Banish Raccoons From Your Yard With This Therapeutic Bathroom Staple

If you are looking for a way to easily banish raccoons from your yard, you may already have the solution lying around your house. Epsom salt, also commonly known as bath salt, has long been used in baths and foot soaks as a way to relax muscles and relieve stress. Outside of the house, Epsom salt helps keep your lawn green and many gardeners swear it's a great hack for growing sweeter tomatoes. Add to that, it can keep raccoons from your yard, garden, and trash can, and suddenly, there are plenty of reasons to buy a few bulk bags of Epsom salt.

While raccoons may come off as harmless and cute at first glance, they can be undoubtedly dangerous. Although they typically don't attack humans, when they do, they are capable of inflicting fairly serious injuries with their sharp teeth and claws. Of greater concern is the fact that they commonly carry rabies. In fact, there are more reported cases of rabid raccoons than any other animal. Additionally, raccoons are known to carry Leptospirosis, which can be spread as they relieve themselves in your yard.

Beyond these health risks, raccoons pose a formidable threat to your property, as they can tear up everything from roofs to electrical wiring — and they just love to use your trash can as a buffet. Given that raccoons live in all but a very few places in the United States and are equally at home in urban, suburban, and rural areas, odds are your yard is on their radar. But, by sprinkling a few handfuls of this therapeutic staple around your property, you will be able to relax and not worry about these masked mammals invading your area.

Although some pest deterrent measures are quite complicated, Epsom salt is a simple solution for keeping raccoons out of your yard. All you really need to do is sprinkle Epsom salt in and around your trash can and around the perimeter of your yard, house, and garden. Given that Epsom salt is actually beneficial to lawns and garden plants, you can spread it throughout your yard and garden if you so choose. Opinions differ as to whether it is the scent or taste of Epsom salt that repels raccoons, but it is roundly agreed that they avoid it. Be sure to reapply every so often and after every rain in order to maintain its effectiveness. 

Epsom salt itself is very effective at keeping raccoons from entering your property. However, there are a few other measures you can take to ensure they stay away. You can keep trash cans clean and use devices like Trash Lock lid straps to prevent raccoons from being able access the contents of the can. If you have a veggie garden, try growing cucumbers, which are known to repel raccoons. Additionally, it is recommended to install motion lights, clean up after cooking or eating outdoors, and not leaving pet food out overnight as ways to reduce the likelihood of having raccoons roaming your yard.