Skunks under your shed? Here are 4 simple solutions.

Having skunks around is not something anyone wants to see. It is common knowledge that they can be extremely frustrating to deal with.

You could get sprayed with a nasty odor that lingers for days if you get too close to these creatures.

The last thing you want is to encounter a skunk on your property and have to try to de-skunk your pets or yourself. Skunk droppings are a warning sign that there may be skunks living under your shed.

There are ways to get rid of them, but you'll want to make an effort to do it properly.

How to get rid of skunks in the shed area is discussed in detail below. The following procedures will provide you with a wide range of choices from which to select the one that is best suited to your needs.

The skunk that has taken up residence under your shed is probably a mother and her young.

Skunk mothers and their young frequently seek out sheltered areas. You will need to be patient if you want to get rid of the skunks on your property in a humane way.

You can easily drive a skunk away, but doing so runs the risk of the mother abandoning her young.

If you don't want to feel bad about abandoning a litter of baby skunks, you should be subtle about your actions. You can try some things that will make the area less desirable for the mother skunk.

After some time has passed, a mother skunk may abandon her young. The skunk should be perceptive enough to find a new home if you create an unsafe environment there.

Keep reading to find out more about what you can do to hasten the procedure.

Skunks may be congregating under your shed because you're providing them with food or shelter.

If the skunks are going to stay, they need food, so you'll have to get rid of whatever they're eating. You might even keep your trash close to your shed, so it's possible that they're getting some of their food from there.

Pick up the trash in your yard carefully to get rid of food sources for skunks. The absence of food sources on your property increases the likelihood that these pests will leave. It's not guaranteed to work out this way every time, but it's worth a shot.

In any case, cleaning up your yard is a good idea, so this is a practical solution. Make sure no skunks can get into your trash by storing it in airtight containers.

It is also a good idea to pick up any fruit or vegetables that may have fallen from nearby trees or gardens.

Limiting your property's marketability in this way is possible. Since there is nothing for these skunks to eat, they may not want to stick around for very long.

It won't take long to finish, and you can sneak around the shed to avoid getting sprayed if you want to.

Skunks, in case you didn't know, are primarily nocturnal animals. What this means is that they prefer low-light environments, so you can use this to your advantage by making the shed something they won't want to live in.

By directing bright lights at the skunk, you can discourage it from continuing to feel at home there.

Having a security light pointed squarely at the shed is a good idea. This will make it so that the shed never gets completely dark at night.

Running a light all night to scare away skunks may seem like a nuisance, but it is effective.

Skunks may avoid your shed if you play loud music or other noises. You could mount the radio loudly near the shed door to scare away potential intruders. If you want to annoy the skunks by playing music all night long, turn up the radio.

Skunks won't feel secure in the shed if they hear people talking in there. Playing music continuously all night increases the likelihood that they will leave.

This is a smart plan that goes well with the flashing lights discussed earlier.

Skunks have a wide range of aversions to olfactory stimuli. Apple cider vinegar or ammonia soaked on a rag would be an effective deterrent against them coming near the shed.

The ammonia-soaked cloth is typically placed in a plastic bag and then hung near the shed.

Getting close to the shed is necessary, but you must be cautious not to startle the skunk or else it will spray you. This strategy, if implemented, may be effective in driving the skunk away from the shed.

Since skunks are so sensitive to odor, ammonia and apple cider vinegar are both effective deterrents.

To further deter skunks, you could try spraying them with predator urine. Skunks have an innate recognition of the odor of their predators' urine, so they tend to flee when they detect it.

Using dirty kitty litter in a bag is an effective method because cats are natural predators of skunks.

Determining whether or not the skunks have left for good can be challenging. A tried and true method is to roll up some paper and leave it by the skunks' point of entry.

If the paper is still there after three days, then you can rest assured that they have left.

It's probably a terrible idea to try to catch the skunks, and you'll end up regretting it. Possible outcomes include being sprayed by one or making a mother skunk abandon her young.

You should avoid the live trapping plan if you care about avoiding this.

It's also worth noting that, depending on where you live, it may be illegal to trap certain animals. Where you currently reside will determine whether or not you are permitted to trap skunks. To avoid running afoul of the law, you should familiarize yourself with the regulations of your own country.

Trapping and releasing skunks is legal in some areas, but you can't take them too far from their natural habitat.

Not worth the risk when you don't have a clue what you're doing. The skunks should be the primary target of any exclusion efforts.

Now, you can just call in the experts to take care of your skunk infestation for good. Skunk removal is a job best left to a local animal control or pest control company.

Skunks are a common problem for companies like this one, and employees are well aware of the seasons in which skunks seek refuge in people's sheds. They've had the right kind of preparation to deal with them, and they've got the tools to get the job done safely.

This might be the best course of action to take if you want to solve your skunk problem quickly. Dealing with skunks is simple, so you can get on with your life.

However, there is a cost associated with getting things handled professionally. Having the skunks removed from your property will cost you money, but you will likely feel much better once they are gone.

You will be relieved to no longer have to deal with skunks under your shed.

Ben is a licensed construction engineer with a bachelor's degree. He is a family man who enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters when he is not busy building or remodeling X-ray rooms, cardiovascular labs, and pharmacies. Aside from spending time with his family, he enjoys working on home improvement projects and barbecuing on his Big Green Egg and Blackstone Griddle.