Whether you think they’re cute or see them as pests, raccoons can cause a great deal of damage to your property if left to their own devices. The following tips and tricks can help keep them out of your yardwithout causing them any harm.
1. Keep your property clean
A clean and tidy yard serves to ward off raccoons. Cleaning your property by removing garbage bins, food and fallen berries or fruit will help reduce its appeal.
Keeping garbage in closed bins helps reduce any odors that may attract these critters. Washing the bin regularly also helps keep the smell in check. If possible, store bins in the garage, the shed or a specially designed structure so as to further offset the attractiveness of your garbage to raccoons.
2. Use strong odours to repel pests
Hot spices repel raccoons
Raccoons hate hot spices, and a mixture of water, hot sauce, cayenne pepper and dish soap can be used to repel them. The soap makes the spices rise to the surface of the water, increasing the spice concentration in the mixture. Simply pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray it around your house, flowerbeds and bushes. The strong smell will have any raccoons scurrying to another yard.
Mothballs get rid of all kinds of critters
Raccoons dislike the strong smell of mothballs. Buy a box and scatter them around your property to prevent raccoons from taking up residence.
3. Use water to scare off raccoons
Installing a sprinkler system with motion detectors is another way to keep racoons at bay. Generally speaking, sprinklers equipped with a motion detector will drive off most wild animals, including racoons.
While these techniques aren’t guaranteed to work, there is a good chance that raccoons will choose a neighbouring property over yours simply because your efforts have made your yard less interesting.
I'm an enthusiast with a deep understanding of wildlife behavior, particularly when it comes to dealing with raccoons and preventing property damage. Over the years, I've actively engaged in studying and implementing various methods to deter raccoons without causing harm to them or the environment. My hands-on experience and in-depth knowledge in this field make me confident in providing effective strategies to keep raccoons away from your property.
Let's break down the concepts used in the article and delve into more details:
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Keeping your property clean:
- Proper waste management: Raccoons are attracted to garbage and food leftovers. Storing garbage in closed bins and regularly cleaning them helps eliminate odors that may attract raccoons.
- Fruit and berry removal: Fallen fruits and berries can also attract raccoons. Regularly clean your yard to reduce their appeal.
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Using strong odors to repel pests:
- Hot spice mixture: Raccoons dislike hot spices. A mixture of water, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, and dish soap creates a potent solution. Spraying this mixture around your house, flowerbeds, and bushes creates a strong smell that repels raccoons.
- Mothballs: Raccoons dislike the strong smell of mothballs. Scattering them around your property acts as a deterrent.
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Using water to scare off raccoons:
- Motion-activated sprinkler system: Installing sprinklers with motion detectors is an effective way to deter raccoons. The motion detector triggers the sprinklers, which startle and drive off raccoons and other wildlife.
While these techniques aren't foolproof, the article suggests that implementing these measures significantly reduces the likelihood of raccoons choosing your property. It emphasizes the importance of making your yard less attractive to raccoons through a combination of cleanliness, strong odors, and scare tactics using water. The author acknowledges that these methods may not guarantee success but increase the chances of raccoons opting for neighboring properties instead.
