit doesn’t have the ability to speak.

Don’t underestimate those adorable little critters you’ve been feeding. You guessed it… squirrels. Bright eyed, bushy tailed and ready to gnaw. Squirrels can chew through just about anything. Their teeth continue growing about 6 inches a year throughout their entire lives. To keep them trimmed to a proper length squirrels chew on stuff. Like your wood, plastic, or metal furniture.

We’ve seen it over and over again. Our customers are astonished to find out that these little creatures can do so much damage to a metal frame. In most cases the squirrels seem to have completely lost their fear of humans. They see us as an easy food source. Any food particles left behind from a summer barbecue or even lotions from our skin will attract this pesky critter to your frames.

Now that you know where the damage is coming from what can you do about it? Our best recommendation is to remove any bird & squirrel feeders from your property. If this is not an option move the feeder farther away from your furniture. Some people add another feeder approximately ten feet away for squirrels specifically using corn, acorns, hard nuts or something they hard enough that they will chew on. Placing feeders at the farthest edge of the property seems to be of some deterrent.

Keep your frames as clean as possible using mild detergents and water. Rinsing thoroughly is the key here. Citrus scented cleaners are not recommended. Pest repellant sprays may be safe for spraying around entry areas but not on your furniture frames. Be careful to remove the furniture from the area before spraying or rinse all frames very well with water immediately following any spray treatments you have done near the frames.

In the end, if you find yourself with scratched marred uncomfortable frames, contact Criterion right away. Your damaged frames will be like new again after our dedicated team of professionals have worked their magic! Call 1-800-422-8360 today.