How to Keep Raccoons Out of a Trash Can

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The results of a nocturnal raccoon raid on a trash can are often quite devastating: smelly trash strewn all over a lawn, an unsightly and unsanitary mess. Fortunately, there are several strategies you can employ to keep these devious creatures from having their way with your waste.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Using Physical Barriers

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  1. For an easy solution, simply place a heavy rock or cinder block on top of your lid. Just make sure everyone who needs access to the can is strong enough to lift it (besides raccoons, of course)!
  2. A flimsy or loose can won’t stand up to a cunning raccoon. Choose a metal trash can with a locking lid. While some plastic cans can lock, raccoons are often able to chew through plastic.
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  3. Attaching clamps, a chain-and-padlock combo, bungee cords, or specially designed garbage-lid straps are all good strategies to keep your lid secure from intruders. Don’t hesitate to use multiple locking mechanisms. [1]
  4. Tightly sealing trash bags before putting them in your can will help prevent tempting scents from escaping. If a trash bag contains an especially smelly item--such as a piece of meat--try sealing it with an extra bag.
  5. Oftentimes, raccoons open trash cans by tipping them and spilling their contents. Tie the handles of your trash can to a metal or wooden stake secured in the ground to keep raccoons from tipping them over.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Using Chemical Deterrents

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  1. Specifically designed commercial repellents can ward off raccoons from even entering the vicinity of your can.
    • Try granular products such as Havahart Critter Ridder, or liquids such as Just Scentsational synthetic wolf urine. [2]
    • Avoid using naphthalene (the active ingredient in mothballs), as it has been identified as a possible carcinogen by the EPA. [3]
  2. Ammonia smells like raccoon urine, making it a highly offensive--and highly effective--repellent. Try spraying ammonia or placing ammonia-soaked cloths in and around your trash can. Additionally, you can spray other areas of your property where raccoons seem to congregate to discourage them from entering your yard in the first place. [4]
  3. Racoons hate the smell of many commonly available spices and oils, including mint, cayenne pepper, and oil of mustard. Try spraying or sprinkling any (or all) of these items in and around your can for additional protection. [5]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Altering Your Trash's Location

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  1. Keeping your trash cans in a shed, garage, basement or other enclosure will surely prevent overnight pillages; racoons simply cannot open doors. If you need to leave trash out for pickup, wait until the morning to remove your cans from their haven; raccoons tend only to strike at night.
  2. Keeping a radio on constantly around your cans will help deter raccoons. The noise of human voices (such as though from a news or talk station) will scare off the furry burglars. Try a low volume at first, and turn it up if your raccoon problems persist. [6]
  3. Install motion-detection lighting around the area where you keep your trash cans. Raccoons prefer darkness and might be deterred by a sudden bright light. For an easier solution, simply install a strand of blinking Christmas lights over the trashcan. [7]
  4. If you have a fenced yard, consider adding mesh wire to the bottom of the fence and extending it several inches underground to deter raccoons from burrowing under and getting to your trash cans.
    EXPERT TIP

    Hussam Bin Break

    Pest Control Professional
    Hussam Bin Break is a Certified Commercial Pesticide Applicator and Operations Manager. He and his brother Hussam co-founded Diagno Pest Control in the greater Philadelphia area in 2018, and have since expanded their services to include the New Jersey market. Diagno Pest Control has received Home Advisor's Top Rated and Elite Service Badges for quality of work and customer service.
    Hussam Bin Break
    Pest Control Professional

    The best method to deter raccoons is exclusion. Most states don't allow people to catch raccoons because they might be carrying rabies. Instead, you can use different methods to prevent the raccoons from getting near or into your house or trash cans.

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      Warnings

      • If you have outdoor pets, avoid leaving their food and water out overnight, as these might attract raccoons to your yard.
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      • Do not attempt to trap or snare raccoons yourself. These animals can become ferocious and might even carry rabies. Always contact a professional wildlife control company to handle animal entrapment.
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      Things You'll Need

      • Trash can, metallic with lock if possible
      • Hose pipe, bungee cord, cinder block, chain and padlock, etc.
      • Ammonia, cayenne pepper, oil of mustard, mint oil

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.thumbandhammer.com/five-ways-keep-raccoons-garbage-can/
      2. ↑ https://www.havahart.com/how-to-repel-raccoons
      3. ↑ https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris2/chemicalLanding.cfm?substance_nmbr=436
      4. ↑ https://www.acmehowto.com/howto/pest/raccoons.php
      5. ↑ https://www.thumbandhammer.com/five-ways-keep-raccoons-garbage-can/
      6. ↑ https://www.acmehowto.com/howto/pest/raccoons.php
      7. ↑ https://newengland.com/today/living/pests/raccoon-disco/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      Keep raccoons out of your trash can by ensuring your can lid is fixed in place or weighing it down with a rock or heavy object. If this doesn't work, try spraying ammonia around your can, since it's a raccoon repellant. Alternatively, you can spray household products like mint or mustard oil around the base. To prevent raccoons from finding your trash, make sure your bags are tightly sealed before you put them in the trash can. Finally, consider securing your can in place by tying it to stakes so raccoons can't knock it over. To learn about chemical products you can use to keep raccoons away, and which ones to avoid, read on!

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