How to Keep Raccoons Out of Garbage Cans

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Whether the clang of your garbage can hitting the ground wakes you up in the middle of the night or you wake up to your garbage covering the ground, it isn't fun to have raccoons get into your trash. Here are a few ways that you can keep raccoons out of your garbage cans.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step1

Buy a raccoon-proof garbage pail. These pails are designed to hang a few feet off the ground from a hook connected to the wall. Raccoons need leverage to pry the lid off a garbage can. Just remember to consider how much weight the pail can hold before breaking or bending the hook.

Step2

Secure your trash can lid to the trash can. You can buy a Raccoon Check lock to secure the bin. Or you can keep raccoons out of the trash by using a bungee cord or tape. Be sure to remove whatever you use to secure your trash can lid, or sanitation workers may not take your trash at all.

Step3

Make your garbage can harder to tip over. You can build a small fence and gate around your trash cans, you can put bricks in the bottom or you can secure the handle to a pole that you have driven into the ground. Make sure to put all trash entirely in the container to prevent raccoons from getting a grip on a bag and using it as leverage.

Step4

Keep your trash in a shed or garage so raccoons can't access it.

Step5

Use smell to deter the raccoons. There are several smells that chase raccoons from an area. Ammonia, a predator's urine or mothballs around the area by your garbage cans will repel raccoons.