You can use many things as a natural deterrent for raccoons, most of which can be made at home using household items. Mixtures featuring cayenne pepper powder or any spice will work well and keep raccoons away. Their sensitive noses don’t like overwhelming smells, so using these will keep them away without causing them or your land any harm.
You can mix the powder or hot pepper sauce with water and a dash of dishwashing liquid. The dishwashing soap allows the ingredients to bind together and stick to the area you spray it on. Spraying mixtures like these or any water spice combination (garlic and onion work well) will prevent the raccoons from entering and send them running.
These deterrents should be placed on areas you know raccoons frequent or you think they are frequenting. Putting it in these areas will prevent raccoons from returning, as when they try, the smell will upset them. They also don’t like the taste of these spices, so they should retreat fairly quickly.
Apple cider vinegar or vinegar, in general, is another natural deterrent that you can use to deter raccoons. These can be sprayed onto these areas, and the scent will prevent raccoons from causing their usual damage. You can add the spice we mentioned earlier to these, creating a stronger scent that will continue to deter raccoons.
Whatever natural deterrent you use, be sure to reapply when the smell fades to ensure that raccoons don't return. You should also reapply the deterrent after any rain or water that could wash the scent away.
Do raccoons hate Epsom salts?
Yes, raccoons hate Epsom salts. It's the taste in particular that raccoons do not enjoy, meaning you can use them as a natural deterrent if your home, garden, or farm has fallen prey to raccoons. To make the most out of their hatred of Epsom salts, sprinkle them around the areas you see the most raccoon activity.
You can replenish them when the smell starts to wear off or if any rain or water dissolves the salts. Not only do they hate the taste, but the smell also upsets raccoons. They have quite sensitive noses, meaning smells can overwhelm them easily and deter them from entering a space.
If you sprinkle Epsom salts where you think raccoons are entering or have seen them, the smell and their memory of the taste will keep them away. They tend to keep a safe difference from Epsom salts, especially if they can smell it or have tasted it. After seeing it there a few times, it should be enough of a deterrent to stop raccoons from entering your garden permanently.
Thankfully, Epsom salts are fairly affordable, so you can deter raccoons without spending a fortune! They will dissolve in water, too, meaning you don’t need to worry about any clean-up. Just make sure you replenish the salts after rain to continue deterring raccoons and keep your home and garden safe from them.
Does Irish Spring soap keep raccoons away?
Yes, Irish Spring soap and the ingredients in it work well at keeping raccoons away. The smell of the soap is one the raccoons and their sensitive noses don’t like and is an excellent deterrent you can use without breaking the bank!
Opt for the original (in a black box) and flake the soap around the areas you think or know raccoons enter or are using. Common places include anywhere food is kept (kitchens or feeding huts) and any shelter like barns or your home. They have also been known to enter and destroy gardens and flower beds, especially if you are growing food there.
You can use a cheese grater to flake the soap around these areas, or you can use your fingers, whatever works best for you. A cheese grater is easier and allows you to spread the soap further without getting it stuck under your nails.
It can also deter deer and other creatures, making it a fantastic solution for those with animals sneaking into their garden! You will need to replenish the soap after the rain, as water can cause it to dissolve and weaken the scent. Any time you notice the scent has weakened, replenish the soap to keep the raccoons away.
The goal here is to overwhelm their noses and keep them away; if the smell weakens, they might return and start causing mayhem again! It's a fairly natural way to deter them, too, so you won’t need to worry about causing harm. If you do have pets that frequent the same areas, though, check beforehand that it isn’t toxic to them.
Does apple cider vinegar repel raccoons?
Yes, apple cider vinegar is another option you can use to repel raccoons and keep them out of your home or garden! As I'm sure you know, the scent of apple cider vinegar is quite strong and can deter raccoons.
The strong scent will overpower a raccoon's sensitive nose, something that raccoons hate. They won’t willingly enter a space or property that has these strong scents, so placing apple cider vinegar around entrances to your home or garden can help repel raccoons.
You can purchase apple cider vinegar, or you might want to create your own. Apple cider vinegar can be expensive depending on where you purchase it from, so making your own is a viable option for many. You can add other spices to DIY apple cider vinegar too. These deliver a stronger scent and will be more effective in repelling raccoons.
Garlic and onion are popular choices to be added, along with apple cider vinegar, water, and some spices. You can pour this into a spray bottle and spray in the desired areas. It's best to spray where you suspect the raccoons are entering or trying to go, such as doors, feeding areas, and barns.
The natural remedy is safe for most animals, so you won’t need to worry about causing any harm. It's best to spray regularly so that the areas smell strongly of the apple cider vinegar and continually put the raccoons off until they look elsewhere. You can use the spray as often as you want to until the raccoons are permanently deterred.
Here the stronger the smell, the better!
Does cayenne pepper deter raccoons?
Yes, cayenne pepper can work as a deterrent to keep raccoons away! Capsaicin, the substance in peppers that makes them hot, deters all animals, including raccoons, and is a sure-fire way to keep them out of your garden.
You can sprinkle cayenne pepper directly on the ground or areas where you know or suspect raccoon activity. If you are unsure, you can sprinkle it around access points to your garden, any doors or windows, and anywhere that food is kept either for you or any pets you have.
The strong smell and taste will deter the raccoons and should stop them from entering your property. You will need to reapply the pepper when the smell starts to weaken or if it gets washed away. If there is no smell there to deter the raccoons, they might well return.
For those that don’t want to sprinkle the pepper, you can make a solution that can be used too. Mixing cayenne pepper with hot peppers, onion, and some water will create a powerful aroma that will stop raccoons in their tracks. Strain the liquid and spray it in the desired areas, applying where necessary.
Thankfully, the spray is unlikely to harm any plants you have grown, so it can be used liberally if needed. Do take care with pets, though, as onions are toxic to dogs. Keep dogs away from the areas you sprayed until it has dried, and ensure they don’t come into contact with any of the ingredients. Speak to your vet if you have any concerns.
Does white vinegar keep raccoons away?
Yes, white vinegar is another substance that can be used to deter raccoons and keep them away naturally! Raccoons and their sensitive noses don’t like the smell of vinegar, especially white vinegar, and will run away if the smell is regularly bothering them. This means if you use it on your garden or areas they are entering, they are likely to stop coming.
Raccoons also don’t like the taste of vinegar, so if they ingest it on your property or have a memory of the taste, they are likely to avoid it in the future, keeping them away! For best results, you want the smell to be quite strong, so you might need to reapply after a while and certainly after any rain has washed the scent away.
To use white vinegar, mix it in a spray bottle with some water if you want to dilute it. You can also add an onion or spice if you want the smell to be quite strong and overwhelm them. Spray this liberally on your garden to keep raccoons away.
You can also just use undiluted vinegar if you wish to. You might find you need to experiment with the quantities to find the amount that works best for you; that is fine too. Place the vinegar where you know the raccoons or coming in or areas that you want to deter them from too.
If the rain washes the vinegar away, or you notice the smell fading considerably, reapply to continue keeping the raccoons at bay. After a while, they should be permanently deterred, but you won’t want to take the risk of them returning until you are certain!
Will coffee grounds keep raccoons away?
Yes, coffee grounds can be used to deter raccoons! The scent of coffee will deter raccoons and is an excellent way to stop them from entering your stables, storage areas, feeding areas, or barns. You can even use them to stop raccoons from entering your home if you have problems with that.
You don’t need to spend a lot on the coffee grounds either. Cheap ones will do the trick fine, and the stronger the coffee scent, the more likely it is to deter raccoons. Don’t worry too much about the size of the coffee grounds either; just ensure that any animals or children you have are unlikely to eat them!
While coffee grounds can be a cheap and natural way to deter raccoons, there is a downside. They need to be replenished weekly to ensure that the smell is effective. After a while, the coffee scent can wear off, and they won’t be as effective, meaning raccoons might start sneaking in again.
It's best to replenish them weekly and ensure enough ground on the floor to create a strong scent that will put raccoons off. Opt for cheaper grounds to save yourself some money and replenish these grounds into your routine to ensure that you are always protected.
