Wildlife expert Ned Bruha of Florida says using Irish Spring soap around a yard is not a proven skunk repellent. He reveals why — and suggests what to do instead.
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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. YetSome 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"Irish Spring soap, mint, essential oils, mothballs and other alleged wildlife deterrents are simply wives tales and snake oil," Bruha told Fox News 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.
Bruha said preventing access to those areas is one of the most effective ways to keep skunks from settling on a property.
"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, Irish Spring soap, mint, essential oils, mothballs and other alleged wildlife deterrents are ineffective remedies for keeping skunks away, say wildlife professionals. He also cautioned against assuming that trapping or relocating a skunk will permanently solve the problem.
"Little skunk babies, called kits, are running all over the place this time of year," he said. "They don't hop into traps. "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.
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. "
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