Folklore and Old Wives Tales on How to Get Rid of Ghosts by Jennifer Scelsi of CSI: Paranormal

Part 1

Many cultures have been using hazelnuts for centuries. And their use of ridding places of unwanted ghosts has been around since ancient times. The Pagans used hazel nuts during Samhain, often as referred to as the Great Gathering. 

They would put hazelnuts on a string and burn them over fire, while saying: "Hazelnuts, nine in a ring, by the smoke of the Samhain fire, bring protection to this house and those within, blessed be this charm of nuts and string.” 

They believed this would protect them from negative forces in the universe. This tradition, handed down through generations, has been changed several times by various religions to fit in with their belief systems, but the meaning stayed the same. You can either string hazelnuts together and hang them on your door, or add some other decorations. Whatever you do with them, just make sure you hand them on any door that goes in and out of your home. If you're particularly religious, you can ask a trusted member of the clergy to bless the hazelnuts as a bit of added protection.

Part 2 - Give the Ghosts Something to Count

Many cultures around the world believe that if you give a ghost a seemingly impossible task, the ghost will give up and leave.

Some people sprinkle a cup full of rice or sand on the floor of the haunted rooms every night before they go to bed. The belief is that the ghost will stop to count the granules, and after a few nights will tire of this impossible task and simply leave. Clean up the mess the next morning  and repeat it every night until the haunting stops.

Part 3 

Garlic

According to folklore, garlic isn't just to repel vampires anymore. The folklore of many cultures says that if you hang or lay a clove of garlic by each window and door, it will make the ghosts go away.

Mixed Up Shoes

Of all the home remedies I've read about, one of my favorites for getting rid of ghosts is to put the shoes you're going to wear the next day on the floor at the end of your bed, with one shoe facing one way and the other facing the opposite direction. The story goes that this will confuse a ghost so much it will leave after a few nights.