Creating a Natural Skunk Repellent

The reaction is often the same when you spot a skunk on your property: disgust. A skunk will rip open garbage bags, topple garbage cans, get inside your house, and carry diseases like rabies. On top of all of that, the skunk can spray you, your children, or your pets with a foul-smelling oil. Read on to learn how to make several skunk repellents using natural ingredients you probably already have around your home.

Step 1 - Determine How Long the Skunk Plans to Stay

This will take some detective work on your part. Walk around your house and look for shredded garbage or other refuse. A skunk den is in the ground, marked by a hole that is about four inches in diameter. Sprinkle the flour around the area of the hole to make any prints visible. If you do not find a den or hole, your skunk is most likely a visitor and not a tenant so you won’t need to bother with getting rid of it.

Step 2 - Making the Repellent

Mothball repellent is a simple solution that can be used on more than just skunks. Place mothballs inside the glass jar and replace the lid. Use the screwdriver to make holes through it and set the jar inside the skunk den. Thoroughly wash your hands and protect yourself when working with mothballs as they can be toxic to humans. You can also try an ammonia rag. When animals urinate they leave ammonia as a by-product, so leaving a rag soaked in ammonia around the entrance of the den will cause the skunk to think another animal has moved in.

Another repellent that works on more than just skunks is boiled with the cayenne pepper, yellow onion, and jalapeno pepper. Leave it on the heat for 20 minutes before removing the pot from the heat and allowing it to sit and cool. Strain the mixture to an empty bowl. Then, place a funnel inside an empty spray bottle and fill it. Spray the perimeter of the house several times a week.

Step 3 - Choosing a Repellent

Choosing which repellent is best for you depends on your situation and several factors. Keep in mind that each of the homemade skunk repellents listed here can be used together or on their own. Also, if you have located the skunk den, your choices are greater than if you haven't found it. Before going out with bottles full of spray or jarred up mothballs take these factors to heart:

1. Has the skunk moved onto your property? Have you found a den with fresh tracks?
2. Did the skunk just wander on to your property?
3. You have found the skunk den, but how close is it to the house?
4. Do you have children or pets?

Even with an active den you may not use some of the more caustic repellents like mothballs or ammonia if you have children or pets in the area and the den is close. The ammonia rags will kill the lawn and can potentially find their way into mouths. You face the same potential danger with mothballs. These are less of an issue if the den is located some distance from the house.