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To keep animals out, you must prevent them from entering. As long as they can get in, the problem will persist. That said, consider making your attic less inviting using deterrents like motion-activated lights or ultrasonic devices. Additionally, keeping a well-maintained, clean, and uncluttered attic that you regularly inspect for activity may make the space less attractive to critters.

The best animal repellents for gardens include a variety of different scents. You can use predator urine to keep away deer, raccoons, squirrels, and more. The odor will tell the critters that your yard is a dangerous place. Other scents that repel critters are herbs like lavender, geranium, and mint. You can also use hot pepper, garlic, and strong-smelling soap.

Squirrels hate not having access to secure shelter or food sources. Your best line of defense is to make your property less attractive by removing access to these things. There are chemical squirrel repellents, but these have mixed success. According to Pennsylvania State University, you can apply products containing the bittering agent denatonium saccharide to a squirrel's favorite fence, tree, or roof spots. However, you need to reapply repellents regularly, which aren’t scientifically proven effective.

Skunks spray as a defense mechanism to ward off predators. The active ingredient in their sulfurous, oily musk is n-butyl mercaptan, which evaporates into a powerful and smelly gas. Once the spray hits the skunk’s target, the stench can linger for days, and water and common cleaning kits aren’t enough to wash it away.

If you happen upon a skunk in your yard, try to back away slowly to reduce the chance of them aiming at you. Encouragingly, they don’t use their weapon casually, as it can take up to 10 days for their life-saving weaponry to refill. Paw stamping, hissing, lifting their tail, and arching their back are early signs they feel trapped or under threat and that it’s time to make a careful retreat.