While skunks seem cute, furry creatures, they can become a major nuisance when they invade your home or property. So how to get rid of skunks under the shed? Fortunately, there are ways to get rid of skunks without using harsh chemicals or trapping them and relocating them. Keep reading for some tips on how to get rid of skunks safely and humanely.
The Short Answer…
The best way to get rid of skunks under the shed is to install a motion-activated sprinkler which is a safe and effective way only if installed in the correct place.
You can also try using a mild repellent. Skunks don’t like the smell of vinegar and ammonia, so you can try spraying vinegar around the perimeter of your property. You can also try using mothballs or putting out a dish of Ammonia. Another option is to create a loud noise or buy a sound detterent. Skunks are shy creatures, so if you make enough noise, they will likely leave the area.
Finally, you can try removing any food sources that might be attracting the skunk. If you have garbage cans outside or pet food left out, make sure they are properly sealed so that the skunk can’t get to them. By taking these steps, you can get rid of a skunk without resorting to harsh chemicals or traps.
How To Get Rid Of Skunks Using Home Remedies?
While there are a number of commercial products available, many people prefer to use home remedies.
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Bowl Of Ammonia
One popular method is to place a bowl of ammonia near the entrance to the skunk’s den. The strong smell will deter the skunk from entering, and over time it will hopefully find a new home.
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Spray Vinegar
Another home remedy is to mix equal parts of water and vinegar, and spray the solution around the perimeter of your property. The vinegar smell will also repel skunks, and it is unlikely to harm plants or animals.
If you have a persistent problem with skunks, you may need to call in a professional trapper. However, in most cases, home remedies will be enough to keep these pests at bay.
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Onion
Boil onion and then chop it with jalapeno and a spoon of cayenne pepper with 2 quarts of water for about 20 mins. Then strain the liquid in a bottle of spray and spray it under the shed. This will keep skunks away for a few days so after the smell is finished, spray again.
How To Get Rid of Skunks Naturally?
Thanks to their ability to spray a noxious substance, skunks have long been considered nuisance animals. However, there are a number of ways to get rid of skunks without resorting to harmful chemicals or traps.
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Take Away Their Food Sources
The simplest yet most effective method of keeping skunks away is to eliminate their food source. Skunks are attracted to areas where there is a lot of garbage or pet food left out. By sealing up garbage cans and feeding pets indoors, you can make your property less inviting to skunks.
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Seal Potential Nesting Sites
Another effective method is to discourage them from taking up residence in the first place. This can be done by making sure that any gaps or holes in your foundation are sealed. You can also try using scented deterrents such as citrus or peppermint oil around the perimeter of your property.
If skunks are already living under your deck or shed, you can evict them by shining a light into the area and making loud noises on a regular basis.
Do Mothballs Get Rid Of Skunks?
If you have ever been unfortunate enough to have a skunk take up residence under your deck or shed, you may be wondering if mothballs will get rid of skunks.
Fortunately, mothballs do get rid of skunks, however, need to be persistent with applying it.
When mothballs are placed in an area where skunks are present, the skunks will leave in search of a less toxic environment. While mothballs are effective at getting rid of skunks, they can also be harmful to people and pets if inhaled or ingested. For this reason, it is important to use mothballs only as a last resort and to follow all directions carefully when using them.
What Are The Signs Of Skunk Under Shed?
While skunks are nocturnal, it’s difficult to spot skunks during the day. However, there are several signs that indicate a skunk is living under your shed.
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Tracks
One is the presence of skunk tracks leading in and out from under the shed. You can check the tracks and steps of the skunk, its steps place is probably there if you pay attention.
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Odor
Another is the strong, musky odor of skunk spray near the entrance to the den. Sheds offer perfect shelter for skunks, who are nocturnal animals. If you suspect you have a skunk living under your shed, take care not to approach too closely, as skunks will spray if they feel threatened.
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Sound
Maybe you are asleep at night however, if you have ever been awake till late or woke up in the middle of the night, you have probably heard the voice of skunks. It’s a low pitched sound, but not so loud. You may not hear it well easily unless you pay attention. Afterall, its a sign if you notice.
Instead, call a pest control expert to safely remove the animal from your property. Sealing up any openings or holes that might offer entry to future pests.
What Home Remedy Will Get Rid Of Skunks?
The most distinctive indicator that a skunk inhabits or visits your home is their signature putrid smell. But, apart from the horrible odor, holes in your yard and rips in garbage bags also mean skunks live on your property.
Luckily, numerous home remedies can help deter skunks and keep them away effectively. However, for any of these solutions to work long-term, you also need to take preventative measures like removing readily available food sources from your property; this includes fallen fruit, birdseed, pet food, and water. Also, block spaces allow them to burrow and make dens, including homes abandoned by other animals.
After ensuring that wild animals like skunks do not have access to easy food and shelter in and around your home, you can use the five solutions mentioned below to remove the skunk living on your property.
- Homemade Repellent Skunk Sprays: A skunk problem can be dealt with using homemade sprays with strong scents. These sprays, usually made with chilies, work to evict skunks due to their robust smell. A simple repellent spray recipe is boiling cayenne pepper, jalapeno pepper, and onion in water for a few minutes to make a hot pepper spray.
- Ammonia: People also use ammonia and apple cider vinegar-soaked rags placed in a plastic bag (with holes) or buckets near the den entrance or edge of the property to keep skunks away; skunks tend to avoid the chemical scent. Dirty kitty litter and mothballs can also be used for the same effect.
- Bright Lights: Skunks are primarily nocturnal animals and cannot tolerate a lot of light. Thus, a motion sensor flood light or any bright light can scare the wild animal off your yard.
- Predator Urine: Predator urine is also beneficial in removing skunks living in your yard. You can easily purchase predator urine from an outdoor store.
- Citrus Fruits: Skunks are also wary of citrusy smells. Thus, they work well as a natural repellent. So, strategically placing lemon and orange peels around entrances can help keep skunks off your home.
Note: You may separate a mother skunk from baby skunks when removing or trapping live skunks. Thus, it’s always advisable to call your local animal control to trap and relocate skunks.
What Scents Get Rid Of Skunks?
Robust scents are often used for skunk removal since the wild animal’s keen sense of smell works against it, making it vulnerable to various strong odors. Some scents that keep skunks at bay include citrusy aromas and hot peppers boiled down with water. In addition, Mothballs, ammonia, peppermint oil, castor oil, and even strong-smelling soaps can often do the trick without needing to call a wildlife control professional.
What Is The Best Skunk Deterrent?
Skunks are gentle and easily scared, sometimes even loud human voices, so it does not take much to deter them. (However, if you have a mother skunk harboring its babies under your roof, then things may get a little complicated) Even then, the best skunk deterrent is using bright lights to scare them off your property. These chiefly nocturnal wild animals cannot take intense light and are unlikely to visit any home with motion sensor flood lights.
How To Get Rid Of Skunks Permanently?
You can get rid of skunks using home remedies like using natural skunk repellents ( hot pepper solution, ammonia-soaked rags, and predator urine) and a bright light. However, the only way to get permanently rid of this wild animal is to invest in an exclusion barrier that restricts them from re-entering your property. Steel mesh or chicken wire around the perimeter with one foot (or more) extending outward will stop the skunk from climbing up or digging under the fencing.
Remember, the spotted skunk are better climbers than other skunk types.
However, sometimes the only way to remove skunks from your yard or shed for good is to call animal control for wildlife removal, especially if you’re dealing with a mother skunk.
How To Get Rid Of Skunks Under House?
You can often identify skunks hiding under your house by tapping sounds; mother skunks are especially loud as they try to nurse their babies. To remove them from under your home, you should make the area as less skunk-friendly as possible.
Remove any open food sources (like cat food), use cotton balls soaked in concentrated ammonia or ACV, and place them near openings. In addition, invest in a mesh wire fence to lock them out, install motion sensor sprinklers or flood lights, and scatter citrus peels in the occupied area.
If these remedies do not work, you may have to call animal control to trap the skunk. Do not attempt this yourself, and a trapped skunk might spray you out of fear.
Does Ammonia Get Rid of Skunks?
Ammonia has an unpleasant chemical smell, which deters skunks as they have an excellent sense of smell. To use skunks’ sensitive noses against them, soak tags or cotton balls on ammonia and place them in open buckets or perforated plastic bags to keep them at bay.
Do Coffee Grounds Repel Skunks? How Long Do Skunks Stay In One Place?
While skunks are shy animals which are mostly active at night, they have a strong sense of smell. However, if you’re looking for a natural way to repel skunks, you may have heard that coffee grounds can do the trick.
Coffee grounds contain a compound called naphthalene, which is a strong-smelling irritant. However, it doesn’t irritate the skunks.
Although skunks do not irritate the sinuses of skunks, they still do repel skunks. When these compounds are released into the air, they can deter skunks (and other animals) from entering an area. However, it’s important to note that coffee grounds won’t eliminate skunks entirely – they may just help to reduce the number of skunks in your yard.
