How To Get Rid Of Fungus Gnats In Human Skin

Download Article

While skunks are generally harmless creatures, it's best not to get too close to them. You risk getting a dose of their noxious spray, or worse, a bite from a skunk carrying rabies. Skunks are omnivores that can live off of human waste, so they often take up residence in yards and under decks. Learn how to make your property less enticing to skunks who need a home and get rid of skunks that have already moved in.

1
Remove nuts, berries, and other natural food sources. Skunks are scavengers, so they'll eat anything nutritious they can find. If you have trees that produce nuts, berries, crabapples, or other fruits, clean them up by raking your yard as often as necessary.^[1]
- Other vegetation, like piles of grass clippings, should also be discarded, since it may contain seeds or other sources of food for skunks.
- If you have a garden, harvest ripe fruit and vegetables as soon as you can, to prevent a hungry skunk from feasting on them.
- Use a tray under your bird feeder to catch most of the seeds, and clean up stray seeds dropped by birds often.
2
Protect your waste. Similarly to raccoons and other stray animals, skunks can survive on garbage alone. It's important to keep your trash cans properly sealed. Sometimes regular garbage cans simply won't do. To defend against scavenging animals, you can buy locking garbage cans at a fairly cheap price at your local home improvement store.^[2]
- If possible, store your trash bins in a shed or in your garage at night, so their smell doesn't attract skunks.
- Use an enclosed compost bin, since skunks like to eat old fruit and vegetable peels, eggshells, and other items that you may be composting.
Advertisement
3
Close off hiding places. Skunks like to make their homes under decks, porches, and in other sheltered areas. Close off spaces that may be appealing to skunks using rocks, fencing, or plywood.^[3]
- Log piles and piles of lumber or building materials can serve as shelters for skunks. Store the materials in a shed or bin to prevent skunks from moving in.
- Large bushes are also good shelters for skunks. If you see skunks hanging out in bushes or low vegetation, you might want to trim back the branches so it's not quite as appealing.
Advertisement

1
Install lights in your yard. Skunks are nocturnal, and they shy away from bright lights. If you light your yard at night it will be a lot less appealing to skunks. However, you risk attracting insects that like bright light, such as crickets and moths.^[4]
- Since the lights will be shining all night long, consider using solar lighting or energy-saving lighting to avoid paying high electrical bills.
- You could also install a motion sensor that gets tripped when a skunk or another creature comes close. In this case, the skunk will have to enter your property for the light to work as a deterrent.
2
Use chemicals that repel skunks. There are a few different chemicals known to be offensive to skunks. If you place them around the edges of your yard and in areas where you suspect skunks like to spend time, the skunks will start avoiding those areas. Chemical repellents have to be reapplied every few days, especially after a heavy rain.^[5]
- Fox and dog urine deters skunks since both animals are skunks' natural predators. If you can figure out how to collect dog urine, that's fine to use. You can also buy products containing fox or dog urine at hardware stores. Spray it around the perimeter of your yard.
- Pepper sprays, also sold to repel squirrels and other wild creatures, are effective skunk repellents. Spray them on trees and other areas where you've seen skunks.
- Ammonia also deters skunks. Soak old rags in ammonia and place them under your deck or porch to keep skunks from coming in.
- Citrus peels have natural repellent qualities. Scatter orange or lemon peels around your property and under your deck or porch.
3

Install motion-activated sprinklers. These automatically turn on when an animal wanders too close, and are a safe and natural way to keep skunks away from your property. Place them strategically close to areas where you suspect skunks might want to shelter.

Advertisement

1
Set a trap. Spring-loaded skunk traps lure the skunk inside with bait, then close the door behind them so they can't escape. The skunk is then carried away from your property and set free in the woods or another open, wild area.
- If you set a trap, be sure to check it at least every 24 hours to make sure you don't capture an animal and keep it from having food or water.
- Bait the skunk trap with peanut butter, canned sardines, cat food, or another strong-smelling food. Set it near the skunk's den or its route of access to your property.
- Traps designed for raccoons, feral cats, and other wild animals also work well for skunks.
- Live trapping is illegal in some areas, so check the laws where you live before you do this. Also, it's illegal in most areas to release an animal that you've trapped back into the wild. Contact your local wildlife department for more information about what you should do.^[6]
2
Make a garbage can and ramp trap. Get a 30 gallon (113.6 L) metal garbage can and a long stick of wood.
- Just before dark, place the garbage can upright where you want to trap the skunk. Have it against something strong, such as a wall, so that the skunk cannot tip it over. Bait it with cat food.
- Get a long, sturdy piece of wood (it must be thick and heavy enough to hold skunk, maybe a 2 x 4). Use it as a ramp to allow the skunk to get from the ground to inside the garbage can.
- The skunk will not be able to get out of the garbage can. If handled carefully, it will hopefully not spray.
- After the skunk is inside, put a lid on the garbage can. Put it in your truck and carry the skunk away to a wooded area. Release by tying (or clamping) a twenty foot or longer cord to the lid handle. This will allow you to take off the lid and letting the skunk make its own way back into nature without danger of getting sprayed.
3

Call your local wildlife department or a private trapper. If you catch the skunk, you typically can't just take it somewhere and release it. Talk to someone from the wildlife department in your state or county to find out the proper way to handle the skunk. They may advise you to contact a private trapper.^[7]

Advertisement

Add New Question

Question

Can I trap a skunk with a live trap?

Chris Parker is the Founder of Parker Eco Pest Control, a sustainable pest control service based in Seattle. He is a certified Commercial Pesticide Applicator in Washington State and received his BA from the University of Washington in 2012.

Pest Control Specialist

Expert Answer

Yes, but if you set a trap, you have to make sure to check it every day. If you set a trap and forget about it, the trapped animal is going to suffer.
Question

What will keep skunks away from my house?

This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Remove any food sources that might attract skunks to your house, such as food bushes (like nuts and berries), open trash cans and pet food. Also remove or block off anything that the skunk might view as a good spot to set up house, like piles of wood, large bushes or under the deck or patio. Put structural barriers against holes that lead into the house. All of these precautions will help reduce the likelihood of skunks and other problem animals like snakes and deer, from coming to your house. You can also get a wildlife professional to "skunk-proof" your house.
Question

Do mothballs get rid of skunks?

This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Mothballs are meant to repel moths. And while over the years, mothballs have been touted as a miracle repellent for every pest animal imaginable, including skunks, they don't do much to deter skunks for long, certainly not in the quantities you could safely handle. Moreover, mothballs and their ingredient Naphthalene are carcinogenic, meaning they're highly toxic to you, other humans and animals, and shouldn't be thrown around the environment. There are much more effective and safer ways to deter skunks.
Question

Is there a skunk repellent?

This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Yes, there are various types of chemical repellents that you can use to deter skunks. A well-known example is pepper spray, which can be sprayed on trees, around exterior walls and anywhere else you see skunks lingering. Other chemical repellents include fox or dog urine, ammonia and citrus peels, each of which is explained more fully in Part 2 above. Most repellents have to be reapplied every few days, or more frequently if it's raining a lot.
Question

How long does skunk odor last?

This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Skunk odor lasts around 14 to 21 days (2 to 3 weeks) if it is left untreated on skin, hair and fur. It may last even longer if it has permeated fabrics, upholstery or other absorbent materials. It would be fairly difficult to sit around for 2 to 3 weeks waiting for the odor to go away, so it's in everyone's best interests to try to remove it as quickly as possible!
Question

Do skunks like to eat grubs?

This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Yes, skunks do like to eat grubs, as well as earthworms and insects. If you spot a skunk digging up your lawn, it's probably looking for grubs to eat. Skunks also like eating plants, leaves, flowers, buds, berries, grains, nuts, etc., as they're not too particular and this can make them a pest for the gardener. However, they do eat crop-destroying grubs such as cutworm larvae and hornworm larvae, and even small creatures like mice and rabbit kits, so they are beneficial when in balance.
Question

How do you scare away a skunk?

This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Try using motion-sensor lights that pop on whenever there is movement; skunks won't like the sudden lighting at night. In the same way, motion activated sprinklers can scare off a skunk trying to run across a lawn space. You can also spray pepper deterrents around your house to discourage the skunk; once it gets the peppery substance on its feet, it'll be most unhappy and won't want to stick around. It is not recommended that you chase or go near the skunk to try to scare it away, as you run a high risk of being sprayed.
Question

How do I get rid of skunk scent in my house?

This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

You have various options to remove skunk odor, each of which will have varying degrees of success depending on how quickly you can treat the odor problem. For example, you can use vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide with baking soda, or bleach (never mix bleach with anything else, to avoid creating a toxic gas). Each of these methods is explained in greater detail in the wikiHow How to Get Skunk Smell Out of the House. Or, you can check out another wikiHow: How to Eliminate Skunk Odor, which covers removal of odor from skin, pets, clothes, as well as from the house.
Question

What attracts skunks?

Skunks are attracted to easy food sources. That can be scavenged insects, fruit, compost, nuts, seeds, etc. Once the food source can't be easily scavenged, they will move on when their needs can't be met.
Question

What do I do if I run into a skunk?

Do your best to remain calm and give it as much space as possible. You should not have to worry about the skunk spraying you unless it feels threatened.

See more answers

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

When releasing a trapped skunk, be patient. It may take a few minutes for the skunk to come to its senses and leave the trap.
Check local laws before trapping and relocating a skunk. This practice may not be permitted in your area.
If possible, avoid trapping skunks during their breeding season in the spring and summer. You may end up trapping an adult female skunk who has a den full of baby skunks who will then starve to death.

About This Article

Article SummaryX

To get rid of skunks, fill a spring-loaded skunk trap with bait like peanut butter and set it near the skunk's den. Once you catch it, wear heavy clothes and gloves and take the skunk to the woods to release it, keeping your face away from the trap's door as much as possible. To deter skunks naturally, rake up natural food sources like nuts, seeds, and berries, lock up your trash cans, and close off hiding places like decks and porches. Place citrus peels around the edges of your yard, or spray with bad-smelling chemicals, like pepper spray or dog urine. To learn more about how to deter skunks with sprinklers or lights, keep reading!

Did this summary help you?

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 1,482,189 times.