Dealing with raccoons in your trash can be frustrating, especially when they leave a mess behind. If you’re tired of waking up to a trash crime scene, you came to the right place.
Raccoons are highly intelligent, curious, and resourceful animals. That means raccoons will use whatever resources are available to them, including your trash, to find food.
While our team at Gates Wildlife is based in Canada (where most trash cans have locking mechanisms), if your trash cans don’t have a lock, don’t worry! Here’s what we recommend to keep raccoons out.
Signs of Raccoons in Your Trash Cans
When you suspect raccoons are getting into your trash, there are several signs to watch out for.
- Scattered Trash: One of the most obvious indicators is finding your trash scattered and untidy around the area where you keep your bins. Raccoons are notorious for their scavenging habits, and they’ll often tear open bags or tip over bins in search of food. If you wake up to a mess of garbage strewn across your yard, it’s likely the work of these clever critters.
- Droppings: Another sign to look for is raccoon droppings near or inside your trash cans. Raccoon feces are often tubular in shape, similar to dog feces but slightly thicker and with a strong odor. Finding droppings around your trash suggests that raccoons have been rummaging through it for food scraps.
- Prints: Keep an eye out for pawprints or tracks in the dirt or snow around your trash cans. Raccoons have distinctive hand-like front paws with five long fingers that leave recognizable prints.
After you’ve determined raccoons are your trash culprits, there are several ways you can prevent them from invading your trash again. Here’s what we suggest:
1. Use Strong Scents
When dealing with raccoons getting into your garbage, using strong scents like vinegar and ammonia can be an effective deterrent you can make at home. Raccoons have a keen sense of smell and are often attracted to the odors emanating from food waste in dumpsters. Introducing strong-smelling substances such as vinegar or ammonia around your trash area can create an environment that raccoons find unpleasant and avoid.
Vinegar and ammonia, known for their intense aromas, can be easily applied by soaking cotton balls or rags and placing them strategically around the perimeter of your trash cans or near entry points. The pungent smell of vinegar and ammonia masks the enticing odors of garbage, making it less appealing for raccoons to investigate further. Alternatively, you can spray diluted solutions directly onto the outside of your trash cans or even inside the lids to deter raccoons from attempting to open them.
Remember that raccoons are persistent creatures, so to ensure the maximum effectiveness of these scent-based deterrents, it’s important to regularly refresh the vinegar or ammonia applications, especially after rain or if the smell starts to fade.
2. Install Motion-Activated Lights
Raccoons are nocturnal animals, and they prefer to forage for food in the dark. Motion-activated lights are a smart addition to deter raccoons from rummaging through your trash at night. These lights automatically turn on when they detect motion, startling raccoons and prompting them to retreat.
Choose lights with a wide detection range and adjustable settings to customize their brightness, sensitivity, and duration. Regularly check and maintain the motion-activated lights to ensure they function correctly and continue to deter raccoons and other wildlife effectively.
3. Use Bungee Cords
Using bungee cords is one of the cheapest and most practical ways to keep raccoons out of your trash. Raccoons are adept at opening loosely secured lids or even prying open lids improperly fastened or locked. The best way to use a bungee cord on your trash can is to stretch it over the lid and hook it onto the handles or sides of the trash can. This should create a tighter seal and make it more challenging for the raccoons to open.
​​Choose bungee cords with sufficient length and elasticity to accommodate different sizes of trash cans and ensure a snug fit. This method helps deter raccoons and withstands windy conditions or falls that might dislodge a lid. Regularly check and replace bungee cords to maintain their effectiveness in keeping your trash secure and raccoon-free.
4. Clean Your Trash Cans Regularly
Keeping your trash can or dumpster clean is essential to prevent attracting raccoons. Food residue and odors left in unclean bins can lure raccoons seeking an easy meal. Regularly wash your trash can with soap and water to remove any lingering smells and debris.
Another helpful tip to eliminate enticing food smells that lure in raccoons is to rinse any containers or plates of food residue before putting them in the trash. These practices deter raccoons and help maintain a hygienic environment around your home.
5. Consider a Trash Can Enclosure
If you’re feeling particularly handy, you can build (or purchase) a trash enclosure to keep raccoons out of your trash. These enclosures typically have a sturdy structure with doors that securely house your trash cans. Placing your garbage inside an enclosure creates a physical barrier that raccoons find challenging to breach.
Trash enclosures come in various designs, from simple wooden structures to more elaborate metal or plastic containers with locking mechanisms. Choose an enclosure that fits the size and number of your trash cans, ensuring enough space for easy access during garbage collection days.
6. Take Out the Trash in the Morning
Changing your trash routine can minimize the risk of attracting raccoons. Try taking out your trash in the morning rather than the night before collection day. Raccoons are more actively scavenging for food during the night.
By waiting until the morning to place your trash outside, you reduce the time it’s accessible to raccoons. This simple adjustment can significantly decrease the likelihood of raccoons rummaging through your garbage and making a mess around your property.
7. Call a Wildlife Professional
If raccoons continue to get into your trash despite your efforts to stop them, it may be time to get help from a wildlife control expert, such as our team at Gates Wildlife Control. We have the knowledge and tools to safely and effectively manage your raccoon problems.
Whether raccoons have invaded your trash, yard, or attic, our team at Gates Wildlife Control can assess your situation, use humane raccoon removal techniques, and offer guidance on long-term solutions to keep raccoons out of your home for good.
Calling our experts ensures humane handling of raccoon invasions, protecting both your property and the raccoon’s well-being. Contact a Wildlife Consultant today.
