Are you tired of raccoons rummaging through your car and making a mess? If so, you’re not alone!
Luckily, there are several things you can do to keep raccoons away from your vehicle.
Read on for our top tips on how to keep raccoons away from your car.
Use Peppermint Oil
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Using peppermint oil is a great way to keep raccoons away from your car. This natural repellent has a strong scent that raccoons tend to dislike.
To repel them, you can take advantage of this trait by using smells they dislike, such as hot pepper, onion, garlic, peppermint oil, and Epsom salt.
For peppermint spray, combine 4-5 drops of essential oil with a bit of rubbing alcohol in an empty bottle; add water.
Spray near the car’s exterior where raccoons may be entering or leaving. You can also sprinkle peppermint oil on the ground around your car to further discourage these unwelcome critters from residing in your vehicle.
Try Home Remedies
You can use home remedies to keep raccoons away from your car.
Ammonia, vinegar, ground-up garlic, powdered cayenne pepper, blood meal, and dirty cat litter are all effective against raccoons.
Sprinkle these natural repellents in critical areas around your car, like tires and wheel wells, to deter them from getting too close.
You can also make your pepper spray by mixing powdered or ground pepper (both cayenne and jalapeno will work) with water and spreading it around the perimeter of your car.
Raccoons hate the smell and taste of hot peppers and will stay away from any area where the spray has been applied.
Hang a Bag of Mothballs
Hang a Bag of Mothballs to keep raccoons away from your car. Mothballs have been used for years as insect and pest repellents for natural fibers. The pungent smell of mothballs is a deterrent to most animals, including raccoons.
Fill a small net bag with mothballs and hang it under the hood of your car to keep raccoons away.
Make sure it is securely attached so it won’t fall off, and check it regularly to ensure it is still in place.
Using mothballs can deter raccoons from getting too close to your car, keeping you and your vehicle safe from unwanted guests.
Place Other Smell-Emitting Items
Another effective way to keep raccoons away from your car is to place other smell-emitting items around the area.
Store-bought scent-based deterrents, such as peppermint oil, can repel raccoons from the site.
You can also make homemade options like vinegar and dirty cat litter to spread around your car’s wheels.
You can soak rags in ammonia and leave them in areas where raccoons are commonly seen. This will help to deter them from returning to your car.
Furthermore, you can hang a string of garlic cloves around the area to keep them away.
Make a Noise
Making noise is one of the best ways to keep raccoons away from your car.
The sound of clanging or banging pots and pans or striking them with a wooden spoon will startle raccoons and make them think they are in danger.
You can also use other items to create sounds, such as a shake-can filled with rocks or pebbles or an old wind chime.
Or, you can install motion-activated sprinklers that emit a loud noise when triggered by a raccoon’s presence.
By making a noise, you’ll be able to scare away raccoons and keep your car safe from potential damage.
Turn on Lights and Music
Turning on lights and music can be a great way to deter raccoons from coming around your car.
This can be done by installing motion-activated lights around your car and playing music.
Motion-activated lights will surprise the raccoons when they appear, causing them to run away.
Playing music can also act as a deterrent, as raccoons dislike loud noises. The lights and music will also help make your car more visible, which can help keep you safe from raccoon intrusions.
Keep pet food indoors.
Keeping pet food indoors is essential to keeping raccoons away from your car.
Raccoons are attracted to the smell of pet food, so it is important to only leave pet food out during the day and keep it in a secure, enclosed space.
Place the food bowl in an elevated place and within an enclosed area.
You can also use store-bought scent-based deterrents or homemade options in your garden, like vinegar, dirty cat litter, and onion and pepper sprays.
Floodlights can help illuminate the area and deter raccoons from approaching.
What are raccoons afraid of?
Raccoons may appear brave, but they are still animals with natural survival instincts.
They fear spicy smells, so if you have a raccoon problem, using cayenne pepper spray as a repellent can be an effective solution.
You can also take advantage of their strong sense of smell by planting cucumber around your fence and in your garden, as the smell of cucumber is known to keep raccoons away.
Bright lights and large fearful dogs can also deter them from entering your yard.
If all else fails, Justin Suraci’s discovery of a soundtrack of animal calls ranging from bears to wolves may be the most effective way of keeping raccoons away.
