Looking for the best raccoon repellent?

Raccoons are highly smart and inquisitive animals which are considered a nuisance by many homeowners. These nocturnal mammals can cause a mess by turning over garbage cans, destroy gardens, and can cause structural damage to houses and buildings in search of food.
They can survive almost anywhere because they will eat just about anything.

What are raccoons?

Raccoon Closeup

The unique feature that distinguishes a raccoon from other animals is the black fur that surrounds its small eyes. This dark fur helps to reduce glare and enhance its night vision. Raccoons have grayish brown fur on their body which helps to protect them from the cold.

Another prominent physical trait of raccoons is its tail which has five to eight alternating dark and light rings. Its hind legs are comparatively longer than its forelegs that is why it appears hunched when it walks or runs.

The front paws of the raccoon are quite dexterous. These five toes work as five little fingers allowing it to manipulate and grasp not only food but jars, doorknobs, and latches. A raccoon has a much-heightened sense of touch. Its front paws are very sensitive, and their sensitivity increases under water.

Habitat

Habitat of RaccoonGenerally, raccoons prefer places where they can have easy access to water, trees, and abundant vegetation. They use hollow tree trunks and abandoned burrows to make their dens. They can travel long distances, sometimes up to 18 miles, searching for food.

They are also found in urban and suburban areas where they make their homes in man-made structures such as sewers, sheds, attics, and barns. In urban they prefer to stay close to their den traveling only a range of 1 mile depending on their gender and age.

Product model
RatingPrice
PREDATORGUARD Solar Powered Predator Deterrent
4.2
All Natural Rodent Repellent Spray
4.1
ScareCrow Motion Activated Animal Repellent
3.8
Havahart Critter Ridder Animal Repellent
3.0
FAYINWBO Solar Ultrasonic Animal Repellent
2.6

Best Raccoon Repellent – Top Picks Comparison

Based on their effectiveness as well as ease of use, we have rounded up the five best raccoon repellents that you should definitely consider buying if you are facing a raccoon problem.

1. PREDATORGUARD Solar Powered Predator Deterrent – Top Pick

Image of PREDATORGUARDPredatorguard solar powered deterrent is made using tough industrial components that ensure a long life without any maintenance. It is not only effective for raccoons, but can also repel common predators including fox, skunk, raccoon, coyote, and wolf.

With this predator repellent, you can protect your chicken coops, gardens, ponds, and orchards, and keep predators away! It works by emitting a powerful flash of light with its twin red LED lights that look much like the eyes of a large predator, thus effectively scaring away animals.

Pros
• Chemical-free, economical-free way of dealing with raccoons
• Effectively keeps away all predators
• One charge can last for a whole day
Cons
• You need to keep it at such a place where there is a good amount of sunlight
• Expensive than other raccoon repellent options
• Setting up the repellent is tricky

2. All Natural Rodent Repellent Spray

Image of Raccoon RepellentMade only using natural ingredients, this Exterminators Choice rodent repellent is an effective repellent spray that is ideal for outdoor and indoor use. It is safe to be used around children and pets and is efficient at keeping rodents like raccoons out of unwanted areas.

It is made by licensed exterminators and includes ingredients that are combined carefully to ensure best results. Due to its effectiveness, the spray ensures maximum results in a short time.

Pros
• Helps keep your house rodent-free from raccoons
• Easy to use
• Has a pleasant smell
Cons
• Not effective for rats
• The strength of peppermint is not too commendable
• Doesn’t last for long

3. ScareCrow Motion Activated Animal Repellent

Image of ScarCrow Motion Raccoon RepellentThis motion-activated animal repellent can protect landscaped areas, gardens, and yards from animal intruders like deer, birds, rabbits, and raccoons. The repellent startles the animals with sound and a harmless burst of water which prevents them from entering the protected area the next time.

ScareCrow motion-activated repellent is effective and can protect up to 1200 square feet throughout the day. It also comes with a manual that teaches you how to use and troubleshoot this repellent.

Pros
• It is a reliable product
• The sensor’s sensitivity is pretty good
• The sprinkler has a functional design
Cons
• It is cheaply made • Connections leak water • Battery drains out in less than one day

4. Havahart Critter Ridder 3146 Animal Repellent

Image of HavaHart Critter Raccoon RepellentThe Havahart Critter Ridder has an organic formula that repels by odor and taste which is not harmful to humans. It also contains numerous effective oils of capsaicin, black pepper, and piperine. It not only works for raccoons, but can also repel other predators like chipmunks, skunks, squirrels, groundhogs, and dogs.

It is also rain-resistant, and OMRI listed which can cover 300 square feet and provides one whole month of protection. It also comes with an adjustable shaker spout that makes its application easier.

Pros
• Application lasts for up to 30 days
• Can be used indoors and outdoors
• Shows efficient results
Cons
• Not very effective for squirrels
• Need a large amount of this product to be effective
• Quite expensive

5. FAYINWBO Solar Ultrasonic Animal Repellent

Image of FAYINWBO UltrasonicThe last repellent on this list of best raccoon repellent is the Fayinwbo ultrasonic repellent which makes use of a combination of flashing LED strobe lights and ultrasonic and sonic sounds.
Apart from raccoons, this animal repellent also repels rodents, boars, foxes, mice, skunks, and badgers. It has a multi-frequency and action activation mode and starts working once a slowly moving objected is detected. It is also waterproof and environment-friendly.

Pros
• Has a good design
• Made of good-quality materials
• Easy to use
Cons
• Sound can be harmful to human ears
• Rechargeable cells die quickly
• It is not so effective

Raccoon Preventions

Raccoon hidingSince raccoons carry diseases along with causing a number of other problems, it is best to adopt some effective practice to prevent an infestation.

• Keep your garbage secured and concealed

Since raccoons love to rummage through garbage, it is best you keep all food trash double bagged. Place the trash in a locking can that can’t be opened by a raccoon.

Furthermore, never have your trash cans left on the ground as it is just an open invitation for the raccoons to come and rip open the bag, leaving food strewn everywhere.
To keep the garbage secured, think about buying a trashcan that comes with a tight-fitting lid. The metal’s surface, when coupled with the tight lid makes access to garbage more troublesome. Alternatively, you can also place weights on the trashcan to make it difficult for the raccoons to get inside.

• Get rid of all possible entry points

Shrubs or tree branches that touch your house or are close to your house can provide easy access to raccoons. While raccoons are not jumpers, they are known to be excellent at climbing. In fact, if a raccoon wants a place to give birth, then it can come up with creative ways to get into a house like climbing inside a chimney.
Entry points for raccoons just have to be 3 inches in diameter so make sure you seal off all possibilities. The best way to seal points is to use a metal mesh.
Raccoon in garden
• Animal-proof pipes and vents

Typically, many covers installed on houses are not durable enough for keeping out animals. For this reason, you need to get animal-proof exhaust pipes and vents. Vents and pipes should be covered by 14-gauge or 16-gauge galvanized steel and covered by a plastic coating so that they do not rust.

• Remove other attractions

Raccoons can be potentially dangerous, are nocturnal animals. They sleep during the day and look for food when it is dark. Therefore, you need to ensure you get rid of all possible attractions before you retire inside. So, for instance, if you have a barbecue, you must ensure you remove all the food products and scrub the grill clean, ensuring no crumbs are left on the ground. Furthermore, when not in use, keep the lid of the grill closed.
Similarly, you should remove pet food placed next to an open window or a door. You should also keep all water dishes away from doors and windows, and raccoons look for water to wash their food.


Raccoon Repellent Types

Essentially, there are four kinds of raccoon repellents that you can use. These are:

Granular repellents

Granular repellents are more effective for flat surfaces. These also tend to last longer than liquid repellents. However, after a rainfall, you will have to reapply it. You can use the granular repellent to make a barrier around certain areas like pathways, crawl spaces, attics, gardens, sheds, flowerbeds, and barns. You can even use these indoors.

Liquid repellent

Liquid repellents are more suitable for outdoor use. These are generally used for surface protection against raccoons in areas like trash bags, garbage cans, bird feeders, flowers, roofing, and plants. While these are effective, you will need to reapply it after heavy rainfall or after the growth of a new plant.

Ultrasonic repellent

Similar to moles, with ultrasonic repellents, you can scare the raccoons away by emitting a mixture of ultrasonic sounds. Ultrasonic repellents are considered to be more effective than liquid and granular repellents, and these are more eco-friendly too.

Motion-activated repellent

Such repellents work with motion sensors and throw a burst of water when they sense movement. Motion-activated repellents are also considered to be more effective at repelling raccoons and are eco-friendly too. These are completely natural as they only make use of water when scaring off the raccoons.

Of course, there are a few disadvantages of motion-activated repellents. For instance, the electric motion-activated repellents are expensive and increase the utility bill by quite a lot. Moreover, the effectiveness of these repellents is only limited to a small area, and it can only secure just a few square meters.

Other natural raccoon repellents

Now that you have cleaned up your garden and gotten to know the best raccoon repellents, don’t think your job is over. Sometimes, you might find the repellents ineffective, or you might not be able to get your hands on a repellent in time. For this reason, you must know some natural repellents in case of emergencies.

These natural repellents are basically homemade recipes that are inexpensive yet highly effective for getting rid of raccoons. Essentially, these repellents are of two types; odor repellents and taste repellents. Taste repellents like cayenne pepper have strong, offensive flavors that easily deter the interest of a raccoon. On the other hand, odor repellents like ammonia have strong and offensive smells that keep the raccoons away.

Cayenne pepper

Cayenne pepper, apart from being a great method of repelling pests and critters, is also an effective and natural raccoon repellent. Raccoons absolutely hate the way cayenne pepper smells. To use cayenne pepper for repelling raccoons, you will first have to make a homemade repellent spray.

Things you will need

• One small canister of cayenne pepper
• One gallon of water
• One bottle of hot sauce

How to use the spray

To one gallon of water, add both the hot sauce and cayenne pepper. You will be using the whole bottle of hot sauce and the entire canister of the pepper. Then, spray this solution all over the shrubs, bushes, and garden plants. In case it rains, you will have to apply it again.

Ammonia

Raccoons are found to be troublesome in both urban and rural areas as they cause a problem all year around. In such cases, ammonia is another natural and effective raccoon repellent as it deters the raccoons away, keeping you safe from various diseases like fleas and roundworm.

How to use ammonia for deterring raccoons

You first need to take a rag and soak it completely with ammonia. Then, you must place numerous ammonia-soaked rags either around the entrance of the nest that the raccoon has made on your property or near it. At the same time, you will have to spray ammonia at those places where you have recently seen a raccoon.

Other places where you should spray the ammonia include inside a trash can so that the raccoon doesn’t tear the trash bags and spew trash all over. Also, spray ammonia on the ground at the places the raccoon are most drawn too


Conclusion – Best Raccoon Repellent

Raccoon RestingAs mentioned above, raccoons can be a nuisance and cause a lot of damage. Not only do they spread diseases, but they also destroy your property. Since these are a hassle to deal with, you need to get the best raccoon repellent that keeps the raccoons away for good.

Since there are different kinds of repellent, you must first decide which kind will be appropriate for your use. Also, make sure you go through the five best raccoon repellents listed so that you make a well-informed purchase. Also, make sure you follow the tips to prevent a raccoon infestation so that the raccoons know not to mess with you!