Sprinkling human hair, soap shavings, or urine around the garden reliably keeps deer and rabbits out.
Hair, soap and other home-remedy scents aren't a reliable way to keep deer or rabbits out. They need renewing, the animals get used to them, and deer have even eaten the soap. A fence is the dependable fix, and for deer it has to be tall. Store-bought repellents do better than home remedies, but most can't go on food crops.
What is actually known
Hair, soap and similar home remedies are unreliable. Extension services call them questionable at best, deer have been seen eating the soap, and what works in one garden can fail where deer are more numerous. Hair and soap bags have to be renewed monthly, and deer and rabbits get used to repellent smells. A fence is what dependably keeps them out. For deer, the conventional deer- proof fence is 8 feet of woven wire, and for rabbits fencing is the most effective protection. Commercial repellents are more reliable than home remedies, but most cannot be used on edible crops and their effect is temporary.
The evidence
Evidence: checked against 3 sources in the research-based literature.
The 3 sources
Home-remedy repellents are questionable at best.
While many people swear that nylon stockings filled with human hair and bars of soap repel deer, these home remedies are typically not as reliable as products labeled as deer repellents.
Fencing is the most effective way to prevent rabbit damage in home gardens
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Milpa Gardens. “Sprinkling human hair, soap shavings, or urine around the garden reliably keeps deer and rabbits out.” Evidence grade: Contested. https://milpa.garden/beliefs/human-hair-deer-soap-deer-repellent/
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