Q: What can you put around your house to keep raccoons away?

• <div>Although raccoons aren&rsquo;t particularly picky regarding food, certain sounds, metals, and smells bother them. You can place these items around your home to keep raccoons away:<ul><li>Place wire mesh screens around and underneath decks and porches to prevent raccoons from nesting. </li><li>Put metal sheeting around the edges of your roof or at the base of trees to deter raccoons from coming close. </li><li>Place a loud battery-operated radio near the raccoon&rsquo;s den to keep them from nesting.</li><li>Keep a bowl of cider vinegar on your deck or porch.</li><li>Remove old raccoon scents by thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting underneath porches and decks.</li></ul></div>

Question 1

What can be mistaken for rat poop?

Accepted Answer

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Droppings from cockroaches, squirrels, mice, bats, and birds can resemble rat poop, making it easy to confuse one for another. Mouse droppings are smaller and more pointed, cockroach droppings resemble tiny black specks or ground pepper, and bat guano can look similar but usually crumbles into powder. Bird droppings sometimes have a similar shape, but often include white uric acid deposits. If in doubt, it’s best to consult a pest control professional for proper identification and removal.

Question 2

What dries out flea eggs?

Accepted Answer

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There are several ways to dry out flea eggs. Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a natural ingredient that can dry out fleas, but it’s messy to apply and can also cause respiratory issues for members of your household if inhaled. Salt is safer and easier to apply, so shake it liberally over affected areas. Boric acid is another way to get rid of fleas and other insects, but this, too, can cause respiratory issues and health problems if inhaled or ingested.

Question 3

What can you put around your house to keep raccoons away?

Accepted Answer

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Although raccoons aren’t particularly picky regarding food, certain sounds, metals, and smells bother them. You can place these items around your home to keep raccoons away:

Place wire mesh screens around and underneath decks and porches to prevent raccoons from nesting.
Put metal sheeting around the edges of your roof or at the base of trees to deter raccoons from coming close.
Place a loud battery-operated radio near the raccoon’s den to keep them from nesting.
Keep a bowl of cider vinegar on your deck or porch.
Remove old raccoon scents by thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting underneath porches and decks.

Question 4

What scents are most effective at deterring squirrels?

Accepted Answer

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Squirrels rely heavily on their sense of smell and are deterred by a variety of scents. Some of the most effective smells for repelling them include peppermint oil, coffee grounds, white vinegar, garlic, cinnamon, rosemary, and predator urine. They also have a strong aversion to capsaicin, the compound that makes chili peppers hot, making capsaicin-based sprays an effective repellent for areas like gardens or bird feeders. For a DIY solution, you can create a spray from garlic and vinegar and apply it daily. Additionally, squirrels dislike strong, fresh scents, so placing items like strong-smelling soaps or dryer sheets in areas they frequent can also help keep them away.

Question 5

How do I keep animals out of my pool heater?

Accepted Answer

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Small animals, particularly rats and mice, like to burrow inside pool heaters. To keep them out, seal any entry points with caulk or steel wool. Then, place mothballs inside or around your pool heater. As a final measure of protection, you can cover the pool heater in hardware cloth or wood paneling to further block entry points.