How to get rid of a Skunk den?
During the cold weather, skunks usually dig burrows with their long claws and make dens where they stay during the cold season. They have been known to like dark, confined spaces since they are nocturnal creatures. When trying to get rid of a skunk den, you should follow the skunks’ tracks. You can do this by sprinkling a layer of chalk dust, flour, or corn starch about two feet around any suspected opening. If you keep checking the tracks and find none, you should cover all entry points to inhibit their re-entry. Afterward, you can begin the process of getting rid of the den.
A skunk den is usually filled with their horrendous scent. There may also be feces and urine that needs to be cleaned up. In order to do this, you can use a broom and dustpan to collect the feces and put them in a polythene bag for disposal. For the urine, you should use a mixture of soap and water then brush the surfaces with it thoroughly to get rid of the stains and smell. You can then use a mop to wipe the area.
In order to get rid of a skunk’s smell in a den, there are several methods that have proved to be effective over the years. A mixture of white vinegar and hydrogen peroxide is one of them. Follow the following steps to make the concoction:
- 1-quart 3% hydrogen peroxide, or 1-quart white vinegar
- Quarter cup of baking soda
- 1 teaspoon of liquid detergent
Mix the ingredients above in a container or bucket. You should then use it to clean up the skunk den and dilute any smells left behind by these critters. You can use this mixture on every piece of furniture in the skunk den in order to de-skunk the place completely. Dilute the leftover of the mixture with water then pour it down the drain. You can also boil vinegar in a pan and leave it in the skunk den, therefore letting it absorb the skunk’s smell and leave the area smelling fresh afterward.
Commercial spray products are widely used to deodorize and neutralize the smell present in skunk dens as well as getting rid of the awful smell completely. Skunk-Off liquid spray is available for purchase from Amazon at the cost of $23. The spray can be used on all objects and surfaces present in the skunk den.
Bleach solution is known to be effective in cleaning areas previously inhabited by skunks. Mix 10% of bleach with 90% water and use the mixture to clean up surfaces in the den in order to get rid of the pungent odors present. The smell may not disappear with your first attempt, but after several applications together with a cleanup routine, the smell will eventually dissipate completely. Bleach is toxic and should be handled with care. It is important to wear protective gear when dealing with chemicals to get rid of skunk dens.
Once you’ve managed to get rid of the skunk den, you need to close up any spaces through which the skunks may gain access to your property and keep checking for places that need repair.