How to Get Rid of Skunks in Your Yard

All homeowners agree that nothing stops you dead in your tracks faster than seeing a skunk. These black and white striped, furry critters are unwanted guests, especially if you have pets and children. We teach you how to get rid of skunks in your yard safely and humanely without calling pest control services.

Skunks are deceivingly adorable. They don’t have gnashing teeth and long scary claws, and their face has a sweet and gentle look as they scamper around.

However, they have a stinky way of making up for their lack of ferocity, and startling or surprising them leaves you covered in skunk smell. If you’ve ever encountered a skunk, then you’re well aware of the problem they pose.

While raccoons, squirrels, opossums, and other wildlife cause havoc around your home, skunks are another issue altogether. And, you quickly learn that the unmistakable stench of skunk spray is something best avoided.

Easy Ways to Keep Skunks Out of Your Yard

Skunks are not only a nuisance because they like to get in the garbage cans and make a mess of the yard, but their smelly spraying ability keeps you indoors.

Fortunately, there are many ways to get skunks out of the yard safely and ways to prevent them from returning, and we show you how. It’s not necessary to kill skunks to get rid of them.

Getting Rid of Skunks in Your Yard with Live Traps

Getting rid of skunks in your yard is vital to both you and the skunk’s safety. What keeps skunks away? There are many ways to go about this, and using live traps to move them to another area is one of the most humane.

Purchase a live trap at one of your local hardware stores, and make sure to read the directions for your model before setting it up. During the day, place the trap in an area where you notice skunk activity and bait it with peanut butter.

If you don’t have any, try using tuna or bacon. Camouflage it by tossing a bit of dirt and leaves over it and check it regularly for a trapped skunk.

After trapping the animal, approach the trap slowly and steadily while carrying a blanket. It’s crucial to make a little bit of gentle noise while walking towards the skunk so that it’s aware of your presence and doesn’t get scared.

Cover the trap with a blanket or sheet and carry it slowly. If your local wildlife control law allows it, transport the skunk ten miles away from your home and release it.

Using Sprinklers as a Natural Skunk Repellent for Your Backyard

Water is a great natural skunk repellent for your backyard. It is safe and easy to set up, and it forces the skunks to look for a better place to hunt for food.

Skunks are easily startled and prefer to hang out in quiet and peaceful areas. Installing a motion sensor sprinkler in your yard is an excellent way to keep these critters out.

The skunk enters your yard, triggers the sensor, and a jet of harmless water sprays the area while the unit makes a whirring sound, sending them off to look for a more suitable place to search for food.

How to Get Rid of Skunks in Your Yard with an Ultrasonic Device

If you’d rather not deal with the trouble of trapping and relocating skunks, consider installing an ultrasonic device as a natural skunk deterrent. These units repel skunks from your property and are relatively inexpensive.

Ultrasonic Skunk Deterrent

Skunks do not have the best eyesight, but they make up for it with excellent hearing. Set up an ultrasonic skunk repellent device on the ground in the area where you commonly spot them.

As they approach the unit, they trigger the sensor, which emits a high-pitched sound that is terribly annoying to skunks, driving them off.

Getting Rid of Skunks in Your Yard with Home Remedies

The cheapest way to keep skunks out of the yard is to use things you probably have lying around your home already. The odor of some things easily deters skunks and other creatures. Use coffee grounds to get rid of moles in your yard and benefit plants at the same time. Skunks cannot stand the smell of certain items, and placing them strategically around your property keeps them at bay.

Skunks cannot stand citrus fruits, so planting lemon, lime, or orange trees around your property keeps them away. However, not everyone can grow these in their area.

Another way to repel them is to put citrus peels near areas where you notice activity. Skunks also hate mothballs, so placing these around your yard is also effective.

You may also have heard that moth balls keep cats away, in addition to other unwanted critters. They do, but there are less toxic alternatives that work as well or better.

How to Make Homemade Skunk Repellent Spray

This homemade spray is a great natural skunk repellent for your backyard. It is both safe and simple to prepare, and skunks cannot stand the smell of it. Here is how to make a skunk deterrent spray using peppers and onions.

Pepper spray is effective at repelling many intrusive visitors, is more convenient to use than predator urine, and all that is required is a few ingredients and a spray bottle.

To make this natural deterrent for skunks, chipmunks, squirrels, and other yard pests, fill a pot with water, add some chopped onions, one tablespoon of cayenne pepper powder, and two chopped jalapeno peppers.

Boil the liquid for half an hour, let it cool and strain it into a spray bottle. Spray this natural and non-toxic solution around your property once every three to five days or after it rains.

Ways to Prevent Skunks from Being Attracted to Your Yard

After eliminating an existing skunk problem, it’s a great idea to take steps to ensure that new skunks do not find your home inviting. Here are ways to prevent skunks from hanging out on your property.

Skunk Prevention

Skunks are attracted to food sources, so the best way to get rid of a skunk is not to draw them in. Keep the cover on your trash cans at all times, and feed your pets indoors or store cat food and other pet food away when not in use. Always store bags of birdseed in the house or garage after filling bird feeders.

Try to limit natural food sources such as grubs and insect larvae by applying an insecticide to the lawn. Install floodlights near the entry point to your yard since skunks do not appreciate bright lights.

Adult skunks burrow and protect baby skunks in dark and hidden areas such as a crawl space, so it’s essential to tidy up the yard by removing unused materials, wood, overgrown bushes, and other prime spots skunks love.

What to Do if You or Your Pet Gets Skunked

If you, your family member, or your pet have the misfortune of getting skunked, not to worry. While it seems impossible to remove all that stench, there is a simple way to remove the skunk smell, and it doesn’t involve tomato juice or bleach.

Combine hydrogen peroxide, liquid soap, and baking soda in a container and add warm water if necessary. Use the solution immediately, and massage it onto the affected area with a sponge or washcloth to break up the skunk oil.

Do not get it in the eyes, ears, or mouth. Let it sit for five minutes, and rinse the area thoroughly with clean water. If necessary, repeat the steps until the skunk odor is gone.

No one wants a chance encounter with a skunk. However, some yards are like an open invitation to these critters. Luckily, keeping the area around your home tidy and using gentle skunk control techniques sends these wild animals looking elsewhere for a food source.

We hope that discovering how to get rid of skunks in your yard using kind techniques keeps your home skunk-free, and we’d love it if you’d share our humane skunk removal methods with your social group on Pinterest and Facebook.