8 Natural Ways To Get Rid of Wasps Safely

by Farmers' Almanac Staff Updated: May 7, 2026

Wasps can be helpful garden visitors. Many species prey on caterpillars, flies, aphids, and other insects that damage plants. But when wasps start hovering around the patio, building nests near doorways, swarming the grill, or showing up every time you pour a glass of lemonade, it is time to make your home and garden a lot less inviting.

The good news? You do not always need harsh chemicals to keep wasps away. In many cases, a few smart, natural deterrents can help reduce wasp activity around porches, decks, patios, trash cans, gardens, and outdoor eating areas.

Before you begin, remember this important safety rule: never try to remove a large wasp nest, yellowjacket nest, hornet nest, or any nest located inside a wall, attic, crawl space, or high-traffic area. If anyone in your home has a sting allergy, or if the nest is large or difficult to reach, call a pest control professional.

Related Post: 22 Ways To Combat Garden Pests Naturally

First: Are They Wasps, Bees, Hornets, or Yellowjackets?

Before trying to get rid of wasps, make sure you know what you are dealing with. Many people call every striped flying insect a “bee,” but bees, wasps, hornets, and yellowjackets behave differently.

Wasps usually have smooth, shiny bodies, narrow waists, and long legs. They are often attracted to meat, sweets, trash, fallen fruit, and outdoor meals.

Yellowjackets are a type of wasp. They are often more aggressive around food and may nest underground, in wall voids, or in hidden cavities.

Hornets are larger wasps and may build big papery nests in trees, shrubs, eaves, or structures.

Bees are usually fuzzier and are important pollinators. If you have honey bees or a honey bee swarm, contact a local beekeeper or swarm-removal group instead of trying to destroy the colony.

REminder: Wasps may be unwelcome around patios and picnic tables, but they can also be helpful garden allies because many species feed on caterpillars, flies, aphids, and other plant-damaging insects. For that reason, it’s best to deter wasps from high-traffic areas rather than eliminate them from the garden entirely.

8 Natural Ways To Get Rid of Wasps

1. Remove the Food That Attracts Them

The easiest way to keep wasps away is to stop feeding them. Wasps are drawn to different foods throughout the season. In spring and early summer, they often look for protein. Later in summer and fall, they are strongly attracted to sugar.

To make your yard less attractive to wasps:

Keep trash cans tightly sealed.
Rinse soda cans and juice bottles before recycling.
Clean up barbecue scraps and grease after grilling.
Do not leave pet food outside.
Pick up fallen fruit from apple, pear, peach, plum, and berry plants.
Cover pitchers, cups, and food trays when eating outdoors.
Clean hummingbird feeders and wipe away sticky sugar-water drips.

If wasps are gathering near a patio or porch, look for something sweet, meaty, or sticky nearby. Removing the attractant often solves more of the problem than any spray.

2. Use a Peppermint Oil Spray Around Problem Areas

Wasps dislike strong scents, and peppermint is one of the most popular natural wasp deterrents. It will not remove an established nest, but it may help discourage wasps from lingering around doorways, porch ceilings, deck railings, patio furniture, and outdoor dining areas.

Simple peppermint wasp spray:

2 cups water
10 to 15 drops of peppermint essential oil
1 teaspoon liquid castile soap or mild dish soap

Add the ingredients to a spray bottle and shake well. Spray around outdoor surfaces where wasps tend to gather, such as railings, eaves, patio umbrellas, garbage can lids, and table legs.

Important: Do not spray this directly on wasps, bees, pets, children, food, flowering plants, or an active nest. Essential oils can irritate skin and may be unsafe for pets, especially cats. Reapply after rain.

3. Try Clove, Geranium, and Lemongrass

Another strong natural scent combination is clove, geranium, and lemongrass. These scents are commonly used in natural wasp deterrent sprays because they can help mask the smells wasps use to find food.

Natural wasp deterrent blend:

2 cups water
5 drops clove essential oil
5 drops geranium essential oil
5 drops lemongrass essential oil
1 teaspoon mild dish soap

Shake well and spray around outdoor areas where wasps are a nuisance. Good places to try it include porch railings, patio edges, deck furniture, outdoor trash areas, and the outside of picnic tables before food is served.

This works best as a deterrent, not as nest removal. If wasps are coming from an active nest, the nest itself still needs to be handled safely.

4. Plant Wasp-Repelling Herbs Near Outdoor Living Areas

Fragrant herbs can help make patios, walkways, and garden seating areas less inviting to wasps. They also look good, smell good, and are useful in the kitchen.

Try planting these herbs in pots near patios, porches, decks, and outdoor dining spaces:

Mint
Spearmint
Thyme
Rosemary
Basil
Lemongrass
Citronella

Mint is especially easy to grow, but it spreads aggressively in the ground. Keep it in containers unless you want it to take over part of the garden.

Herbs alone will not stop a determined nest, but they can be part of a larger wasp-prevention plan, especially around areas where people gather.

5. Hang a Decoy Wasp Nest Early in the Season

Some homeowners use decoy wasp nests to discourage paper wasps from building nearby. The idea is that certain wasps are territorial and may avoid building too close to another colony.

Decoy nests work best when used early in the season, before nests are established. Hang one under a porch roof, eave, shed overhang, or covered patio where you have had wasp problems in the past.

A decoy nest is not a guaranteed fix, and it will not remove wasps that have already settled in. Think of it as a prevention tool, not a cure.

6. Seal Cracks, Gaps, and Nesting Spots

Wasps often build nests in sheltered places. Yellowjackets may also nest in wall voids, abandoned rodent burrows, hollow spaces, or hidden ground cavities.

To prevent future wasp problems, inspect your home and garden structures in early spring. Look for gaps around:

Siding
Window frames
Door frames
Rooflines
Soffits
Deck boards
Sheds
Garage trim
Outdoor faucets and utility openings

Seal small cracks and openings with caulk, weatherstripping, or appropriate exterior sealant. Repair damaged screens and cover vents with proper mesh.

Do not seal an entrance if wasps are actively flying in and out. Trapping wasps inside a wall or structure can cause them to find another way out—sometimes into the house. If you suspect a nest inside a wall, call a professional.

7. Use a Wasp Trap Away From People

If wasps are constantly bothering your patio, pool, garden table, or outdoor kitchen, a trap may help reduce activity in that area. The key is placement. Do not put a trap where people are sitting or eating. Put it far away from the space you want to protect.

Simple bottle trap:

Cut the top third off a plastic bottle.
Add a small amount of bait to the bottom.
Turn the top piece upside down and place it inside the bottle like a funnel.
Hang or set the trap away from patios, doors, play areas, and pets.

For bait, use sugar water, overripe fruit, fruit juice, or a small piece of lunch meat, depending on the season. Wasps tend to seek protein earlier in the season and sweets later in summer and fall.

Empty and refresh traps regularly. Wear gloves and use caution when handling them.

8. Know When To Leave Them Alone—or Call a Pro

Not every wasp nest needs to be removed. If a small nest is far from doors, walkways, patios, play areas, and pets, it may be best to leave it alone. Wasps help control garden pests, and many nests naturally die out after the season ends.

However, you should call a pest control professional if:

The nest is large.
The nest is inside a wall, attic, shed, crawl space, or other structure.
The wasps are yellowjackets or hornets and are acting aggressively.
The nest is near a doorway, porch, playground, mailbox, patio, grill, or pool.
Someone in the home is allergic to stings.
You cannot safely reach or clearly see the nest.

Never use gasoline, kerosene, fire, or boiling water on a wasp nest. These methods are dangerous and can cause burns, fire, toxic fumes, property damage, and more aggressive wasp activity.

What Attracts Wasps to Your Yard?

If wasps keep returning, your yard may be offering food, water, shelter, or nesting spots. Common wasp attractants include:

Open trash cans
Sticky recycling bins
Compost piles
Fallen fruit
Outdoor food and drinks
Pet food
Grill grease
Hummingbird feeders
Flowering plants
Standing water
Cracks and gaps in buildings
Old rodent holes

Start by removing food sources and sealing nesting opportunities. Natural sprays and herbs work better when you are not also feeding the wasps.

What Smells Do Wasps Hate?

Wasps are often deterred by strong scents, especially:

Peppermint
Clove
Geranium
Lemongrass
Citronella
Rosemary
Thyme
Spearmint

For best results, use scent deterrents around the places where you want wasps to stop gathering, such as porch railings, patio furniture, garbage areas, deck edges, and outdoor dining spaces. Reapply after rain.

How To Keep Wasps Away From Outdoor Meals

Wasps are famous for ruining picnics, cookouts, and late-summer patio dinners. To keep them away from food:

Serve food indoors and carry plates outside when ready.
Cover serving dishes with mesh food covers.
Use cups with lids when drinking sweet beverages.
Wipe spills immediately.
Keep trash cans far from the table.
Set wasp traps at the far edge of the yard, not near the table.
Clean the grill after cooking.

A simple change in where you place food, trash, and traps can make a big difference.

FAQs About Getting Rid of Wasps Naturally

Do natural wasp repellents really work?

Natural wasp repellents can help discourage wasps from gathering in certain areas, especially when combined with good cleanup and prevention. They are less effective against established nests.

Will peppermint oil get rid of a wasp nest?

No. Peppermint oil may help deter wasps from treated surfaces, but it should not be used as a nest-removal method. Do not spray essential oils directly into an active nest.

What is the fastest way to keep wasps away from a patio?

Remove food and drink spills, seal trash, move traps away from the patio, and use a natural scent spray around railings, table legs, and nearby surfaces before guests arrive.

Should I destroy a wasp nest?

Only if the nest poses a real risk to people or pets. If it is far from activity, it may be best to leave it alone. If the nest is large, hidden, aggressive, or near people, call a professional.

Are wasps good for the garden?

Yes. Many wasps help control garden pests by feeding on insects that damage plants. The goal is not to eliminate every wasp from your yard, but to keep them away from high-traffic areas where they may sting.

What should I do if I find wasps inside the house?

If one or two wasps get indoors, calmly open a window or door and let them out. If wasps appear repeatedly, there may be a nest in a wall, attic, chimney, or vent. Contact a pest control professional.

The Bottom Line

Wasps are not all bad, but they do not belong around doors, decks, patios, pools, grills, garbage cans, and play areas. The best natural approach is to remove what attracts them, block nesting spots, use scent deterrents, place traps away from people, and know when a nest is too risky to handle yourself.

With a little prevention, you can enjoy your garden and outdoor spaces with fewer unwanted buzzing guests.