Are Mothballs Or Ammonia Skunk Repellents?

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When it comes to resolving a pest animal problem, there are plenty of people who will want to try and resolve the problem themselves and find a way to get rid of animals such as skunks. The growth of the internet has made it easier than ever to find a range of home remedies for all kinds of things, and the proliferation of myths around using mothballs and ammonia as repellents has grown significantly. However, the reality is that these materials won't help you, and will only give the skunks more time to cause problems around your property.



The High Potency Of A Skunk's Spray

The first factor to consider is how strong a smell that can be produced by the skunk, and when you consider that this scent is strong enough to put even predators off from attacking a skunk, then it is certainly very strong. If a skunk can produce and deal with this scent, then why would the smell that is produced by mothballs or ammonia really be an effective repellent for this kind of animal?

The Logic Of Using Scent Based Repellent

It is true that a skunk is an animal with a strong sense of smell, and one of the main reasons that some people believe ammonia and mothballs can be an effective repellent is that they have such a strong smell. However, much like people, animals can adapt to a huge amount of different conditions, and the ability of the skunk to adapt to an area with a smell is usually enough to render the repellent ineffective.

Why Do People Use Ammonia And Mothballs?

These two substances have long been used for all manner of different reasons, and as the scent coming from each of these chemicals is enough to make a person flinch, it is no surprise to see people assume it would make animals with a better sense of smell do so too. The purchase cost of ammonia and mothballs is also pretty low, so some people may think it is worth giving them a try, but really it is still wasted money.

Alternative Ways Of Dealing With The Problem

You should steer clear of using any kind of repellent when dealing with skunks, as there isn't a known repellent that is effective. Your best option is to trap and remove the animals, or to use one-way eviction funnels to exclude the skunks from your property.

For more information, you may want to click on one of these guides that I wrote:
How much does skunk removal cost? - get the lowdown on prices.
How to get rid of skunks - my main skunk removal info guide.

Skunk deterrent: There are skunk deterrents on the market, and you’re welcomed to try them; however, you should know that most of the deterrents on the market are mothball based or have a hint of predator urine in them. These don’t work. Most people have to try the deterrents for themselves, but the outcome is almost always the same. Odor repellents don’t work. Because of the failure of mothballs and mothball products, people then progress to the next step: sound deterrents. This type of product works on the theory that a skunk won’t want to live somewhere if an unpleasant noise is too frequent or too loud. Ultrasonic emitters are popular because people don’t want to hear the noise; they just want the skunks to hear it. Again, sound emitters are not effective. You might as well combine them with a dose of mothballs for all the good they do. Another popular method of deterring skunks is to use herbal remedies like peppermint oil or orange oil. If skunks cared about peppermint or orange odors, pest control would be a lost less expensive.

Read any of the below for more skunk information:
About Skunks - Biology Information
What Should I Do With A Skunk After I Catch It?
Should I Feed A Baby Skunk That I Found?
What Should I Do If I Find A Nest Of Baby Skunks?
What Should I Do If I Find An Orphaned Baby Skunk Wandering About?
What Is The Best Bait To Trap A Skunk?
Will The City Or County Animal Services Help Me With A Skunk Issue?
What Kind Of Damage Do Skunks Cause Under A House?
Is A Skunk That Is Active During The Daytime Rabid?
What Is A Skunk's Natural Diet And How Does It Get Its Food?
What Diseases Do Skunks Carry?