Raccoon-Proof your Garbage Cans

Why are raccoons so attracted to our garbage cans? We’re always hearing about dumpsters or trash cans being raided by these furry creatures, and the reason why is actually very simple. Raccoons are scavengers by nature, but even the best scavenger won’t turn down a free meal. Most garbage cans offer plenty of easy food for raccoons to take back to their families, leaving you with trash strewn about your front yard. Here are some tips to help prevent that:

Securing your garbage cans

Even though raccoons don’t have opposable thumbs like we do, they’re still very adept at pulling the lids off of trash cans. One simple solution is to feed a bungee cord through the handles and over the lid to keep it securely closed. If bungee cords aren’t an option, placing a heavy rock or cinderblock on top of the lid helps discourage raccoon activity.

Make your garbage less appealing

In addition to making your cans trickier to get into, making them less appealing is a great way to keep the raccoons away. You can try double-bagging your garbage to keep smells away, or even cover up the scent with ammonia or mothballs as raccoons are repelled by the smell.

Another approach is to sprinkle sand or baby powder on or around your garbage cans. Raccoons hate the feeling of having dusty paws, so this makes a great deterrent.

Of course, there’s always the chance that a highly determined raccoon may still find a way into your garbage. If that happens, trapping and relocation of the offending raccoon may be necessary. We do not recommend trapping raccoons on your own as they can become aggressive if they feel cornered. Instead, let the trained experts at Critter Control® take care of the issue for you. Give us a call today at 888-617-5764 to go over your options.