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Does Epsom Salt Deter Raccoons? (Quick Answers)

Racoons- know to be the little bandits! Even though they are cute, they can be pretty destructive at times.

While you are sleeping in, these little delivilious creatures are going to dig into your backyard, destroy your vegetable garden and if they have access , they will end up invading your dog food.

So, what can you do to get rid of them? Do commercial graded products work? Is there a safe way to deter them? Could some epsom salt come in handy?

If these questions are bothering you, then do not worry at all. Because we have your back. Today we will have a brief discussion about whether or not you can use epsom salt to deter raccoons. So, without any due, let’s get started!

Epsom salt to deter raccoons

Epsom salt can deter racoons. Moreover, it is one of the most effective ways of deterring racoons. As epsom salt is a natural mineral, it is completely safe to use. It does not release any toxin that could harm the racoons or humans. The scent of the salt keeps them away.

Raccoons dislike the smell of epsom salt. Its scent tends to irritate the nasal cavities of the raccoons.

Therefore, epsom salt is an easy solution to deter raccoons. Simply sprinkle dry epsom salt all over your garden or on the areas where you notice the destruction of raccoons. Additionally, you can choose to reapply the salt if you notice them coming back.

Epsom salt! Nope, not the regular salt that you put on fries. Epsom salt is also commonly known as bath salt.  Epsom salt is a mineral salt.

This is basically a rock-like form of magnesium and sulfate. The name ‘Epsom’ is named after the town of Epsom in England. It is believed that the salt was first discovered there 400 years ago.   

Even though salts are meant to be consumed, epsom salt is just not an option. Epsom salt tastes bitter and it shouldn’t be consumed. However, it is mostly used as a bath essential.

Using epsom while bathing has its own benefits. It helps relieve stress and pain. Additionally, it can also help you in soothing injuries and soreness.

Raccoons will eat almost anything and everything. Their diet includes berries, nuts seeds, crayfish, frogs etc. they do not prey on animals, however they consume whatever they find available.

Now, this could be a huge issue if you enjoy gardening and growing your own fruits and vegetables. Fresh fruits and greens are a great attraction for raccoons.

However, there are natural and harmless ways to deter raccoons. Raccoons do not enjoy the smell of anything that is too strong. You can try planting herbs that are smelly such as; basil or thyme.

If that seems to be a lot of work, you can simply apply epsom salt on the areas you notice raccoons. The smell of epsom salt creates an irritation in their nasal cavity, therefore they would stay away. As it has natural minerals it will not harm the raccoons.

Additionally, you may need to re-apply the epsom salt after a few weeks in order to get better results.

You can either directly sprinkle the salt around your backyard. Or, make a water-epsom salt mixture and spray it around. Therefore, raccoons can be deterred using epsom salt in an entirely natural way.  

How effective is Epsom salt in deterring raccoons?

Epsom salt is considered very effective when it comes to deterring raccoons. Raccoons are sensitive to strong smelling elements.

The appealing smell of bath salts gives us pleasure. However, raccoons rather find the smell to be impulsive. Raccoons do not find it pleasing at all, that is why epsom salt is used to keep racoons away.

The best way to deter raccoons is to disturb their senses. When you have successfully irritated their senses they are bound to leave your property.

Smelly elements or herbs can cause severe irritations to their nasal cavity. Therefore, their sense of smell gets disturbed.

Apart from that, bright lights or loud noises can also be used to deter them. You can also use peppermint oil, ammonia, vinegar, coffee grounds, pepper, garlic, bright lights etc. 

Epsom salt is just another natural way to keep them away from your property. Thus, we consider epsom salt to be highly effective when it comes to deterring raccoons.    

Why do raccoons dislike Epsom salt?

Raccoons dislike epsom salt because it irritates their nasal cavity.  By the general rule , we know that when a raccoon’s senses are irritated, they are most likely to leave the place at an instance.

This is exactly why epsom salt works like magic. Irritating the senses of the raccoons forces it to move away from your property.

Other than using epsom salt, you can use cayenne pepper or black pepper. You can simply boil water having the pepper in them. Or, make a chili pepper garlic mixture.

All you will need to do is spray it around the areas where you have noticed the raccoons roam around.  

If necessary, you can also add up some hot sauce to the mixture. However, if epsom salt is the only option you have, just go for it!

It will not disappoint your expectations. However, there remains a chance that you may need to re-apply epsom salt to deter the raccoons for once and forever.   

How to use epsom salt to deter raccoons?

The smell of epsom salt is what keeps the raccoons away. Additionally, it also doesn’t taste good. Therefore, it is neither appealing or appetizing to them.

Here is how you can use epsom salt to deter raccoons:

Applying dry epsom salt directly:

Raccoons can be mostly seen where they find a source of food. Therefore, you will notice them in your backyard, near garbage bins, and underneath the deck or porch. As soon as you notice them, you will also notice the damage they have done.

When using epsom salt make sure that you’re using an epsom salt that does not contain any added chemicals. You can simply sprinkle the salt around your vegetables or berry plants. This is known to be quite effective and will keep the raccoons away. 

Additionally, if it rains you would want to re-apply the epsom salt on the areas where it is required. An easy way to figure out whether or not you can smell the epsom salt or not. If you do not smell the epsom after a few days, it’s time to re-apply.

Additionally, to keep raccoons away from your garbage bins, you can apply 1 tablespoon of epsom salt all around the bin. The smell of epsom salt will keep them away from your garbage bins.

Spraying epsom salt-water mixture:

If you do not want to apply epsom salt directly, you can choose to make a DIY raccoon repellent spray with it. To prepare the spray, you will need 240 ml epsom salt and 5 gallons of water.

You can also use a cup to measure the epsom salt. Therefore, for every 5 gallons of water use 1 cup of epsom salt. Let the mixture sit for a while. Using a spray bottle spray the mixture and spray the liquid all over your garden.

As the smell of the epsom salt irritates their sense of smell, they will avoid being in the areas where epsom salt has been sprayed. 

What is the best repellent to get rid of raccoons?

Apart from using epsom salt, there are multiple natural repellents that can be used to deter raccoons.

Here is a list of best raccoon repellents:

Peppermint essential oil:

Essential oils are multipurpose. It can be used in diffusers and has health benefits. However, raccoons do not enjoy all the natural smell. And fortunately, peppermint is one of them.

Peppermint essential oil causes irritation in the sinus cavity of the raccoons. This is why they would not enjoy going near it.

Used coffee grounds:

There stands no doubt that coffee can be used for various purposes. Additionally, the leftover coffee grounds can come handy.

The coffee grounds are considered to be effective when it comes to repelling raccoons. Additionally, you can use coffee grounds to deter deer’s and other animals.

Using chili and cayenne pepper:

There are some spices that raccoons can’t stand. Chili flakes and cayenne pepper are two great options when it comes to deterring raccoons. You can put pepper flakes all over your garden. Both the taste and smell of the pepper is disliked by raccoons.

Especially in areas where you have seen the raccoons lurking around. Therefore, once they smell something unpleasant like that, they will think twice before getting back.  

Final Thoughts

Epsom salt can be used to deter raccoons. It is one of the most effective ways that experts recommend. As epsom salt does not contain any harmful chemical, it’s safe to use. This way you can keep the raccoons away from your backyard. However, you may need to re-apply after a few days.