What is a home remedy to get rid of raccoons?

Q: How do you get rid of raccoons fast?

If youre just dealing with adult raccoons, you can DIY their removal by trying bright lights and loud noises (like a loud battery-operated radio in the attic or fireplace) to scare them out. Also, try placing a bowl of cider vinegar at the base of the chimney — its a smell raccoons find foul, so theyll run from it.

Even though by disturbing and infiltrating several homes, including yours, raccoons have earned the household pest tag, they are still classified as wildlife.

Table of Contents Show

What scents will keep raccoons away?
Will vinegar keep raccoons away?
How do you get rid of raccoons fast?
What is the best raccoon deterrent?

This means that killing them is illegal in many parts of the country.

1 Hunting

This is a time consuming and sometimes illegal method of killing raccoons, except of course, if you live in the countryside.

Raccoons are not ideal targets for hunting because of their small size. Instead, you could put your time and energy to much better use by looking for an effective way to eliminate or control them.

2 Poison

Poison is one of the first things that comes to mind for many people when thinking of getting rid of raccoons.

This method has several drawbacks, though. Apart from being an inhumane way to deal with an animal problem, killing an animal with poison means that you run the risk of it crawling into a corner of the house and dying there.

You will have to live with that odor until you find the dead animal and remove it from the house. Then there is the matter of pets ingesting poison meant for the raccoon.

If you have a pet in the place, there are high chances to eat that poison and die.

3 Lethal trap

Using a lethal trap to kill a raccoon is much safer and efficient than using poison. However, this does not make it an ideal method, especially since this type of trap’s proper use requires some level of skill to use.

4 Snap trap

Using a snap trap is a quick and efficient way to get rid of raccoons. The trap is designed to catch them and kill them as soon as the trapping happens. The snapping mechanism is activated immediately after the trap is sprung, and it kills the raccoon.

5 Live trap

The use of a live trap as a trapping method and getting rid of raccoons is quite common.

Trapping a raccoon is an effective way to get rid of it. Once you catch it, you can decide how to kill it if you still want to go down that route.

The trap has to be checked frequently to remove the raccoon as soon as you make a catch. The raccoon can be taken to a vet’s office for a euthanasia-a clean painless death.

6 Ultrasonic Repellent

The Thanos® Motion Activated Ultrasonic Animal Repeller has three independent ‘faces’ that work together in unison.

Each individual face emits ultrasonic repeller waves, flashing LEDs, and an alarm. All three faces working together provide true 360-degree coverage.

It will help to get rid of raccoons effectively, and it’s 100% safe for your family and friends.

We are still talking about how to get rid of raccoons.

There are several other ways to do this apart from those already listed in this article.

The most effective measures are all about making sure the animals don’t get on your property at all.

1 Eliminate food sources

Raccoons have an astonishing ability to sniff out food wherever it is hidden. Any exposed food source such as pet food or food kept in bird feeders is nothing short of you inviting them into your home openly.

Therefore, it would help keep these food sources away from your home while removing rodents.

2 Close off access to water

Raccoons need water to survive, so why give it to them?

Close off water bodies in the house like your swimming pool or bird feeders. Water bodies not only attract them; they also end up being sites of contamination for diseases these rodents transmit through their feces.

3 Properly dispose of garbage

The smell and sight of food lying exposed in garbage cans always attract rodents, including raccoons. Try to dispose of your trash as often as possible.

Empty trash bins offer nothing to furry pests, but the smell of food inside the trash bins will surely attract raccoons. So, If you can’t afford to take out the trash bags every day, try to keep at least the bins covered.

4 Seal entry points

Raccoons gain access into your home through gaps, holes, and any small crack anywhere on your property.

Sealing off all these entry points is the best way to keep raccoons off your property. Places to check for such cracks or holes include your attic, roof, open vents, and even the chimney.

It would be best if you stopped them from getting inside, rather than spending money and energy trying to control or get them out later.

5 Light up the dark corners

Installing lights in the attic and other dark corners in your house will deter raccoons from invading such areas.

They are nocturnal creatures who love the dark, so they make their dens in the attic or the roof. Illuminating those dark places inside the house with a flashlight or a light bulb will make sure the rodents find it hard to stay there.

6 Stop planting their favorite crops

If you notice that rodents in the area visit your home frequently to pillage your garden, then you may have something planted in there that attracts them.

Crops like grapes and watermelon attract raccoons, and if you have such growing around your garden, you will keep inviting more of them. Until you are rid of these pests, you should remove those crops.

7 Grow Cucumbers

The smell of cucumber is one that most rodents hate and run from. As another natural method you can use to get rid of raccoons, planting and growing cucumbers in your yard can keep them out of it.

You may also cut up cucumbers and place them in areas of the house like the attic, roof, and entryways to chase the raccoons away.

8 Get a Dog

Raccoons might be as big as small dogs, but they are undoubtedly scared of big dogs.

Keeping a big dog breed in the house can deter the rodents from coming around often.

Big dog breeds can chase these invaders from your property and keep it raccoon free.

9 Make a lot of noise

Loud sounds scare raccoons. Playing loud music or turning on a portable radio at night will make them uncomfortable in their dens, and eventually, they will move on to find quieter places to stay.

10 Install sprinklers

Installing a sprinkler system in your garden or yard is a good idea if you want to chase raccoons out of your home. Besides keeping your plants moist, putting on your sprinkler, particularly at night, keeps raccoons away from your property.

11 Use ultrasonic repellents

There are special ultrasonic devices made to act as technological repellents to rodents. They emit a sound that is harmless and inaudible to humans but is extremely displeasing to raccoons.

12 Fence the yard

Fencing your yard or garden can help you seal off your garden from a raccoon invasion. The most inexpensive options include the use of wire mesh and wooden fencing.

The problem with these options is that raccoons are quite stubborn and determined. They can either climb or even dig under these fences. The best option is to go for the electric fence, which will keep the rodents far away from your vegetable garden or yard.

13 Call a Professional

Raccoons are notoriously hard to get rid of. We mentioned earlier that raccoons are classified as wildlife. Therefore, you’ll probably require a professional exterminator before you remove them from your property. This applies even when you make use of a trap.

This professional is not only licensed to do this but is well-trained to do so.

If you incidentally find yourself losing control of your raccoon problem, the best thing to do is call in a professional to take care of it for you.

What scents will keep raccoons away?

Since raccoons have a strong sense of smell, which they use to find convenient food sources, one can take advantage of this feature by using scents they hate. Hot pepper, garlic, peppermint oil, onion, and Epsom salt are a few scents used to repel raccoons.

Will vinegar keep raccoons away?

Here are some tips on raccoon control to prevent them from identifying your home as a place to nest or frequently visit. Raccoons hate the smell of apple cider vinegar (and so do some humans!). Soak a cloth in apple cider vinegar and place it in an aerated container near the den. The smell will deter them!

How do you get rid of raccoons fast?

If you're just dealing with adult raccoons, you can DIY their removal by trying bright lights and loud noises (like a loud battery-operated radio in the attic or fireplace) to scare them out. Also, try placing a bowl of cider vinegar at the base of the chimney — it's a smell raccoons find foul, so they'll run from it.

What is the best raccoon deterrent?

As a general rule, the best raccoon repellents irritate the senses of a raccoon to keep them away. Peppermint essential oil, bright lights, coffee grounds, chili pepper, cayenne pepper, epsom salt, predator urine, ammonia, vinegar, loud noises and fragrant soaps all can repel raccoons.