How to Get Rid of Raccoons

Guide to Raccoon Removal by Location in House

Key Takeaways

Professional raccoon removal services can effectively handle raccoon problems while ensuring humane treatment.
Use bait like fruits or sweet treats to effectively catch raccoons in traps, and always secure the traps properly.
Raccoons commonly invade attics and roofs, causing extensive damage, so it’s crucial to install preventive measures like metal sheeting.
Keep yards unattractive to raccoons by securing garbage, removing food sources, and ensuring garages remain closed.
Install exclusions and use eviction sprays to keep raccoons from returning after removal.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Raccoons might look cute, but they can quickly become a problem. With the right approach, you can safely and humanely get rid of raccoons and keep them from coming back.

Where Raccoons Live in a Home and How to Get Rid of Them

The most common spot to find a raccoon is the attic, where it’s warm, dark, and ideal for nesting. They may also use crawl spaces, garages, chimneys, wall voids, roofs, or even under decks and porches. Each location requires a different removal method.

How to Get Rid of Raccoons in Attics

Start by confirming they’re there. You may see nests, hear noises, or smell strong odors. Then focus on getting them to leave on their own by making the space uncomfortable. Add bright lights, loud noise, or scent deterrents.

Another option is to use a humane trap placed near the entry point. Once you’re sure the raccoon is gone, seal up all entry points right away — this is key. If you close things up too early, you could trap the animal inside, which can cause bigger problems.

Learn More about Raccoons in Attics

How to Get Rid of Raccoons on the Roof

Raccoons on your roof are noisy and can cause real damage. For example, female raccoons will tear into soffits, shingles, vents, and insulation to create a place to nest. Once they open a hole, it becomes an easy entry point straight into your attic.

To keep them off your roof, start by cutting back any tree branches that hang close to your home. Raccoons are great climbers and often use trees to travel from place to place. You can also install metal sheeting along the corners of your house to make it harder for them to climb up in the first place.

Learn More About Raccoons on the Roof

juvenile raccoon on roof Central Missouri

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How to Get Rid of Raccoons in a Chimney

Raccoons are great climbers, so chimneys can make the perfect hiding spot for them. The easiest way to keep them out is by installing a stainless steel chimney cap. It acts as a barrier, blocking access while still allowing smoke to vent properly.

Raccoon in Chimney

How to Get Rid of Raccoons in the Walls

Raccoons can end up inside wall cavities either by climbing down or accidentally falling in. If it becomes trapped, it can turn into a bigger problem. In most cases, you’ll need to pinpoint exactly where the raccoon is and carefully open up that section of the wall to remove it.

Raccoons in Walls

How to Get Rid of Raccoons in Crawlspaces and Basements

Raccoons usually get into crawlspaces through weak spots like basement door seals, damaged trim, or holes in the ground. To get them out, a humane live trap is often the most effective option. You can also wait for the raccoon to leave on its own, but make sure you seal up any entry points right away so it can’t come back.

Raccoons in Crawlspaces

Raccoons in Basements

How to Get Rid of Raccoons under Decks or Porches.

You might notice rustling or thumping sounds, strong odors, or small hand-like footprints around your porch or deck. Since raccoons leave their den at night, you can install exclusion barriers when they are gone, but only if babies are not present. Once they’re gone, block the area off with materials like wire mesh or buried fencing to keep them from coming back.

How to Get Rid of Raccoons in Your Garage

Try to keep your garage door closed, especially at night. Garages might seem like a safe spot for outdoor animals, but they also make an easy shelter for raccoons. Once inside, they can cause significant damage and may even enter your home through small openings or weak spots in the walls.

How to Trap a Raccoon

The most effective, fastest way to get rid of raccoons is usually with a humane trap. When setting your trap, here are some simple tips to follow:

Set the trap in a secure spot where a trapped raccoon can’t damage anything nearby. They can become aggressive when confined, so avoid placing traps near things you want to protect. Leave at least 12 inches of space all around the trap.
Place the trap on a hard, flat surface, such as concrete or bare dirt. Do not place the trap on a leaning surface, such as a roof.
Place the trap where raccoons are already active, such as along fences or near entry points, and make sure it’s easy for you to access and check regularly.
Cover the trap to protect the raccoon from rain, sun, and other elements.
For bait, stick with sweet foods to avoid catching other animals. Things like fruit, jelly, or store-bought sweet pastes tend to work well.
Follow local rules for relocation.

Do Scent Repellents Work to Get Rid of Raccoons?

Raccoons have a strong sense of smell, so certain scents can help keep them away, at least temporarily. If raccoons have an established den, they will ignore most if not all DIY scent repellents.

Raccoon eviction spray can be helpful if there are babies involved. It works by mimicking the scent of a male raccoon, which scares the mother, since males can harm young kits. In response, she’ll often move them to a new location. If the spray doesn’t work, you may need to use trapping and exclusion methods.

Additional Tips for Raccoon Prevention

Raccoons, like all other animals, are seeking food, water, and shelter. The first step to get rid of or prevent raccoons from choosing your property is to ensure you do not create an environment for them.

Avoid leaving food outside whenever possible. Pet food or human food left outdoors can attract raccoons. Also, properly store trash in raccoon-proof containers.
Avoid having bird feeders if you can. If you do use one, choose the location carefully and only put out a small amount of seed at a time.
Get rid of raccoons naturally. Do not use snare traps, poisons, or shoot raccoons. These methods are inhumane and, in some states, illegal, since raccoons can be considered small game.
Call a wildlife professional to ensure safe, humane raccoon removal and to protect your property from future invasions.

When Should You Hire a Professional to Get Rid of Raccoons?

Knowing which expert to call can mean the difference between humane and inhumane methods of getting rid of raccoons. When you call an exterminator, you are likely getting an expert who uses poisoning, shooting, or snare trapping techniques. These are not humane. They won’t help you with exclusions, which is what keeps raccoons from returning.

Critter Control only uses humane removal techniques that are safe for you, your family, and the wildlife. They help you implement exclusions so that you don’t have to worry about raccoon problems in the future.

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