How to Get Rid of Raccoons Under Deck: 6 Humane Methods
Has a family of raccoons recently moved in under your deck? Are you looking for some humane ways to evict them? Here’s how to rid your property of raccoons, most of which are free and easy!
To get rid of raccoons under your deck, follow these three steps. Remove food sources (garbage, compost, pet food, fallen fruit), remove water sources (standing water, bird baths), and make any nesting areas unwelcoming to raccoons. More on these below.
Read on to learn how to get rid of raccoons under deck and steps without harming them.
6 Ways to Get Rid of Raccoons Under Deck
The first two steps are powerful, but it’s often difficult to remove all food and water sources from your yard.
That’s why a combination of these steps works best. Remove the attraction and make your deck an undesirable home.
1. Clear Any Food Sources
Raccoons will find the space under your deck particularly appealing if food is readily available in the area.
If you remove the food source, they will often move along.
If you keep your garbage or recycling on or around the deck, consider moving the bins into your garage or another covered space that the raccoons can’t access. If that’s not possible, invest in some receptacles that latch shut.
In addition, if you have pets and feed them outside or farm animals that eat outside, you should only feed them in the morning when the raccoons are asleep. Also, do your best to ensure that any leftover food is cleared off the ground after feeding.
2. Remove (or Restrict) Water Sources
Think about any sitting or running water source on your property.
Places like bird baths, rain barrels, ponds, streams, buckets, or old tires are all great sources of water. Try to empty, remove, or restrict access to water sources. If they have to travel far for water, your property will be less desirable.
3. Get Noisy
A great way to make a neighbor move is to make lots of noise. And raccoons are no different.
Of course, raccoons won’t care much about any old sounds. But many homeowners have had success broadcasting a human voice.
If you have a portable radio or a waterproof Bluetooth speaker, place it close to where you believe the raccoons are hiding out. Then, switch on a talk show or put on a podcast, turn it up as loud as you can without disturbing others, and leave it on.
Barring the chance the raccoons love NPR, they’ll likely be spooked and start looking for a safer place to live.
More reading: How do raccoons survive cold winters?
4. Turn on the Lights
Since raccoons are nocturnal, they tend to nest in an area that stays dark throughout the night. If there’s a good amount of light during the night time, they will consider the space unsafe and thus undesirable as a place to nest.
You can set up a spotlight or another bright light and shine it toward the spot on your deck where you think they’re entering and exiting.
If you don’t want to run up your power bill, or the light bothers you or your neighbors by being on all night, then you can find some decent motion sensor spotlights that will only turn on when activated and turn off after a specified amount of time. While not as great as constant light, the raccoons will still get the message.
We’ve had success with solar-powered motion-activated lights. The small battery charges during the day and works all night. We bought a couple for around $50 each.
5. Get Rid of Grubs
If you have grubs in your yard, you’ll need to get rid of them, as their presence is a raccoon buffet!
There are many DIY solutions for getting rid of grubs before turning to pesticides. For example, you can mix soap, lemon juice, and mouthwash and spray it on your lawn. You can also use garlic or chili peppers and water, which has the added benefit of repelling raccoons.
If home remedies don’t seem to get the job done, then you can buy pesticides or hire a pest control service to treat your lawn.
6. Use the Power of Scent
I’ve read that raccoons will steer clear of some off-putting odors. But be careful with this, because there is a risk of attracting animals with food smells.
There are some smells homeowners have had success with. These include apple cider vinegar, ammonia, peppermint, onion, garlic, chili peppers, and Epsom salt.
If you know the spot the raccoons are hiding out, try placing something, like an old rag or towel, soaked with one of the smells raccoons dislike.
7. Call a Professional
If you’ve tried all the methods of how to get rid of raccoons under your deck, but none of them have worked, call a wildlife removal company to sort the problem.
They have the knowledge and experience to rid your space of raccoons quickly. And they’ll be able to provide solutions to keep raccoons from returning.
Raccoon Eviction FAQs
Still have questions about how to get rid of raccoons under your deck? Here are some common questions.
What are the signs of raccoons living under your deck?
Some signs you may have raccoons under your deck include:
- Unexplained noises under your deck
- Strong feces and urine odor emanating from the deck
- Raccoon tracks around the deck
- Damage to your deck
- Garbage around your yard
If you notice these things, especially the raccoon tracks, you likely have a raccoon infestation.
Do raccoons pose any threats to humans?
While cute and cuddly looking, raccoons pose several threats to humans and household pets.
Raccoons have been known to attack small dogs and cats when threatened. Also, they’re carriers of harmful diseases, including rabies, distemper, roundworm, and leptospirosis.
How do you tell if a raccoon is rabid?
Raccoons will present the following signs if they have rabies:
- Staggering
- Not bothered by noise or the presence of humans or other animals
- Mouth or eye discharge
- Screeching or chattering
- Being aggressive
If you notice any of these signs, report them to your public health department. Also, if you’re concerned that your pet may have come in contact with a rabid raccoon, contact a veterinarian and get your pet checked out immediately.
Learn more about other wildlife in the winter: ticks, squirrels, deer, and bats.
How did it go for you? Were you successful in removing the raccoons from under your deck? I would love to hear your tips and experience in the comments below.
