How to Get Rid of Skunks

Co-authored by Chris Parker and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: August 1, 2024 Fact Checked

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If you or your pet has ever been sprayed by a skunk, you’re probably not eager to repeat the process anytime soon. Getting rid of a skunk that has settled into your property can be done with a few prevention and repelling methods. In this article, we’ll give you a list of all the ways you can get rid of skunks and prevent them from coming back.

Things You Should Know

Deter skunks by setting up motion-activated lights and sprinklers.
Remove food sources by securing your trash and pet food, and keeping your yard free of bird seed and grubs.
Seal off small areas with chicken wire, and use skunk repellent or ammonia-soaked rags to deter skunks.
If all else fails, contact a professional to trap and release the skunk away from your property.

1

Install lights in your yard.

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Skunks shy away from bright lights at night. Put up large motion-sensor lights and point them at your yard to deter skunks and make them go away. Keep in mind that the lights will probably deter other critters and wildlife from your yard as well.^{[1]
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The Humane Society of the United States
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- Skunks are nocturnal, which is why they tend to stay away from bright lights.

2

Use motion-activated sprinklers.

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Sprinklers will frighten skunks and keep them out of your yard. Consider adding motion-activated sprinklers to turn on whenever a skunk comes near. Place them strategically close to areas where you suspect skunks might want to shelter, like under your deck or inside a window well.^{[2]
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3

Turn a loud radio on at night.

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Skunks don’t like loud noises, and a radio may scare them away. If you know that skunks like to head inside an outdoor shed or under your deck, place a radio nearby and turn it onto a talk radio station. Leave it on at night to scare skunks away and keep them off your property.^{[3]
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- If you have neighbors close by, they might not appreciate this tactic. Instead, try an ultrasonic skunk repellent that emits a high-pitched noise. Skunks can hear it, but humans can’t.

4

Secure your garbage and compost containers.

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Keep trash cans secured tightly to remove a skunk’s food source. Skunks are scavengers, and an open trash can or compost pile is like a 3-course meal for them. Keep your garbage in a thick plastic container with a tight-fitting lid, and put it inside, if possible.^{[4]
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- If you have a compost pile outside, don’t put kitchen scraps in it until the skunks are gone. Leaving kitchen scraps outside is a great way to attract skunks to your yard.

5

Feed pets indoors.

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Keep pet food inside to avoid giving skunks a free meal. If you have outdoor animals, take them inside to feed them as often as possible. If that’s not an option, stick around after your animals eat and clean up any leftover food as best as you can.^{[5]
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State of Massachusetts
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- If you store any pet food outside, keep it secure in a plastic bin with a tight-fitting lid.

6

Keep bird feed off the ground.

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Skunks love bird seed, so clean it up when you see it on the ground. Feeding the birds around your home is great, but it can sometimes get a little messy. If you notice any bird seed on the ground, clean it up before nightfall to avoid attracting skunks.^{[6]
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State of Massachusetts
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- If you can’t stay on top of cleaning up bird seed around your home, consider taking down your bird feeders until the skunks aren’t a problem anymore.

7

Treat your yard for grubs.

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Get rid of grubs to remove a natural food source for skunks. Your tall, watered lawn may be hiding a plethora of delicious grubs that attract skunks. To quickly get rid of grubs, stop watering your lawn for 3 to 4 weeks. As your lawn dries out, the grubs will die, and the skunks will look for food elsewhere.^{[7]
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- You can also release nematodes in your lawn, or sprinkle milky spore over your lawn to kill grubs. However, these methods can take years to kill off grubs, so they’re not ideal.

8

Seal small areas with chicken wire.

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Deter skunks from entering small areas with chicken wire. There may be spots on your property that skunks are attracted to, like the area under your deck. Put up chicken wire to keep skunks out and prevent them from making a home.^{[8]
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The Humane Society of the United States
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- Make sure you aren’t blocking off an area that has skunks in it currently, since trapping them in a small space could kill them. If you’re not sure, put loose dirt or wood shavings into an area and leave it for 2 to 3 days. If the dirt and wood chips aren’t disturbed after 3 days, you can safely assume that no skunks are living there.

9

Place ammonia-soaked rags around your yard.

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The smell of ammonia is a known skunk deterrent. Ironically, skunks aren’t a huge fan of strong smells, like ammonia. Dip a few rags into ammonia and leave them around your property to hopefully send the skunks elsewhere.^{[9]
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- Ammonia tends to evaporate quickly. Be sure to replace the rags every day for this technique to be effective.
- Some people also have success with other strong scents, like soaps and citrus sprays. These aren’t proven by experts to deter skunks, but they can’t hurt, either.

10

Try a commercial skunk repellent.

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Commercial repellents are formulated to deter skunks from your home. Buy a bottle of skunk repellent, then spray it around the perimeter of your yard. The smell of the repellent will deter the skunks and make them go elsewhere.^{[10]
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- Most skunk repellents are safe to use around animals and children. However, always read the label carefully on your skunk repellent, and follow the safety instructions on the bottle.

11

Contact a professional for live trapping.

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Trap and release skunks on your property to move them elsewhere. If you’ve tried multiple methods and you still see skunks coming in and out of your property, contact a professional to trap and release them. A professional trapper will set up a cage to catch the skunk, then drive them out to a better habitat that’s suited for their needs.^{[11]
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- To hire a professional trapper, talk to someone from the wildlife department in your state or county. They may advise you to contact a private trapper.^{[12]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Chris Parker
  Founder, Parker Eco Pest Control
  
  Expert Interview. 15 January 2021.}
- Look into your local laws before attempting to trap and release a skunk. In some states, this is illegal.

Expert Q&A

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Question

Can I trap a skunk with a live trap?

Chris Parker
Pest Control Specialist
Chris Parker is the Founder of Parker Eco Pest Control, a sustainable pest control service in Seattle, Washington. Since 2016, Chris has been specializing in Integrated Pest Management and doesn’t use any chemicals for pest removal. He offers removal services for ants, rodents, fleas, spiders, wasps, and more. Chris is a certified Commercial Pesticide Applicator in Washington State and received his bachelor’s from the University of Washington.

Chris Parker

Pest Control Specialist

Expert Answer

Yes, but if you set a trap, you have to make sure to check it every day. If you set a trap and forget about it, the trapped animal is going to suffer.

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What will keep skunks away from my house?

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Remove any food sources that might attract skunks to your house, such as food bushes (like nuts and berries), open trash cans and pet food. Also remove or block off anything that the skunk might view as a good spot to set up house, like piles of wood, large bushes or under the deck or patio. Put structural barriers against holes that lead into the house. All of these precautions will help reduce the likelihood of skunks and other problem animals like snakes and deer, from coming to your house. You can also get a wildlife professional to "skunk-proof" your house.

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Do mothballs get rid of skunks?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Staff Answer

Mothballs are meant to repel moths. And while over the years, mothballs have been touted as a miracle repellent for every pest animal imaginable, including skunks, they don’t do much to deter skunks for long, certainly not in the quantities you could safely handle. Moreover, mothballs and their ingredient Naphthalene are carcinogenic, meaning they’re highly toxic to you, other humans and animals, and shouldn’t be thrown around the environment. There are much more effective and safer ways to deter skunks.

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Tips

Skunks are very beneficial to the environment, and they eat a lot of pesky critters and insects.^{[13]
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Research source} Because of this, you should avoid killing skunks whenever possible.

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Skunks are most active during the mild weather in spring and fall.

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Warnings

Never use lethal traps or poison to kill skunks.

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Never try to pursue a skunk. They raise their tail as a sign of warning and, if you insist, they'll spray with their stinking fluid that it's highly difficult to remove it if it stains your clothes.

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