What is one smell that you absolutely love? One possibility is the pleasant aroma of fresh chocolate chip cookies. Scents like these are powerful enough to pull people into kitchens or to nearby restaurants. Other smells have the opposite effect and make us want to leave an area immediately. Even if this article was not about skunks, the aroma this pest gives off would be at the top of our most hated smells. If you have picked up a whiff of what you think might be a skunk on your Plano property and you are wondering how to give them the boot without getting sprayed, here are some things to consider about wildlife management today.
Why Should We Do A Regular Pest Inspection At Home?
There are many pests in our area that wander onto properties and take up residence under porches, inside outbuildings, and in cluttered areas. To make sure these wild creatures do not catch you off guard, we recommend performing a quick pest inspection around your property at least once a week. While you are doing this, look for signs of forced entry with garbage cans, doors, and protective fencing for porches. Also look for damage to gutters, outdoor furniture, and garden plants, and holes in your yard or on the edges of buildings. Something to keep in mind with skunks, in particular, is that you will not always be able to identify them by their smell. You will only pick up this pungent aroma if they have recently sprayed. This is another reason why regular inspections are important.
How Do I Get A Skunk Out Of My Backyard?
There is a right way and a wrong way to deal with a skunk that you see wandering in your backyard. The wrong way is to try to chase it off with a broom or any other item. Unless you are more than 15 feet away, you are in the range of a skunk’s spray. Keeping this in mind, our recommendation is to use loud noises from a good distance to scare these smelly pests off your property. If you see them retreat under your porch, into an outbuilding, or to another secluded area on your property where they might be nesting, this is when you should get a professional involved.
How To Get Rid Of Skunk Odor
As long as you are careful, your chances of being sprayed by a skunk are fairly low. The chances that one of your outdoor pets will get sprayed, however, is much more likely. If you are unfortunate enough to be sprayed or have a family member or pet that is doused in a skunk’s spray, here is what we recommend you do.
- Find a store-bought or homemade cleaner of your choice to wash the smell off your skin or out of the fur of your pet.
- Soak sprayed clothing in a four-parts-water one-part-vinegar solution for several hours.
- Steam clean pieces of furniture that have been affected.
- Ventilate your home thoroughly.
- Run fans indoors until the smell is gone.
- Place bowls of vinegar in smelly rooms.
- Wash floors and other surfaces with a 10% bleach 90% water solution.
The Benefits Of Hiring A Wildlife Specialist
The second you suspect a skunk has taken residency on your property, get the experts at DANCAN The Pest Control Expert involved. We offer effective and reliable wildlife management services to help you remove a wide range of annoying, dangerous, destructive, and smelly creatures from your property.
Contact us today to learn more about our advanced wildlife removal plans and schedule your Plano property for a visit.