Raccoons are found in many neighborhoods and are cute and furry. But they love to raid garbage cans and sometimes cause damage to property. They can quickly become a nuisance if they visit your property every day.
Trapping and relocating raccoons may seem like the best solution, but it’s only a temporary solution and is inhumane and illegal. Many states have strict laws on trapping and relocating wildlife, and you need a Nuisance Wildlife Control License to do it.
Thinking of how to get rid of raccoons for good without harming them or breaking any laws? Here’s how to get rid of raccoons for good, humanely.
How to Get Rid of Raccoons in the Attic
- If it’s a mother raccoon with babies, leave them for a few weeks so the babies can grow. When the time is up, place a loud, battery-operated radio and leave it on. You can also put a bowl of cider vinegar close to their nest site. After they leave, install one-way doors to ensure they won’t re-enter.
- Contact your local Fish and Wildlife Department and ask them to supply you with raccoon traps so you can relocate the animals safely.
- Find the entry point the raccoons are using and seal all gaps and openings. A galvanized hardwire wire mesh can effectively seal these access points.
- Get rid of water, food, and anything else the raccoons may be using.
How to Get Rid of Raccoons on the Roof
- Eliminate food sources such as pet food, birdseed, trash, and compost.
- Trim tree branches, vines, and other natural features to limit access to your roof.
- Put metal sheeting around your roof’s edge and on tree bases. This will prevent raccoons from accessing the roof.
How to Get Rid of Raccoons in the Chimney
- Place substances with strong smells above the damper, such as moth flakes, vinegar, or commercial raccoon repellents.
- Frighten the raccoons with a loud radio or place lights inside the chimney or near the damper.
- Seal the chimney with a spark arrester or a chimney cap with durable wire mesh. They will make the chimney hole inaccessible to raccoons.
How to Get Rid of Racoons Under the House or Deck
Raccoons living under a house or deck and in attics are usually mothers with babies. Raccoons give birth between January and June, so don’t remove the mothers as you may orphan the babies. If you find raccoons in your attic, do this:
- Get raccoon traps from your local Fish and Wildlife Department and use them to catch and remove the raccoons. Clean the space after they are gone and remove all bedding material then seal all access points.
- Use bright lights to illuminate the space at night because raccoons are nocturnal. The raccoons will think it’s an unsafe place for them to live.
- Place an old radio near the nesting spot. Tune in to a station with 24-hour talk shows and turn up the volume. Raccoons are threatened by human voices and not music.
- Remove food and water sources in the area.
- Place scent-based deterrents like dirty cat litter, vinegar, or ammonia in the nesting spot to decrease its appeal.
How to Get Rid of Racoons in the Yard or Garden
- Use scents that repel raccoons, like ammonia, ground-up garlic, vinegar, powdered cayenne pepper, dirty cat litter, or blood meal. Put the natural deterrent in places raccoons like to frequent to make them less appealing.
- Use motion-activated lights with sound. Raccoons are nocturnal animals and don’t like brightly-lit areas. Once they get in your yard or garden, the lights will turn on and emit loud noises to keep raccoons away.
How to Get Rid of Raccoons at the Bird Feeder
- The Humane Society recommends using tall bird feeders to keep raccoons away. The poles should also be slim, ½” or less in diameter to deter raccoons from climbing them.
- Suspend bird feeders from wires attached to two trees. But they should be far from the trees so raccoons don’t leap onto them.
- Buy raccoon-resistant bird feeders.
- Buy store-bought raccoon guards and add them to pole-mounted feeders.
How to Get Rid of Raccoons in Your Chicken Coop
- Cover the windows of the chicken coop with hardware cloth. You can also bury the cloth around the coop (2-4 feet deep) . Raccoons are good climbers and diggers, and this will deter them both ways.
- Use complex locks and latches for the coop doors.
How to Get Rid of Raccoons in a Tree
- Use humane traps to cage and remove the raccoons.
- Install raccoon guards or sheet metal to tree trunks to stop raccoons from climbing.
- Remove fruits or nuts near the tree to get rid of food sources.
What Scent Will Keep Raccoons Away?
Raccoons have a strong sense of smell that they use to find food. You can use this against them by using scents they hate. Repel raccoons with garlic, hot pepper, onion, Epsom salt, and peppermint oil. They won’t stay around for long.
Fastest Way to Get Rid of Raccoons Humanely
Trapping is the fastest way to get rid of live raccoons. Get the traps from your local Fish and Wildlife Department. If you’re removing the raccoons yourself, obtain a Nuisance Wildlife Control License from your state’s Department of Natural Resources. You can also call professionals to remove the raccoons humanely. The process usually takes a few hours.
How to Get Rid of Raccoons Naturally
To get rid of raccoons naturally, use home repellents like ground-up garlic, ammonia, vinegar, blood meal, powdered cayenne pepper, or dirty cat litter. Alternatively, you can use sound deterrents (like a radio) or motion-activated lights.
How to Get Rid of Raccoon in Backyard at Night
To get rid of the raccoon in the backyard at night, do the following.
- Add a motion-activated sprinkler.
- Secure trash cans to prevent their access to food.
- Use ultrasound deterrent devices.
- Put trash in raccoon-repellent trash bags
- Get rid of pet food and bird food
How to Keep Raccoons Away Naturally
Raccoons Are very sensitive to smell and are repelled by certain smells, like ammonia and pepper. To keep raccoons away naturally, Mix a bottle of hot sauce with a gallon of water and a few drops of liquid dish soap. You can also use powdered cayenne pepper instead of hot pepper. Spray the mixture where you’ve noticed raccoon activity.
Getting Rid of Raccoons with Ammonia
Raccoons hate the smell of ammonia, so place bowls with ammonia around your property to deter them. You can also soak rags in ammonia and place them around your house, at the bottom of trees, and in garbage cans.
Homemade Traps for Raccoons
According to Wildlife Animal Control, it is legal to trap raccoons if they have crossed into your territory, but it’s illegal to harm them once you have trapped them. Here’s how to make a simple homemade trap for raccoons with two cinder blocks and a trash can:
- Put the trash can out in the open.
- Stand the first cinder block on end against the trash can.
- Place the second piece at the trash can’s bottom to weigh it down.
- Put the bait inside the trash can.
- Check the next morning. If you find a raccoon, contact your local wildlife disposal company. Don’t try to handle the raccoon as it will bite you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Does Raccoon Removal Cost?
$350 to $600 per raccoon. If you have many raccoons, the removal cost will likely rise. Raccoon removal costs can be higher if there’s a nest in a hard-to-reach place.
Will Bleach Keep Raccoons Away?
Bleach can only keep raccoons away from a trash can for several hours. Apply a cap full of bleach to the top of the trash can on garbage collection day.
Will a Porch Light Keep Raccoons Away?
A bright porch light can keep raccoons away. Install a bright light that mimics daylight to scare raccoons away.
Will Vinegar Keep Raccoons Away?
Vinegar will keep raccoons away because they hate the smell. Soak a couple of rags with vinegar, then place them in key access points around your home. But you may need to change them daily as the smell fades.
Do Mothballs Keep Raccoons Away?
Mothballs can keep raccoons away as they hate the strong smell. Buy a box of mothballs and scatter them around your property to ensure raccoons don’t take up residence.
Does Human Urine Keep Raccoons Away?
Human urine can keep raccoons away because it smells like ammonia. The smell of ammonia may make raccoons think that the food source or area has been compromised.