Asked on Dec 23, 2015

Which soap is better for keeping the deer away, DIAL or IVORY?

Peggy Cox
by Peggy Cox
Mainly out of the garden area, both flower and veggies...
The more that the deer will leave for me to eat....
  28 answers
  • Mary Mary on Dec 23, 2015
    My neighbors swear by Irish Spring bar soap. They cut it in chunks and sprinkle it around the drip line of their prized shrubs. Works for awhile but not all summer.
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Dec 23, 2015
    Most of the studies are saying Irish spring or Zest.
  • Hope Williams Hope Williams on Dec 23, 2015
    Hi Peggy. After researching I've come up with two I found the most recurrence of. Any soap containing a large amount of coconut oil. Then very strong smelling soap; Irish spring. Cut into wedges/squares and hung around the area you want them to stay out of. Let us know which works best in your area for other folks who "search" this topic as well. Good luck and merry Christmas!
  • Catherine Smith Catherine Smith on Dec 23, 2015
    Agree Irish Spring works pretty well for deer. You do have to renew it.
  • Judy Ackerman Judy Ackerman on Dec 23, 2015
    Proven fact Irish Spring works. I had a problem with mice getting into the drawers in my kitchen. Put slivers of Irish Spring in each drawer and I have not seen a mouse yet. That overpowering smell is what does the trick.
  • Jean Myles Jean Myles on Dec 23, 2015
    I 'm using Irish Spring as said by the other ladies. It works for me . I change it out with fresh every couple of months Good luck
  • Em Hooper Em Hooper on Dec 23, 2015
    Our deer ignore all soaps. Soap might have worked well when made of natural products, but new chemical-based soaps have changed the effectiveness. The septic guy says fat-based Ivory required frequent septic pump-outs but not for the new version. My deer stoppers are fencing around the small english laurels, blueberries, etc., til the bushes get large enough to fend for themselves. My deer (usually about 8 of them)don't touch lilacs, but love azaleas. If you have a hillside or fence near the house that would make the deer reluctant to get "fenced in," they won't bother the shrubbery in the confined area. Between the house and the hillside beyond the back door, my rhodys grow higher than the house roof and the azaleas need pruning or would cover the windows. Check you local Ag Extension office for tips on what to plant. Good luck.
  • Kisia Kisia on Dec 23, 2015
    Use Irish spring
  • Sam Sam on Dec 23, 2015
    I find that soaps and repellants are iffy at best. They may work some of the time, but can't be trusted. There are creative and attractive fencing options. I recommend you read this short article from the Univ. of Vermont: http://pss.uvm.edu/ppp/articles/deerfences.html
  • Patty Patty on Dec 23, 2015
    I've used Dial original bar soap for about five years and it does the job for me. It was recommended to me by a a Horticulturist. Good luck! And Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!!
  • Suzette Trimmer Suzette Trimmer on Dec 23, 2015
    I have tried both and neither ever worked but what did; surprisingly enough, is Human hair. Yup, you read this answer correctly. I merely go around to various hair salons and ask once a week for the bag of hair cutting from the floor; "all free all natural" and then just sprinkle strands around the plants they go for the most. Pile up hair for the most desirable plantings they like. For instance, when I plant my bulbs, I drop human hair on top so squirrels stop digging once they reach the hair. Hope my two cents have helped you out!!
    • See 3 previous
    • Laurie Laurie on Aug 09, 2024

      I have used dog hair/fur and it worked. Our husky-shepherd shed wads of fur and I bagged it up. Gave it to neighbors too. We had three dogs so enough for several houses on our street.

  • Cathy Cathy on Dec 23, 2015
    We used Irish Spring on our seedling fruit trees to keep the deer away. There were still leaves on them in early fall, which was not the case the prior year, so it must be doing something.
  • Barbara Barbara on Dec 23, 2015
    I use a product that is called Panther Pee but is actually wolf urine. It is the only thing that works for me.
  • MN Mom MN Mom on Dec 23, 2015
    Totally agree with @Suzette! Ask your stylist for your hair sweepings the next time you're in for a cut!
  • Lagree Wyndham Lagree Wyndham on Dec 23, 2015
    This is gonna sound gross to some so I apologize up front, depending on your privacy from neighbors you can do this. Place a cinder block in garden and have the male members of the family "mark their territory" on it. The scent will keep the deer away.
  • IrisCamp IrisCamp on Dec 23, 2015
    After brushing my long hair dog, I gather his hair and put it in little bags made from old nylon stockings and hang these around the garden - or you can just put it around the plants the deer bother the most. Also, when picking up after the dog, put a little poo around your plants. It won't smell very long and the plants love it, but the deer don't.
  • Visitor960 Visitor960 on Dec 23, 2015
    Irish Spring missed with hair from the barber. And a little bit of cyan pepper
  • Snapoutofit Snapoutofit on Dec 23, 2015
    My step dad is constantly trying new things to keep the deer out of his flower beds. Nothing really seems to work. I suggest adding deer resistant plants
  • Mug3248001 Mug3248001 on Dec 24, 2015
    milorganite
  • Peggy Cox Peggy Cox on Dec 24, 2015
    I've also heard of using the Irish Spring soap too. Can use both the Dial and the favorite here, the Irish Spring this coming year... Still interested in hearing other suggestions. A fence is out of the question. Not allowed where I live...
  • Naomi Daly Naomi Daly on Dec 26, 2015
    Actually it's Irish Spring. I lived on top of a mountain years ago and I'm an advid gardener so I needed to find something. I use to cut it up and place it in a knee high sticking and tie it to the shrubs and plants
  • Tamra Tamra on Dec 27, 2015
    I've tried, hair, miloganite, soap, used kitty litter and nothing stops the deer here in Georgia. And they eat EVERYTHING.
  • Doneva Fellows Doneva Fellows on Dec 27, 2015
    nothing works but a fence. if the deer are hungry they will eat even plants they might ignore another time. i figure if i plant something where the deer can get to it it's my fault not the deer.
  • Diana sellers Diana sellers on Dec 29, 2015
    I have a Family of deer that live here on my five acres with me. I found out after many failures and the loss of many fruits and veggies along with an untold number of flowers a way to have some control over them. For our garden we used fishing line wrapped on pieces of rebar . I used this because it's easy to hammer into the ground and not very noticeable to the deer the idea is the fishing line should touch the deer on face ,neck,or anywhere on body It scares them because they do not see what is touching them.. I had no problems with the deer and a very productive garden. Just put a piece of rebar on each corner of your garden and loop the line from post to post.Also if you have problems with rabbits a line on same posts just above ground level scares rabbits I guess it works the same on them
  • Jac Jac on Dec 31, 2015
    I keep a bar of ORIGINAL Irish Spring in my car with a vegetable peeler. Every few weeks (depending on how much rain we've had) I shave off a few soap curls near my roses as I go inside. My deer dine elsewhere. Note: if I fail to renew the soap slivers, my roses get pruned overnight.
  • Peggy Cox Peggy Cox on Jan 05, 2016
    Is more or less a poll question, as to which brand of soap was best for deterring deer. Process of elimination choose the one used the most for same.
  • Jac Jac on Oct 29, 2016
    Irish Spring - Original works for my knockout roses. I just shave a few pieces around the plants with a vegetable peeler. Repeat after a substantial rain or every few days, as needed.
  • Janice Janice on Aug 10, 2024

    Any soap that has the strong scent of mint will help to deter deer......or you could use essential oils such as mint, spearmint, peppermint, etc.