Not as a fix. Mothballs, ammonia rags, predator scent and plug-in sound boxes can make an attic unpleasant for a few days, but none of them close the hole the animal used to get in. A raccoon with young in the insulation or a squirrel with a nest in the eaves has every reason to stay, and it usually does. What keeps animals out is finding each entry point and sealing it once the animals are gone. Michael Gerbino of Cypress Critters & Pests does that work himself across Spring, Cypress and north Houston. Call 713-775-8799.
Why do so many people try a repellent first?
It makes sense. A box of mothballs or a jug of ammonia is easy to pick up on the way home, and it feels like doing something tonight. Michael hears the same story on a lot of calls: the homeowner tried a repellent, the noise stopped for a night or two, and then it came back. Sometimes it came back louder, because the animal had settled in and started raising young.
The trouble is that a repellent works on the animal’s mood for a short time. It does nothing to the house. The torn soffit, the gap at the roof return or the loose gable vent is still open, and the attic still smells like the animal that lived there.
What happens when you put mothballs or ammonia in the attic?
In a Houston-area attic, a smell does not last. Heat pushes it out through the vents within days, and the animal that left for a night walks back in. A raccoon with babies will put up with a bad smell far longer than it takes the smell to fade.
The smell also comes down into the house. It drifts through can lights, the attic hatch and the air returns, so the family often lives with it longer than the animal does. And somebody has to crawl back up later and pick up the rags and the mothballs, usually right next to the nest.
Do ultrasonic or sound devices scare raccoons and squirrels away?
In Michael’s experience, no. He walks into attics with a plug-in repeller humming away and squirrels still running the rafters. Animals that live in neighborhoods hear traffic, dogs, lawn mowers and air conditioners all day. A new sound gets their attention for a short while, and then it is just part of the house. High sounds also do not carry far through insulation, rafters and stored boxes, so much of the attic never hears it at all.
Common repellents at a glance
| What people try | What it does | What it leaves undone |
|---|---|---|
| Mothballs | A strong smell that fades in the attic heat | The opening stays open, and the smell comes into the living space |
| Ammonia-soaked rags | A sharp smell for a day or two | The opening stays open, and the rags have to be fetched later |
| Ultrasonic plug-in | A sound the animals soon ignore | The opening stays open |
| Light or radio left on | Disturbs the animal for a night or two | The opening stays open, and the animal returns |
| Predator scent | A short scare | The opening stays open, and the next animal finds it |
Why can a repellent make things worse in spring?
Spring is when raccoons and squirrels have young in attics. If a repellent does push a mother out for a while, her babies are still inside. She will come back for them, and if the old way in is blocked or unpleasant, she will often tear a new hole right next to it. Babies that are left behind can die in the walls, and then the house has a smell problem on top of an animal problem. Doing things in the right order matters more than anything you can buy in a box.
Hearing something overhead right now? Call Michael at 713-775-8799 and describe what you hear and when.
What actually keeps raccoons and squirrels out?
Closing the house. Michael starts with a full inspection of the roofline, soffits, vents, chimney and AC line chases, then gets the animals out alive with cage traps or a one-way door that lets an animal leave and keeps it from getting back in. Raccoons are removed alive and handled following Texas rules. Only after every animal is out does he seal each opening with metal mesh, flashing or caps that teeth and claws cannot get through, and then he repairs what they tore up. That full process is animal exclusion, and it is the reason a sealed house stays quiet when a repellent never could. The older post on excluding animals from your home walks through the same idea.
When to call
If you have tried a repellent and the noise came back, or you can see chewed or torn spots along the roofline, it is time for an inspection. Raccoons are covered on the raccoon removal page and squirrels on the squirrel removal page. Neighbors in Spring can read about raccoon removal in Spring, and Klein homeowners about squirrel removal in Klein. Michael does the inspection and the work himself. Call or text 713-775-8799.
Questions people ask about repellents for raccoons and squirrels
Will mothballs in the attic make a raccoon leave?
Rarely for long. A raccoon that has found a dry, warm attic, and especially a mother with young, will put up with a smell for a few days and wait for it to fade in the heat. In the meantime the smell works its way down into the house. The raccoon leaves for good only when it is out and the way in has been sealed behind it.
Do plug-in ultrasonic repellers keep squirrels out of the attic?
In Michael’s experience, no. He is called to houses with these devices plugged in and squirrels still running the rafters. Squirrels live with traffic, dogs and air conditioners all day, so a new sound does not bother them for long. A one-way door to get them out, then metal over the hole, is what keeps them out.
Should I crawl up and put ammonia rags by the nest myself?
It is better not to. Crawling to a nest puts you within reach of a raccoon or squirrel that may be guarding young, and a wild animal should never be handled with bare hands. Ammonia also fades fast in a hot attic, so the rags do very little. Have the attic inspected and let the animal be caught in a cage trap instead.
What is the one thing that really keeps them out?
Sealing the openings they use, after every animal is out. That means a full look at the roofline, soffits, vents and chimney, then cage traps or one-way doors, then metal mesh, flashing or caps over each gap. Repellents skip all of that, which is why the animal stays put or another one moves into the same space.
