Best Skunk Repellent 

Skunks are solitary mammals known for their black and white fur and ability to spray a foul smelling liquid when threatened. Commonly seen as nuisance pests, skunks often build dens beneath porches and decks, and they can cause property damage, increase the risk of fires, carry serious diseases, and create annoying noises and odors.

When skunks aren’t denning around your property, they may be digging up your backyard looking for grubs or insects, disturbing your trash cans seeking leftover meals, and even spraying curious pets who get too close.

In many states, killing and trapping skunks is illegal. Furthermore, lethal methods and using traps to relocate skunks is typically unnecessary. Skunks are sensitive animals who can be easily repelled using common commercial products and several home remedies.

Are you wondering where to find the best skunk repellent to help protect your property from skunks? Then you’ve come to the right place. Today, we are going to talk about the best skunk repellent products, why they are effective, and learn about other methods you can use to prevent skunk activity around your home.

Let’s get started.

What Is Skunk Repellent And How Does It Work?

Skunks are sensitive animals and repelled by a number of different products.

Skunk repellent is any type of animal repellent that uses ingredients to repel and deter pest animals like skunks, rabbits, squirrels, moles, rodents, and other common yard pests.

The best skunk repellent uses ingredients that are safe to use around people and pets and won’t harm the skunk, but will effectively deter it from wanting to come around your property. Skunk repellents can come in the form of sprays, graunauls, or dusts, and can often be used along the perimeter of your home, in gardens, and around garbage cans, trees, and other skunk attractants.

Most interestingly, some of the best skunk repellent products include predator urine, like urine from predators like coyotes or foxes.

This video below gives more advice on how to reduce skunk activity and discusses some of the best skunk repellent products available. 

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But are skunk repellents as effective as traps when it comes to getting rid of skunks? Let’s see.

Skunk Repellent Vs. Traps – Which Is Most Effective?

It is illegal to trap or kill skunks in a number of states. 

When it comes to using skunk repellents to get rid of skunks compared to using traps, the most effective method for you is going to depend on the type of skunk problem you’re having and your region.

For example, if you have skunks nesting or denning beneath your home or under decks or porches, you may find that the best method of removal is trapping and relocating them. That said, trapping and relocating skunks may be illegal in your state or may require the help from a professional.

That said, if you simply have one or two skunks roaming around on your property at night looking for food, the best skunk repellent products are highly effective and will help keep them at bay.

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of the best skunk repellent products vs. traps for skunk removal.

Best Skunk Repellent Vs. Skunk Traps – Pros And Cons

Skunk repellents are an effective way to repel skunks and often work better than traps. 

Both traps and skunk repellents can be effective methods for skunk removal, however, like anything, there are pros and cons to using repellents vs traps.

Skunk Repellent Pros

• The best skunk repellents are safe and natural
• Skunk repellents are humane and harm-free to skunks
• Most skunk repellents can be used around people and pets
• Skunk repellents can be used as often as needed and help repel other pests
• Skunk repellents reduce your chances of getting sprayed by a skunk

Skunk Repellent Cons

• Some skunk repellents are more reliable than others
• Skunk repellents can be less effective depending on weather conditions
• Some skunk repellents can be irritating to people and pests
• Some skunk repellents must be reapplied often
• Skunk repellents may not evict skunks completely from denning on your property

Skunk Trap Pros

• Traps can help you completely remove and relocate skunks
• Live skunk traps are safe and humane

Skunk Trap Cons

• It may not be legal in your state to trap and relocate a skunk
• Trapping a skunk can be dangerous
• Using skunk traps may require the help from a professional
• Trapping a skunk requires maintenance and more work than using repellents
• Trapping skunks puts you at higher risk of getting sprayed or bitten

Best Skunk Repellent Products

Skunks are solitary animals who are native to North America. 

Finding the best skunk repellent product for you can seem like a daunting task, but it’s actually easier than you think. There are plenty of effective repellents you can use to remove skunks from your property, and we have listed some of our favorite products below.

Natural Armor Animal Repellent

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We’re all for natural products that deter animals safely and humanely, which is why we love the above product by Natural Armor and have listed it as one of the best skunk repellent products.

It uses natural ingredients like peppermint oil to help repel and deter pests like skunks, mice, rats, raccoons, deer, and more. It is safe to use both inside and out and includes a spray attachment to make application easy. It also leaves behind a decent smell that people like but critters hate.

Once applied, this skunk repellent lasts up to 90 days and protects areas up to 1,000 square feet.

PredatorPee Original Coyote Urine

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Next on our list of best skunk repellent products is coyote urine. This product, made by PredatorPee, is one of the most effective deterrents for not only skunks, but also other pest animals like raccoons, possums, and squirrels.

Small animals like skunks are much less likely to come sniffing around your property if they think a predator like a coyote is nearby, which is why this product works so well. That said, coyote urine can attract other coyotes to your property, so keep that in mind when using this product.

Critter Ridder Animal Repellent Granules

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Critter Ridder is a popular product for the safe and humane removal of pesky critters, which is why we have listed it on our list of best skunk repellent products for yards. This product, made by Safer Brand, uses granules you can sprinkle around your property to repel skunks, raccoons, squirrels, and even uninvited cats and dogs.

It works by using natural ingredients like black pepper, which irritates and repels critters without harming them. The product lasts up to 30 days and can be used safely around people. That said, it can cause irritation to pets so use it with caution in yards where pets play.

Ultrasonic Animal Repellent

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Ultrasonic animal repellents like the one listed above make some of the best skunk repellent products because they work using sound vibration and flashing lights to frighten and repel a number of creatures like skunks, bats, mice, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons and more.

Best of all, ultrasonic pest repellents are chemical free and safe to use around children and pets. You simply install them into your yard and leave them to do their job.

Colton’s All Natural Skunk Repellent

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If you are looking for the best skunk repellent that is all natural, you might like this natural skunk repellent spray by Colton’s. This spray uses completely natural ingredients to repel skunks, raccoons, rats, rabbits, mice, and gophers.

This product is safe enough to use around homes with children and pets as it uses natural ingredients like peppermint oil, which skunks can’t stand. Once applied, the spray should last between two and four weeks.

Repels-All Animal Repellent

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Repels-All is a unique and natural way to humanely repel not only skunks, but also deer, racoons, rabbits, armadillos, birds, and rodents. It is one of the best skunk repellent products because it uses natural ingredients like garlic oil, cloves, and crushed eggs to help induce fear in wild animals that makes them feel unsafe on your property.

This is a harm-free way to deter pests without the use of poisons or traps, and can be used safely around the perimeter of your home to help keep pests from entering your property, garage, or making dens beneath your home, porch, deck, or in sheds.

Rodent Sheriff Pest Control

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We have Rodent Sheriff on our list of best skunk repellent products because it uses peppermint oil to repel all kinds of unwanted visitors like mice, raccoons, skunks, ants, spiders, and more.

The order above includes two spray bottles that use natural ingredients that are safe to use around children and pets. You can also use this solution inside your home, outside your home, and around your garden.

Best Skunk Repellent Home Remedies

Stinging nettle is an effective plant that helps deter skunks from gardens. 

Considering some of the best skunk repellent products listed above are made using natural ingredients like black pepper and mint, it comes as no surprise that you can use household ingredients yourself to make your own natural skunk repellents.

In fact, some of the best skunk repellent include the ingredients below.

Red Cayenne Pepper

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Cayenne pepper is an ingredient you can use and one of the best skunk repellent products you probably already have in your pantry.

Cayenne is a very hot spice that causes irritation to a skunk’s nose, mouth, and eyes. It won’t harm the animal but it will certainly irritate it and keep it from coming back to your property. However, you will need to sprinkle it around your property often, especially after it rains or snows. We should also note that cayenne can cause irritation to people and pets if it gets into the eyes, so use it carefully.

Peppermint Oil

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Pure peppermint oil is another home remedy you can use as one of the best skunk repellent products. Simply mix peppermint oil with water in a spray bottle and spray this solution around your home, on trash cans, along porches and decks, and anywhere else you want to decrease skunk activity.

Crushed Chilli Pepper

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Another home remedy that works well as one of the best skunk repellent products is crushed chilli pepper. It works similarly to cayenne pepper by irritating a skunk’s nose, mouth, and eyes and will repel and deter skunks from returning to your property.

This product can also help repel squirrels, possums, raccoons, and other pesky wildlife you don’t want poking around your yard.

Other ingredients you can use to repel skunks include:

• Citrus Scents
• Citrus Fruit Peels
• Jalapeno Peppers
• Ammonia
• Lights
• Mothballs
• Citrus Trees
• Stinging Nettle
• Fritillaria Plants
• Squash
• Cucumber

Below Are A Few Of The Best Skunk Repellent Recipes You Can Make At Home:

• Cayenne And Jalapeno Pepper Spray Skunk Repellent

Mix 6 cups of water with 5 ground cayenne peppers, once diced yellow onion, and five ground jalapeno peppers. Let the solution boil for about 20 minutes and then cool. Once cooled, pour it into a spray bottle and spray anywhere you want to reduce skunk activity. This repellent will need to be reapplied often in order to keep skunks at bay.

• Citrus Spray Skunk Repellent

Along with spreading citrus peels around your yard or garden to repel skunks, you can also make your own citrus spray for one of the best skunk repellent products at home. To make a citrus spray, mix equal parts pure lemon juice with water and spray it around your home and property as often as needed to help repel skunks.

You can also help repel skunks by soaking rags in ammonia or leaving mothballs around your yard, garden, garbage cans, or property where you have noticed skunk activity. However, ammonia and mothballs use toxic chemicals and should be kept out of reach of children and pets.

Other skunk repellents can include planting skunk repellent plants in your garden like stinging nettle, squash, cucumber, and fritillaria.

What Are Skunks – Quick Skunk Facts You Should Know

Skunks are nocturnal and solitary mammals with interesting habits. 

Skunks are certainly seen as a nuisance pest, mostly because of their foul odor and the fact that they scavenge food from garbage bins. They are also known to dig up yards, den beneath our homes, and steal vegetables from our gardens.

However, when looking for the best skunk repellent to get rid of skunks, it’s important to remember that these animals are also highly beneficial.

In fact, skunks are omnivores with a very diverse diet that includes grubs, earthworms, rodents, lizards, snakes, birds, frogs, eggs, berries, leaves, fungi, nuts, roots, and more.

As such, skunks are helpful to many of us by snacking on common pests. Let’s take a minute to learn a few interesting facts you may not have known about skunks.

The Skunk’s Biggest Predator Comes From The Sky 

Skunks feed on all kinds of insects and plant life, but there are very few predators who feed on skunks. While common carnivorous predators like foxes, coyotes, and domesticated dogs will prey on skunks from time to time, most prefer not to eat skunks due to their foul odor and the threat of their spray. However, skunks can’t escape flying predators like the Great Horned Owl, who is perhaps his most formidable foe.

Skunks Can Carry Some Serious Diseases, Including Rabies

Skunks are one of the most common carriers of rabies in the Midwest. They also carry other serious diseases including canine hepatitis, leptospirosis, canine distemper, and intestinal roundworm, all of which can be contracted from a skunk bite.

Skunks Are Nocturnal And Solitary Animals

There’s a reason we hardly see skunks. These creatures are slow moving, solitary, and nocturnal. They are also mostly black, so they are difficult to see when they do come out at night.

Skunks Do Not Hibernate

While skunks do den in commercial dens with other skunks to wait out the colder months, they are not hibernating animals and can be active all year around.

Skunks Are Immune To Snake Venom

One of the great benefits of skunks is that they can eat venomous snakes, so they’re great to have around if you live in an area rich in snake activity. In fact, skunks are often known to dine on common venomous snakes like rattlesnakes.

A Skunk Can Spray As Far As 10 Feet And The Odor Can Last Up To 21 Days

If a skunk decides to spray you, try and run at least ten feet away. Otherwise you’re right in the line of fire. And if you do get sprayed, the scent could last anywhere between 14 to 21 days. Furthermore, the scent of skunk spray is detectivalbe up to 1.5 miles away. Impressive!

Tomato Juice Does Not really Help Neutralize The Skunk Smell

If you or your pet is sprayed by a skunk, don’t immediately jump in a bathtub of tomato juice. This is a myth that doesn’t really work. While the immediate and strong scent of tomato juice will disguise the foul odor of skunk spray initially, it doesn’t dull or neutralize it and does nothing to reduce the potency.

Instead, try a commercial odor neutralizer specifically designed to remove skunk odor like the one listed below.

Skunk-Off Liquid Soaker

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While skunk spray is usually not dangerous, it does leave behind a terribly potent smell that can last for quite a while. If you or your pet is sprayed by a skunk, you can use products like Skunk-Off to help eliminate the skunk odor. You can spray it on dogs, cats, clothing, fabrics, and more.

How To Prevent A Future Skunk Problem On Your property

Skunks can be prevented by practicing a few simple methods. 

Using the best skunk repellent products to help repel skunks may be effective, but experts warn that you shouldn’t rely solely on skunk repellents to keep skunks off of your property.

Taking preventative measures to help repel skunks and keep them from coming around will help to protect your home and pets from skunks year round. Let’s take a look at some of the best skunk preventive measures recommended by experts.

Caulk And Seal Openings Around Your Home

Reduce the chances of skunks finding their way beneath your house by sealing any potential entry and exit points. Monitor your property closely and keep an eye out for the beginnings of potential skunk dens, and destroy them as you find them.

Plant Skunk-Repellent Plants

If skunks are getting into your garden, you can prevent them from returning by planting skunk-repellent plants including stinging nettle, cucumber, fritillaria, and squash. Planting citrus trees in your yard can also help repel skunks.

Harvest Ripe Vegetables From Gardens As Soon As They Are Ready

Skunks will dig around to eat certain veggies in your garden, so don’t leave them if they are ready to be harvested. Pick ripe veggies and fence off gardens.

Remove Skunk Food Sources And Use Pest Control Methods

Because skunks have such a versatile diet, they can be attracted to your property by anything ranging from pet food to bird seed and garbage. Keep garbage cans sealed and don’t leave them out overnight. Also bring pet food inside, and store bird seed or other types of foods in airtight storage bins in your garage or a shed. And since skunks also eat a wide variety of insects, experts recommend using proper and routine pest control to help keep skunks from coming around.

Install Motion Sensor Lights 

Along with using the above preventatives and implementing some of the best skunk repellent products and home remedies, installing motion sensor lights around your home will also help keep skunks from coming around. Skunks scare easily and don’t like light, hence their nocturnal nature.

And remember, while skunks can be an annoyance, they are a beneficial animal and play an important role in our ecosystem. As long as you use the above remedies for skunk control and keep your distance, you should be able to keep skunks away while still enjoying the benefits they bring to our environment all year long.

Do you know of any other home remedies you can use to make your own skunk repellent? Let us know your ideas in the comments below.