A skunk wandering through your backyard once in a while is not necessarily a problem. Skunks are nocturnal, generally avoid people, and they eat insects and rodents. But if one starts visiting every night, digging up the lawn, raiding pet food or settling under your deck, it is understandable to want it to move along.
The good news is that you usually do not need harsh chemicals or risky DIY tricks. The best way to keep skunks away is to make your yard less rewarding: remove easy food, block safe denning spots, reduce hiding places and make repeat visits inconvenient.
Here are the most practical steps to try.
1. Lock Down Your Trash
Garbage is one of the easiest food sources for a skunk. A loosely fitted lid or an overflowing bag can turn your backyard into a reliable nighttime stop.
Use trash cans with tight-fitting lids and avoid leaving loose garbage bags outside overnight. If skunks have already discovered the bins, rinse food residue from the inside and clean up anything that has spilled around them.
For particularly persistent visitors, store bins in a garage, shed or secured enclosure until collection day if local rules and space allow.
2. Never Leave Pet Food Outside Overnight
A bowl of cat or dog food is an extremely easy meal for wildlife. Feed pets indoors whenever possible. If an animal must eat outside, remove the bowl and any leftover food as soon as feeding is finished.
Do the same with water bowls at night if skunks are repeatedly visiting the area. A backyard that offers both food and water gives them more reasons to return.
3. Clean Up Fallen Birdseed
Bird feeders can indirectly attract skunks. The skunks may not be interested in the feeder itself, but seed that falls underneath it can become an easy meal. Spilled seed can also attract rodents, which may attract skunks looking for prey.
Sweep or rake up excess seed regularly. If skunks are visiting nightly, temporarily reducing bird feeding can help you determine whether the feeder area is part of the attraction.
4. Secure Compost and Outdoor Food Scraps
Open compost piles containing kitchen scraps can smell like dinner to wildlife. Use a secure compost bin and avoid leaving meat, grease or strongly scented food waste exposed outdoors.
After backyard meals, clean the grill area, pick up dropped food and bring plates and leftovers inside. Even small scraps can teach a skunk that your yard is worth checking again tomorrow.
5. Check for a Den Under Your Deck or Shed
Skunks like protected, dark spaces. Openings underneath decks, sheds, porches and raised structures can provide exactly the kind of shelter they are looking for.
Before sealing any opening, make sure the space is not currently occupied. One simple way to check a suspected entrance is to loosely place leaves, straw or crumpled paper in the opening. If it is repeatedly pushed aside overnight, an animal may still be using the den.
Be especially cautious during the season when young animals may be present. Sealing a mother outside while babies remain trapped underneath a structure creates a much bigger problem. If you are unsure whether a den is active, contact a local wildlife professional before blocking it.
6. Block Empty Denning Spaces Properly
Once you are confident a space is empty, prevent future access with a durable barrier appropriate for the structure. Skunks can dig, so simply putting a board in front of a hole is often not enough.
Wire mesh or another sturdy barrier can be extended below ground and bent outward to make digging underneath more difficult. Also repair broken lattice, foundation gaps and openings around sheds that provide easy access.
7. Remove Backyard Clutter
Piles of lumber, thick brush, abandoned planters and rarely moved outdoor equipment create sheltered areas where animals can rest unnoticed.
You do not need a perfectly empty yard. Just avoid creating dark, quiet piles directly beside the house or deck. Stack firewood neatly, remove unnecessary debris and trim dense vegetation around problem areas.
8. Do Not Overwater the Lawn
If a skunk is leaving small cone-shaped holes in your lawn, it may be searching for insects and grubs. Moist soil can make underground insects easier to reach.
Avoid watering more than the lawn actually needs. If digging is severe and ongoing, identify whether grubs are truly present before treating the lawn. Applying insecticides without confirming the problem can waste money and affect other insects in the yard.
9. Try Motion-Activated Deterrents
A sudden light or sprinkler may make a frequently visited part of the yard less comfortable for a nocturnal animal. Motion-activated devices can be useful around gardens, trash areas or the route a skunk regularly uses.
Think of these as an extra layer rather than the main solution. A bright light will not compete very well with an open bowl of pet food or an easy den underneath the deck.
10. Make the Yard Boring at Night
This is really the principle behind almost every successful skunk deterrent. Walk through the backyard at dusk and ask what an animal could eat, drink or hide underneath.
- Bring pet food indoors.
- Secure trash and compost.
- Pick up fallen fruit.
- Clean food residue from grills and patios.
- Remove spilled birdseed.
- Close sheds and garages.
- Cover accessible window wells.
- Repair openings under decks and structures once you know they are empty.
The fewer rewards the yard provides, the less reason a skunk has to make it part of its nightly routine.
What Should You Avoid?
Some popular internet remedies are either unreliable or create unnecessary risk.
Do not use mothballs around the yard
Mothballs are pesticides intended for specific labeled uses, not general wildlife control. Scattering them around a yard can expose children, pets and wildlife to chemicals without solving the underlying attraction.
Do not use poison
Poisoning wildlife can harm non-target animals and may be illegal depending on where you live. It also does nothing to remove the food or shelter that attracted the animal in the first place.
Do not corner or chase a skunk
Skunks generally prefer avoiding confrontation. Give the animal a clear escape route and back away slowly. Chasing, poking or trapping it in a corner makes spraying much more likely.
Do not seal an active den blindly
This is especially important when young may be inside. Confirm that the space is empty or get help from a wildlife-control professional.
What If a Skunk Is Already Living Under the Deck?
Start by confirming that the den is actually active. If it is, mild disturbance can sometimes encourage the animal to choose a quieter location. Light and normal human activity around the area may help, but avoid direct confrontation.
When dependent young could be present, patience is often the safest option. A wildlife professional can determine whether exclusion is appropriate and install a one-way exit when necessary.
After the animal has definitely left, close the entry point so another skunk—or a different animal—does not move in later.
Will Skunks Keep Coming Back?
They can if the original attraction remains. Removing one skunk while leaving open trash, pet food and an accessible crawl space simply leaves an available backyard for the next animal.
That is why long-term prevention works better than trying to scare away individual visitors. Secure the food sources, remove easy shelter and monitor the spots where skunks have entered before.
A Simple Skunk-Proof Backyard Checklist
- Trash lids close tightly.
- Pet food comes indoors before night.
- Birdseed is not building up on the ground.
- Compost is contained.
- Fallen fruit and food scraps are removed.
- Sheds and garages close properly.
- No obvious empty spaces remain beneath decks or porches.
- Window wells and similar traps are protected.
- The lawn is not being overwatered.
- Dense clutter near the house has been reduced.
The Bottom Line
If you want to keep skunks away from your backyard, start with the boring fixes before buying a shelf full of repellents. Skunks visit places that offer an easy meal or a safe place to sleep. Remove those benefits and most yards become far less attractive.
A secured trash can, no outdoor pet food, fewer hiding places and properly closed denning spaces will usually do more for long-term prevention than a strong-smelling homemade remedy.
And if a skunk has already established a den—especially if babies may be present—avoid rushing into exclusion. That is the point where careful timing or professional help can prevent a small wildlife problem from becoming a much bigger one.
For more backyard pest prevention, see our guide on why rats keep coming back. If you keep chickens, you may also like these chicken coop design ideas for a more secure, organized backyard setup.
