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Irish Spring soap, known for its fresh scent, is often recommended online — in blog posts, social media exchanges and elsewhere — as a way to repel skunks. Yet wildlife experts say the popular household hack is more a myth than a proven solution.
Some homeowners claim the soap’s strong scent can help discourage skunks from lingering near flower beds, garbage cans and other areas around the home.
The popular DIY method typically involves placing chunks of soap or grated pieces in mesh bags around a property, particularly in spots where skunks have been seen.
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Florida-based wildlife expert Ned Bruha, president of The Wildlife Whisperer, said homeowners should be skeptical of such claims.
“Irish Spring soap, mint, essential oils, mothballs and other alleged wildlife deterrents are simply wives tales and snake oil,” Bruha told Digital.
Placing bits of the fresh-smelling Irish Spring soap around a home’s perimeter is often touted online as a way to repel skunks — but experts say there’s little evidence the method works. (iStock)
“If they worked, after 27 years in business, I would certainly be using them.”
Skunks are common throughout much of North America and are known for digging beneath decks, sheds, sidewalks and other structures in search of shelter.
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Bruha said preventing access to those areas is one of the most effective ways to keep skunks from settling on a property.
“Physical alterations to keep skunks out, landscape modifications and repairs are long-term solutions,” he said.
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“Skunks are very tenacious. If you leave an inch, they will dig voraciously and bypass alterations so they can live under your house, shed, sidewalk, air conditioner, deck and other places.”
Many online guides suggest that strongly scented products can help repel skunks by masking odors that attract them, such as food scraps, insects and other potential food sources.
Irish Spring soap, mint, essential oils, mothballs and other alleged wildlife deterrents are ineffective remedies for keeping skunks away, say wildlife professionals. (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Bruha said homeowners are better off focusing on practical prevention measures, including securing trash, removing food sources and sealing potential animal den areas.
He also cautioned against assuming that trapping or relocating a skunk will permanently solve the problem.
“Repeatedly trapping, killing or relocating auto-replenishing skunks is as worthless as an ashtray on a motorcycle,” Bruha said.
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The wildlife expert noted that spring and early summer can be particularly challenging because young skunks, known as kits, are beginning to emerge.
“Little skunk babies, called kits, are running all over the place this time of year,” he said. “They don’t hop into traps.”
Skunks often take shelter beneath decks, sheds and other structures, making exclusion one of the most effective deterrents. (iStock)
Bruha said removing an adult skunk can sometimes create a new problem if orphaned kits are left behind.
“Orphaned skunk kits stay behind, the weakest die and the strongest will often eat their dead brothers and sisters,” he said.
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Irish Spring soap “splashed onto the scene over 50 years ago, starting with bar soap in the 1970s,” says the Colgate-Palmolive Company, which owns the brand, on its website. “Since then, it has been a beacon for freshness, and in 2007, it expanded its lineup to include body washes.”
