Will Vinegar Keep Raccoons Away?

Simple Tips to Deter Raccoons

The GTA has more raccoons than almost anywhere on earth. Adult raccoons are everywhere, and in the early spring the population explodes with babies. When you need to get rid of raccoons, here are some tips and tricks that may scare raccoons away or possibly prevent raccoons from setting up camp in your yard in the first place. These nocturnal animals will attack garbage cans looking for food sources, eat your pet’s food left outside, chow down on your bird seed, etc. To stop raccoon infestations before they occur, read on for the best raccoon repellents.

Raccoons are pesky, nocturnal animals that love to raid our yards, garbage bins and gardens. Clever and adaptable, they’re attracted to food sources like bird feeders, pet food, fallen fruit and even sweet foods left in garbage cans. If you’re trying to deter raccoons, you might be wondering: Will vinegar repel raccoons?

The good news is that vinegar, along with other natural deterrents, can help repel raccoons off your property. In this post we’ll look at how vinegar works as a raccoon deterrent and other ways to keep these nocturnal creatures from coming back.

Will Vinegar Keep Raccoons Away
Will Vinegar Keep Raccoons Away?

Raccoon Behaviour

Raccoons are opportunistic eaters with a keen sense of smell. They’re attracted to accessible food sources and will rummage through unsecured trash cans, scavenge fallen fruit or sneak into vegetable gardens. If not managed properly raccoon activity can cause property damage, disrupted gardens and even health concerns.

Raccoons hate strong, pungent smells. Their sensitive noses hate smells like vinegar, cayenne pepper and chili powder. This is the basis of many natural raccoon repellent methods.


Will Vinegar Repel Raccoons?

Vinegar is a natural raccoon repellent with a strong smell that raccoons generally dislike. When used strategically, it can discourage raccoons away. Here’s how to use vinegar as a raccoon repellent:

  1. Vinegar Soaked Rags or Cotton Balls: Soak cotton balls or rags with white or apple cider vinegar and place them in areas where raccoons are active, such as garbage cans, entry points or near vegetable gardens, etc. that may assist to keep raccoons away
  2. Spray Vinegar Solution: Use a spray bottle to spray a mixture of vinegar and water around your property, focusing on entry points like chicken coops, porches, decks or wherever raccoons may enter.
  3. Reapply Regularly: Vinegar’s scent fades over time so reapply every few days for best results as a raccoon repellent, as raccoons hate the smell.

While vinegar will deter raccoons, using it with other methods as a natural raccoon repellent will increase your chances of keeping them away .

Other Natural Raccoon Repellents

In addition to vinegar here are other ideas that may repel raccoons:

  1. Spicy Smells: Raccoons hate the pungent smell of cayenne pepper, chili powder and hot pepper solutions. Sprinkle the hot pepper around gardens, trash cans and entry points to keep raccoons from wreaking havoc. Mix cayenne pepper with a bit of water to make a paste and rub it on decks, sheds, porches, etc. which will repel raccoons
  2. Predator Urine: Available at hunting stores, predator urine (e.g. coyote urine) mimics the scent of natural predators and will scare pesky raccoons away. Before using this product to keep raccoons off your property, we recommend you look in to how predator urine is obtained and decide for yourself whether to used this or not. Coyote urine will deter raccoons as they will think a predator is close by.
  3. Bright Lights and Loud Noises: Motion-activated sprinklers placed near trash cans, bright lights and loud noise-makers will startle them and keep raccoons away.
  4. Essential Oils: Strong scents like eucalyptus or peppermint are natural raccoon repellents. Apply or soak rags and leave near entry points or problem areas. Raccoons dislike the smell
  5. Citrus peel: Orange peels, lemon peel, grapefruit peel, all of these are useful to repel raccoons humanely. Break into smaller pieces and throw around your yard or under your deck.

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Raccoon Prevention

The best way to prevent raccoon infestations is to remove their access to food and shelter. Here’s how:

  1. Secure Trash Cans: Use raccoon proof garbage cans with tight fitting lids to prevent raccoons from digging in. Double bag trash in heavy duty trash bags to minimize smells. If possible keep trash bins in your garage until pick up day
  2. Eliminate Food Sources: Pick up fallen fruit from the ground, clean bird feeders and don’t leave pet food outside overnight as this attracts raccoons to your property.
  3. Block Access Points: Seal entry points around your home, such as gaps in fences, crawl spaces or attic vents. Install a strong wire meshing or an electric fence around vegetable gardens and chicken coops, chicken wire will not keep them out.
  4. Make it Uninviting: Keep raccoons away by using multiple deterrents with a strong and pungent odour like vinegar, spicy smells, predator urine and motion-activated sprinklers near your trash bins to make your property raccoon unfriendly.
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Humane Raccoon Removal

If raccoons are already on your property, humane methods can sometimes help remove them:


Humane Methods to Remove Raccoons

  • Importance of humane raccoon control methods.
  • Using motion-activated deterrents and natural repellents to deter raccoons instead of body grip traps.
  • Strategies to safely remove raccoons and discourage their return.

Conclusion

  • Recap: Vinegar and other natural repellents can help keep raccoons at bay due to their sensitive noses and dislike for strong, pungent odours.
  • Emphasizing prevention, humane methods, and professional raccoon control services for persistent raccoon problems.
  • Call to action: Reach out to professional raccoon control services for effective solutions to a raccoon problem. A reliable and trustworthy company can, and will, keep raccoons away

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