How to get Skunks out of Your Attic
If you are hearing noises in your attic when nobody is up there, it is very likely that you could have an animal living with you or have one trying to enter your home. Animal problems in your attic can certainly be a headache, but it is best to deal with the problem as soon as possible.
Keep in mind that if you are hearing noises in your attic, it could be a number of different things. Some of the animals that enter attics include bats, birds, flying squirrels, gray squirrels, large lizards, mice, opossums, raccoons, or rats.
Some signs that you may have a skunk in your attic include bad smells, digging, scratching, and scurrying. If you have any of those things happening in your attic, you should do some investigation or get in touch with a professional.
If skunks are getting into your attic, they can cause even more damage to your home. If the problem is not dealt with quickly, the repair costs from the skunks can add up. Removing skunks promptly is extremely important to prevent costly damage to your attic space.
While trapping skunks is not the only way to remove a skunk in your attic, it is the most effective way to do so. Other methods are often inhumane or illegal or can cause other problems that will give you even more of a headache.
What To Do If A Skunk Dies In Your Attic
If a skunk dies in your attic or any dead animal for that matter, the worst thing to do is just leave it there. The smell that comes from a dead skunk can also stick around for a while if you do not deal with it in the right way. Due to the risks involved, it is best to hire a professional if you find yourself in this situation.
The smell that comes from a dead skunk can prove to be dangerous for someone who has respiratory problems. Also, the parasites that were brought in with the skunk because they were living and feeding off of it need to be exterminated.
What To Do If You Find A Baby Skunk In Your Attic
While baby skunks might be cute, they could be a sign that you have a larger skunk in your attic as well. If you do determine that you have a mother skunk in your attic, then you will have to trap it.
A mother skunk will typically give birth to between two and six babies. Once the mother skunk is trapped and removed, you can start to go after the babies. They will usually be in the den, and they can be removed while wearing thick gloves.
Baby skunks will be frightened more easily and that can lead to spraying. While this is the case, they can’t produce as much of the bad-smelling fluid as adult skunks can. Once you take them out of the den, you should place them in a box and transport them away from your home.
It is best to transport the babies and the mother to the same location. You should also bring them as far away from your house as you safely can so that it will be harder for them to return.
Getting Rid Of The Smell
The musky smell can be the worst park of skunks getting into your home. Luckily, you can work to remove the smell after you have gotten the skunks out. There are chemical sprays that you can purchase to remove the musk - otherwise, it is going to stick around for months.
Boiling vinegar is also something that has been found to be helpful when removing the skunk smell from your home. While it will smell like vinegar in your home, typically when the smell of vinegar goes away, the smell of skunk will as well.
Another home remedy that can be an ideal solution in your home, porch, or deck, is mixing one cup of liquid bleach and one gallon of water. Just be careful when using this kind of solution because the bleach can discolor surfaces. It would be best to try it in small spots before using it on all of the affected areas.
It is unlikely that any home solution will completely get rid of the smell for you upon first use. What will likely be the case is that you need to try multiple solutions, and use the solutions multiple times, until the smell has completely gone away.