Raccoons may look adorable with their masked faces and tiny hands, but that changes pretty quickly when they decide your garbage cans are their personal food source. Anyone who has dealt with a trash can overturned overnight knows the scene: bags ripped open, leftovers scattered across the driveway, and garbage dragged halfway across the yard.
Raccoons are smart, curious, and persistent. Once they find an easy meal at your house, they have a good reason to come back. The best way to stop the problem is to make your trash harder to reach and remove other food sources that might keep them interested.
Here are some practical ways to keep raccoons away from your garbage.
Secure Your Trash Can Lids
A loose lid is basically an invitation for a raccoon. These animals are surprisingly good at lifting, pushing, and pulling their way into containers that seem secure to us.
Start with a sturdy garbage can that has a tight-fitting lid. Locking lids are a good option, but you can also secure a regular lid with bungee cords or a similar fastener. Just make sure the setup is safe and easy for you to remove on pickup day.
If a raccoon can’t get the lid open, it has much less reason to keep coming back.
Related: 10 Reasons to Welcome Raccoons into Your Backyard
Choose the Right Trash Bags
Thin garbage bags can tear easily, especially when they’re filled with food scraps or sharp packaging. Once a bag splits, the smell and exposed food can attract wildlife almost immediately.
Heavy-duty bags can give you another layer of protection. They won’t make garbage raccoon-proof by themselves, but stronger bags are less likely to rip open before you get them into the bin.
Take Trash Out as Close to Pickup as Possible
Raccoons are nocturnal, which means they’re most active at night. Leaving food-filled garbage outside for hours gives them plenty of time to investigate.
If your local collection schedule allows it, put your garbage outside as close to pickup time as practical. For some households, that may mean setting the bins out early in the morning instead of leaving them at the curb overnight.
This small change can cut down the amount of time raccoons have access to your garbage.
Related: 10 Plants to Grow If You’re Tired of Raccoons Visiting Your Yard
Be Careful With Raccoon Repellents
Commercial wildlife repellents are available, and some homeowners also use strong-smelling household ingredients to discourage animals from approaching their trash.
If you use a repellent, follow the product directions and keep it away from pets, children, and food. Homemade mixtures aren’t always harmless, either. Ammonia, concentrated chemicals, and certain spices can irritate animals and people.
Reapply products as directed, especially after heavy rain, and avoid putting substances directly onto garbage that could come into contact with pets or wildlife.
Install Motion-Activated Lights
A sudden light can make a raccoon rethink a late-night visit. Motion-activated lights placed near your garbage area can startle animals when they approach.
Lights won’t solve every raccoon problem, but they can make your yard less comfortable for nighttime scavenging. They’re also useful for people who want better visibility around the house after dark.
Related: 15 Backyard Activities That Could Cause Problems With Your Neighbors—and the Law
Keep Trash Cans in a Secure Location
If possible, keep garbage cans inside a garage, shed, or secure enclosure until pickup day. This removes the easiest access point altogether.
If indoor storage isn’t an option, place the cans somewhere that isn’t directly beside a fence, tree, porch railing, or other structure a raccoon could use to reach them.
Raccoons are excellent climbers, so simply putting a bin a little higher may not be enough. A secure enclosure is usually more reliable.
Feed Pets Indoors
Pet food can attract raccoons just as quickly as garbage. Leaving a bowl of dog or cat food on the porch overnight gives wildlife another reason to visit your yard.
Feed pets indoors whenever possible, then bring bowls inside and clean up spilled food. Don’t forget about bird feeders, either. Fallen seed can attract raccoons and other wildlife.
Reducing the number of available food sources can make your property less interesting to hungry visitors.
Invest in Raccoon-Resistant Bins
If raccoons repeatedly defeat ordinary garbage cans, it may be worth replacing them with a container made to resist wildlife.
Look for cans with locking or tightly secured lids. Some models have weighted tops or other features that make them harder for animals to open.
A better garbage can can cost more upfront, but it may be worthwhile if you’re tired of cleaning up overturned trash several times a week.
Create a Physical Barrier
A fenced enclosure around your garbage cans can give you another layer of protection. The enclosure should be sturdy and have a secure latch that raccoons can’t easily manipulate.
Keep in mind that raccoons can climb surprisingly well. A fence isn’t automatically enough just because it’s tall. Remove nearby objects that could act as climbing aids and keep the enclosure closed whenever the bins are inside.
Clean Your Trash Cans Regularly
Even after the garbage has been collected, food residue and smells can remain inside the can. Since raccoons have a strong sense of smell, a dirty garbage can may still attract them.
Give the bin a good wash with soap and water from time to time, particularly if a garbage bag has leaked. Let it dry before putting a new bag inside.
Cleaning the outside of the container can help, too, especially if food or grease has spilled onto the lid or sides.
Keeping raccoons out of your garbage is mostly about removing the easy opportunities. Secure the lid, limit food odors, bring pet food inside, and make the trash area harder to access. If raccoons keep returning despite these changes, check for other food or shelter sources around your property rather than relying on a single deterrent.
A little prevention can save you from waking up to a driveway covered in yesterday’s leftovers.
