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.
8

Seal small areas with chicken wire.

  1. 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]
    • 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.

11

Contact a professional for live trapping.

  1. 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]
    • 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]
    • Look into your local laws before attempting to trap and release a skunk. In some states, this is illegal.
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Expert Q&A

  • Question
    Can I trap a skunk with a live trap?
    Chris Parker
    Chris Parker
    Pest Control Specialist
    Chris Parker is the Founder of Parker Eco Pest Control, a sustainable pest control service in Seattle, Washington. With over seven years of experience, Chris specializes 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.
  • Question
    What will keep skunks away from my house?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    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.
  • Question
    Do mothballs get rid of skunks?
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    Staff Answer
    This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    wikiHow Staff Editor
    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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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.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
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About This Article

Chris Parker
Co-authored by:
Pest Control Specialist
This article was co-authored by Chris Parker and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Chris Parker is the Founder of Parker Eco Pest Control, a sustainable pest control service in Seattle, Washington. With over seven years of experience, Chris specializes 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. This article has been viewed 1,551,512 times.
13 votes - 88%
Co-authors: 33
Updated: February 8, 2023
Views: 1,551,512
Article SummaryX

To get rid of skunks, fill a spring-loaded skunk trap with bait like peanut butter and set it near the skunk’s den. Once you catch it, wear heavy clothes and gloves and take the skunk to the woods to release it, keeping your face away from the trap’s door as much as possible. To deter skunks naturally, rake up natural food sources like nuts, seeds, and berries, lock up your trash cans, and close off hiding places like decks and porches. Place citrus peels around the edges of your yard, or spray with bad-smelling chemicals, like pepper spray or dog urine. To learn more about how to deter skunks with sprinklers or lights, keep reading!

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