How To Get Rid Of Skunks Fast And Keep Them Away Forever

Domesticated skunks do make great pets.

The nickname of skunks in the southern United States is a polecat. Polecats are distantly related to skunks.

Skunks are famous around the world for their strong odor-producing capabilities. For many people, it is not pleasant to have skunks around, although they might control grubs and pests. These New World mammals belong to the Mephitidae family. They spray an unpleasant scent from their anal glands. Even though skunks vary in coloration from brown, cream, and ginger to white and black, they all display warning colors. The term 'skunk' is from the Algonquian language of southern New England from the 1630s and a derivation of seganku (proto-Algonquian), meaning 'to urinate'. The word skunk has historically been used as an insult since around 1841. There are only a few records of a skunk bite on humans and only when kept as pets. Their bites can spread rabies infection but skunks are less prominent carriers of rabies than raccoons. Skunks kept as pets are the ones that have their scent glands removed and are the ones that usually use biting as a defense. Common skunks that are pets are the Mephitis mephitis or striped skunk species.

Skunks are nocturnal. You can recognize an infestation from their smell. These omnivores feed on human waste food and carry rabies. They don't only love foraging in garbage bags but also love to eat fresh veggies and fruits out of your garden. Pest control becomes necessary to avoid diseases and the smell of skunk spray and to protect your property. Skunks are excellent diggers of holes, intelligent, and fast. Once the skunk problem is solved in a neighborhood, your yard or property needs to be maintained so that skunks do not have any more reason to return.

If you enjoy reading these facts about how to get rid of skunks, then make sure to read some more interesting facts about how to get rid of garter snakes and how to get rid of sugar ants here on Kidadl.

Home Remedies To Get Rid Of Skunks

Homemade remedies to get rid of skunks include homemade skunk repellents, ammonia, vinegar skunk repellent, essential oils, predator urine, garlic juice, and loud sounds.

Skunks, like raccoons, are nocturnal; hence, they are not really seen foraging around the neighborhood. However, there are obvious signs of their presence on any property they seek shelter or food sources in. They love trash bags, garbage cans, chicken eggs, garden vegetables, or compost piles. These wild animals are quite sensitive, so getting rid of skunks is easy using homemade remedies. Skunks are known for the scent they leave behind after you have used skunk repellent to keep skunks away. It is better to make use of remedies at home because they are natural and do not hurt these wild animals extensively. Getting rid of a skunk that has built a nest inside a den or has been visiting your yard can be easily done with chemicals. Ammonia is one such chemical with a strong smell and is toxic too. Skunks dislike this odor so these animals will go looking for food in another yard. Another commonly used chemical is called mothballs.

There is a natural recipe that can get rid of a skunk on your property. You can mix yellow onion, jalapeno pepper, and cayenne pepper in boiling water. Then put the mixture into a spray bottle and spray around your yard and on plants in your garden. Peels of citrus fruits also act like skunk repellents. Placing the peel of fruits like lemon, limes, or oranges on the ground around the edges of your garden and house will keep skunks away. You can also create citrus sprays in your house by boiling peels in water. Peppermint oil mixed with water can also be sprayed around the yard and on the ground. You can build traps to catch skunks at your house. They must be big enough to accommodate the skunk but small enough to encourage the animal not to spray. You can use insects, cat food, or dog food as bait in this method. If you have tried all these methods and could not deter skunks from your yard then call wildlife control professionals or your local animal control.

How do you get rid of skunks' smell?

To get rid of skunks or the spray they release you can use air filters, baking soda, vinegar, and commercial products or solutions, and manually clean the surface where there is a skunk's smell.

The smell of skunks and the spray they release are quite strong and can stay around for longer than you expect. The spray is often compared to tear gas. This strong odor is created by the combination of two atoms: one hydrogen atom with one sulfur atom. These are called thiols belonging to the same group as alcohols. If thiols touch water, then the smell removal process becomes complicated. It was previously believed that tomato juice takes out the smell but it only makes it worse. To get rid of the smell in your house you can use the popular neutralizer created by Paul Krebaum that binds with oxygen molecules of thiols to neutralize it. For this you will need a quarter cup baking soda, four cups of three percent hydrogen peroxide, and one spoonful of liquid dish soap. You can apply this mixture with your hands on affected areas or if needed, on your dog's or cat's fur. You will need to wash it off as soon as you scrub it in.

Diluted hydrogen peroxide is the main product for removing the smell on your clothes. Combine hydrogen peroxide with white vinegar, baking soda, water, and dishwashing or laundry detergent. For smell removal, you can soak your affected fabric in this mixture up to three hours before washing with more baking soda in the washing machine. You can use diluted ammonia with hot water to clean affected areas. Vinegar can work well as a deodorizer, so you can place vinegar in a container in a room to take over the skunk's smell. Make sure to change the vinegar after a few days. You can also re-install any air filters in the house. If all these methods do not work, you can purchase commercial products.

How do you scare skunks away without getting sprayed?

To scare skunks away without getting sprayed by one involves using bright lights, taking out any habitat of this animal present around the property, using an electric repellent, removing any pet food or bird feeders present outside, making use of a fence around your house or property, or calling the local animal control or wildlife control to trap the skunk.

Skunks look for easy food everywhere and this can include your yard too. Skunk removal can be done if repellents are used with the right methods. You can use a few methods without actually coming in contact with the skunk in your yard. This animal not only carries rabies but also a bacterial disease called leptospirosis. When you know that there is an infestation in your yard, you should start by removing any pet food on the ground, having trash cans with tight-fitting lids, using repellents on garbage cans, taking out grubs so they do not dig deep into your yard, and looking for holes to fill as these animals can dig under the deck or house. When you manage grubs and insects then you will deter them from digging. You can use an electric fence and an electronic repellent that can automatically deter these species. Electric fences need to be installed properly as skunks can easily dig under them to get into your yard and property. If there is a garden on your property, then make sure to harvest all ripe veggies and fruits. Use predator urine; even your pet's urine will keep skunks away. You can spray the urine along edges of your property. Pepper spray can repel skunks and is good for the environment. Motion-activated sprinklers are also quite effective. They will turn on when skunks wander too close to the device. Place these sprinklers close to areas where you might suspect a skunk's movement. In some places, it is illegal to catch live wildlife and you can also get more information about this from your local wildlife department.

As skunks are nocturnal, they love to be out at night, so keeping your exterior lights on can discourage them to nest, dig holes, or forage through the trash. You can also install small light posts in your yard that can stay on all night. Light can attract insects too. Try to identify all the habitats of skunks around your yard so that you can easily eliminate them. Also, by removing all garbage and food sources, skunks will look for food sources elsewhere.

How do you use mothballs to get rid of skunks?

The active ingredient in mothballs is a solid white substance called Naphthalene that has a strong smell. As most animals hate the smell, for at least a little they will stay away. Mothballs can be placed close to the skunk's shelter or thrown into holes in the ground.

For almost every pest problem mothballs are go-to products. Mothballs can get rid of various species like mice, raccoons, squirrels, and also skunks. However, mothballs were originally produced for getting rid of moth larvae. Be aware of the presence of carcinogens in mothballs which can cause cancer in lab rats and human beings. As well, fumes of mothballs can be as toxic to humans as they are to skunks, so it is inhumane to use these mothballs on skunks. Naphthalene and mothballs are organic compounds that are toxic for both humans and the environment. Also, too much handling of mothballs can leave a person predisposed to cancer. Using mothballs in the house can be highly toxic to skunks, humans, and even more toxic to young children. Using mothballs outside can cause fumes to be carried into the air by the wind. Keep in mind mothballs can affect more than just your immediate outdoor area.

Mothballs are normally thrown into holes where skunks are found. However, it is best not to use mothballs when there are many other methods and commercial products that can work. Essential oils like peppermint oil can also deter skunks. Skunks will try to find a way around repellents used in the yard. It is better to try removing skunks using traps and discouraging skunks entirely by maintaining your property properly.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestion for how to get rid of skunks, then how to get rid of raccoons or striped skunk facts?