How to get rid of raccoons
Raccoons are smart, strong, and can carry rabies — they're not a DIY removal animal. Your job is to remove what's attracting them and make the property unwelcoming. If one is denning in your attic or chimney, call a licensed wildlife removal service.
Tools
- ✓For evening inspection without going close.
Materials
- +Bungee straps or specific lid locks. Raccoons can open standard lids.
- +Orbit Yard Enforcer or similar — the single most effective deterrent.
- +Solar versions install in minutes. Disrupt nighttime foraging.
- +Strong smell deters them from den sites. Place in sealed containers with holes near attic or chimney entry.
- +For chimney caps, attic vents, and crawl space access points.
Steps
-
1
Identify what's drawing them in
Raccoons follow easy calories. The usual culprits: unsecured trash, pet food left outside, bird feeders, compost, fallen fruit, or a koi pond. Until the food source is gone, deterrents don't work.
-
2
Secure trash and pet food
Use trash can locks. Bring all pet food inside before dusk. Take down bird feeders at night if raccoons are visiting them.
-
3
Install motion-activated deterrents
Motion sprinklers spray water and make noise. Floodlights startle. Place at the property line, near trash, and at any path you've seen them use.
-
4
Secure den access points
Cap the chimney with a metal raccoon-proof cap. Cover attic vents and crawl space openings with 1/2-inch hardware cloth screwed in place. Don't seal an entry hole until you're certain no animal is inside.
-
5
Call a pro if one's denning inside
Den raccoons in attics or chimneys often have babies (March–August). A wildlife removal specialist humanely evicts the mother and removes kits. Cost: $250–600 depending on region. Cheaper than the damage from leaving them.