By
eHow Home & Garden Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You’ll Need:
- Mothballs
- Plastic Bags
- Bungee Cords
- motion detection lighting
- portable radio
- baby powder
- cinder block or brick
- motion detection sprinklers
- old stinky socks
Step1
Purchase trash cans with tight-fitting lids.
Step2
Use a bungee cord to secure the lid to the can. Hook one end of the cord to the handle on the can, run it through the handle on the lid and secure on the opposite side.
Step3
Wrap particularly stinky garbage in double plastic bags before placing it in the garbage. Melon rinds and corn cobs are favorites of hungry raccoons.
Step4
Use motion detection sprinklers or lighting near the trash can area. Stealthy raccoons will shy away from detection.
Step5
Leave an article of human scented clothing near the trash can area.
Step6
Dust the trash can lids with baby powder. Raccoons don't like the feel of dust on their paws.
Step7
Consider enclosing the trash bin area with fencing. There must be no gaps between boards or gates. Think Fort Knox.
Step8
Place a heavy object, such as a cinder block or a brick, on top of the garbage can - the heavier the better.
Step9
Play a portable radio near the garbage area at night. Select an 'all-talk' station. Keep the volume low if neighbors are nearby.
Step10
Place mothballs around the garbage area. The unpleasant scent will mask the inviting odor of ripe garbage from sensitive raccoon noses.
Comments
Anti-raccoon said
on 5/1/2007 We live in Florida and have trouble with the raccoons getting it to our trash cans. Overturning them and household refuse strewn and shared by all the neighbors. Cans do not have a locking for the lid, however, we have found a device advertised on E-Bay for just that job. It is a spring clip, fixes to the lid and can wall.
Our Community now use it. The raccoon can’t get in, in fact we have watched him look at our can and pass- by.
Hopefully when the Community gets all cans fitted with the device the raccoons will look elsewhere for food and this critter will be gone.
Anonymous said
on 8/8/2006 Take sponges saturated with ammonia and lay one at the places that you suspect this animal. Trust me, it will not come back. I did this and the animals never came back. Also, mopping your floors with ammonia helps to keep bugs away as well!
Anonymous said
on 7/26/2006 Pour ammonia inside your trash bag prior to closing it, and also pour an additional cup of ammonia over the trash just before your close the barrel. The ammonia is strong, but the raccoons leave the garbage alone!
Anonymous said
on 3/29/2006 Pour a about a 1/2 cup of ammonia in the bottom of the garbage can. Keeps raccoons, cats, dogs, and just about anything else away.