How to Keep Raccoons Out Of Your Trash

If you’ve ever woken up to garbage scattered all over your yard, you already know just how resourceful raccoons can be. They may look cute, but these clever critters have a well-earned reputation for turning your trash cans into a nightly buffet and leaving a mess behind. Worse yet, raccoons are responsible for about 30% of rabies cases in the U.S., which means they can pose a real risk to you, your family, and your pets.

Let’s break down why raccoons raid garbage and what really works to keep them away so you can rest easy, knowing your garbage is safe and your yard stays clean.

Understanding the Risk of Raccoons

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) identifies raccoons as one of the primary wildlife reservoirs of rabies in the United States, along with skunks, bats, and foxes. They’re also known carriers of other diseases and can host fleas, ticks, or mites.

• Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that can infect humans and pets through contact with raccoon urine.
• Baylisascaris procyonis (raccoon roundworm) is a parasite that can be found in raccoon feces. If accidentally ingested, it can cause severe illness in humans, including brain and eye damage.
• Canine distemper affects raccoons and can spread to unvaccinated dogs.

Why Raccoons Love Your Garbage

Raccoons are nocturnal scavengers with an incredible sense of smell, allowing them to sniff out tasty leftovers from hundreds of feet away. To them, your trash can is an all-you-can-eat buffet filled with irresistible scraps like fruit peels, meat bones, and food containers. If raccoons are regularly raiding your garbage, it’s because they’ve learned it’s an easy meal. Once they figure out how to tip the lid or tear through a bag, they’ll keep coming back unless you take steps to make your trash a lot less tempting.

Photo by Jp Valery on Unsplash

5 Tips to Keep the Trash Pandas Away

If you’re tired of raccoons being a pest for your trash and your yard, follow these tried-and-true tips to deter the trash bandits.

1. Use Critter-Proof Trash Cans

Standard bins are easy targets for raccoons, who are surprisingly strong and dexterous, able to tip over lightweight cans, pop open loose lids, and claw their way into thin bags.

What to Buy

One of the simplest and most effective ways to keep raccoons out of your trash is to invest in sturdy garbage cans with tight-fitting, locking lids. When shopping for raccoon-resistant cans, look for heavy-duty models specifically designed to withstand animal tampering. Many have reinforced lids with clamps, latches, or built-in straps that make it nearly impossible for raccoons to pry them open. Some communities even require wildlife-resistant cans in areas where raccoons are common.

If new cans aren’t in the budget, try adding bungee cords or metal clips to secure the lid tightly. The tougher it is to open, the more likely the raccoons will give up and move on to an easier meal elsewhere.

2. Store Garbage Inside When Possible

If you have room in your garage, shed, or other enclosed space, storing your garbage cans indoors until trash day is one of the most effective ways to keep raccoons out of your trash. By keeping bins behind closed doors, you’re removing the scent trail that attracts raccoons in the first place.

If indoor storage isn’t possible, do what you can to make your outdoor setup less inviting. Place your cans on a flat, stable surface right up against a fence or wall to make them harder to knock over. You can also use heavy bricks or weights to keep lids in place, or secure cans with bungee cords or tie-down straps for extra protection.

Photo by Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash

3. Take Your Trash Out in the Morning

Knowing when and how wildlife searches for food can help you stay one step ahead. Raccoons are nocturnal, which means they do most of their scavenging under the cover of darkness. To make your trash less tempting, wait until the morning of your collection day to take it to the curb. Keeping your garbage secured indoors overnight removes the easy meal when raccoons are most active and dramatically reduces the chance of waking up to trash strewn across your yard.

4. Double Bag & Clean

Raccoons have an excellent sense of smell, so minimizing odors can help deter them. Double-bag smelly food scraps and rinse out food containers before tossing them. This simple step can make your garbage can less tempting. In addition, strong, pungent smells can help keep raccoons away from your garbage area. Many homeowners have luck with scents raccoons hate, like the following.

• Ammonia: Soak a rag or cotton balls in ammonia and place them near your trash cans.
• Vinegar: Similar to ammonia, the sharp scent of vinegar can discourage raccoons.
• Peppermint oil: This natural oil is often used as a mild raccoon repellent.

While these smells can help, remember that they’re only short-term solutions. Rain or wind can dilute the smell, so you’ll need to reapply regularly.

Sprays to Keep the Raccoons Away

Aside from ammonia or vinegar, there are commercial animal repellents you can use around your garbage cans. Look for sprays specifically designed to deter raccoons and other wildlife, typically made with ingredients like capsaicin (pepper extract) or predator urine. Spray the repellent around the outside of the can and the lid. Always follow the label instructions, and never spray directly onto garbage you’ll handle with your bare hands.

5. Get Professional Help

If you’ve tried every DIY trick but still find raccoons rummaging through your garbage week after week, it may be time to call in the pros. Some raccoons can be stubborn, and once they’ve found an easy meal, they’re unlikely to give up without a fight. Keep in mind, raccoons can become aggressive if they feel threatened or cornered, and they can carry diseases like rabies and parasites that put your family and pets at risk. A licensed wildlife removal specialist can safely assess how raccoons are getting in, set up humane traps if needed, and recommend long-term solutions to keep raccoons and other unwanted wildlife away for good.

What About Raccoons at Your Bird Feeder?

While most of these tips focus on protecting your trash cans, bird feeders are another favorite target for raccoons. If you enjoy bird watching, it can be frustrating to wake up and find all your bird seed gone, thanks to hungry raccoons or other wildlife.

Some strategies, like using repellents around the feeder area, can help, but others won’t work as well since you can’t completely seal off or store your feeder without also blocking access for the birds you’re trying to attract. One clever trick you can try is to apply oil or petroleum jelly to the pole of your bird feeder. This makes the pole slippery and much harder for raccoons to climb, helping to keep your seed out of reach. Bonus: This method can also deter other determined critters, such as squirrels and chipmunks.

F&W Pest Control Is Your Safe, Effective Wildlife Solution

In addition to tidying up, keeping raccoons out of your trash is about protecting your home, your yard, and your family’s peace of mind. At F&W Pest Control, we’ve spent decades helping homeowners tackle wildlife challenges of every shape and size. Whether you need advice on how to keep raccoons out of trash, help sealing up entry points, or safe removal of a stubborn pest, we’re here to help. Our experienced team will help you feel confident that your raccoon problem will be handled quickly, humanely, and thoroughly.

Our experienced team is proud to help our neighbors keep their yards cleaner and their families safer. Contact us today to end the midnight raccoon raids once and for all.