Raccoons in urban areas have become a common sight in neighbourhoods. These masked bandits are clever and resourceful, often treating your garbage cans as all-you-can-eat buffets. For homeowners, this isn’t just messy; it can also lead to health risks and unwanted animal visitors.

If you’re wondering how to keep raccoons out of your garbage and prevent raccoons in your trash, there are effective steps you can take. At Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control in Hamilton, we’ve helped countless residents protect their properties from these animals.

Raccoons are persistent, but with the right strategies, you can make your garbage cans less appealing to them. Below, we’ll share practical ways to raccoon-proof your garbage, keeping your property clean and free from nightly raids.

Why Raccoons Are Drawn to Garbage

Raccoons thrive in urban areas because we make it easy for them. Garbage cans are treasure chests filled with food scraps, smells that attract them from afar, and materials they can scavenge. Their sharp teeth, nimble paws, and climbing skills allow them to open lids, tear through bags, and get inside spaces most animals can’t.

While raccoons are fascinating creatures, their rummaging can be destructive. Spilled garbage can attract other animals and pests, create health hazards, and leave you with a big mess to clean up.

If you want to prevent raccoons in your trash, the key is making it hard for them to access your garbage in the first place. Here’s how.

Use Raccoon-Proof Garbage Cans

Investing in sturdy, animal-proof garbage cans is one of the best steps you can take. Raccoons are clever, but they’re not invincible. Garbage cans with locking lids or clips are designed to keep even the most determined animals out.

Features to look for:

• Heavy-duty materials like metal or heavy plastic
• Tight-sealing lids with latches or locks
• Smooth sides that raccoons can’t grip to climb

Pro tip: Store garbage in these cans even if you keep them in a shed or garage, as some raccoons can open doors or find their way into unsecured spaces.

Eliminate Tempting Smells

Raccoons rely on their keen sense of smell to find food. If your garbage smells irresistible, you’re practically inviting them over. To keep raccoons out of your garbage, focus on reducing odours.

Here are some simple ways to eliminate garbage smells:

• Double-bag your trash to contain odours
• Wrap food scraps in newspaper or plastic before tossing them out
• Rinse containers, especially those used for meat or dairy
• Avoid throwing away things like grease or leftover pet food

Odour control is one of the easiest and most effective ways to make your garbage less appealing.

Secure the Area

Keeping your garbage cans in a locked, secured area is another excellent way to prevent raccoons in your trash. A storage shed, garage, or fenced area is ideal if you have the space. Here are a few options to secure your garbage area:

• Build an enclosure around your garbage cans with a lid or locked door. Ensure there are no gaps raccoons can sneak through.
• Fix gaps in fences or garages to block entry points.
• Use motion-sensor lights. Sudden light scares raccoons and may keep them away from your garbage area.

Raccoons in urban areas adapt quickly, so combining this step with others ensures a stronger defence.

Tighten Pick-Up Schedules

Timing matters when putting out your garbage. Leaving bags or bins outside for an extended period is an open invitation for a raccoon raid.

Here’s how to tighten your trash timing:

• Put garbage out on the morning of collection day instead of the night before.
• Bring empty bins in as soon as possible after they’re emptied.
• Avoid putting bags of trash directly on the curb without a can or container.

The less time garbage sits out, the fewer opportunities raccoons have to get to it.

Step 5: Use Natural Deterrents

For an extra layer of protection, you can use natural deterrents to discourage raccoons. They dislike certain smells and textures, so adding these to your garbage area can help.

Some popular natural raccoon deterrents include:

• Ammonia or Vinegar: Place soaked rags or cotton balls near your garbage cans.
• Spicy Peppers or Hot Sauce: Spray a diluted solution around the base of your garbage bin.
• Predator Urine: Products that mimic the scent of their natural predators can keep raccoons away.

While these methods aren’t foolproof, they can complement the other strategies you’re using.

Call the Experts

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, raccoons keep coming back. When preventative measures aren’t enough, it’s time to call in the professionals.

At Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control in Hamilton, we use humane and effective techniques to keep raccoons out of your garbage and property. Our unique one-way doors allow raccoons to safely leave but prevent them from coming back inside. It’s a permanent, stress-free solution to your raccoon problem.

Our team also identifies vulnerabilities around your property, sealing entry points and securing your garbage area to make your home less attractive to wildlife.

How to Raccoon-Proof Your Yard

It’s not just about the garbage cans. Your yard might also play a role in why raccoons keep coming back. Here’s how to make your space less inviting to these animals:

Eliminate Food Sources

Raccoons in urban areas will eat just about anything, so one of the best ways to keep raccoons out of your garbage is to remove other easy food options. Beyond garbage cans, these animals are drawn to pet food, birdseed, and fallen fruit. Always bring pet food indoors at night, as even a small bowl can attract curious raccoons. Cleaning up around bird feeders is equally important. Spilled seed can quickly turn your yard into a frequent stop for raccoons.

Fallen fruits are another tempting treat for these animals, so picking up apples, pears, or other fruits from your yard is necessary. By removing these food sources, you’ll make your property far less inviting and take a big step in preventing raccoons from hanging around.

Secure Your Home

Raccoons are talented climbers and can squeeze through surprisingly small openings. They’ll explore attics, sheds, and chimneys if they think there’s an opportunity for food or shelter inside. To stop this, be sure to inspect your home for gaps or cracks where raccoons might wiggle through. Patch even the smallest openings with sturdy materials like mesh or wood.

Your vents and chimneys might also be access points, so it’s wise to invest in vent covers and chimney caps. Don’t overlook sheds or garages, either. If doors or windows aren’t tightly closed, they could become attractive hiding spots. Securing these areas gives raccoons fewer opportunities to make themselves at home on your property.

Trim Trees and Shrubs

Overhanging tree branches might seem harmless, but to a raccoon, they can act like a bridge to your roof. From there, they may find their way into your attic or crawl spaces. Keeping trees trimmed so branches don’t reach your roofline is a great way to stop these masked bandits from accessing your home.

Dense shrubs also give raccoons places to hide while they scope out your yard. Trimming back overgrown bushes around your property is a simple way to reduce raccoon activity and remove hiding spots. Together, trimming trees and shrubs can help keep these urban explorers at a safe distance.

Preventing Raccoons Requires Commitment

Keeping raccoons out of your garbage means making your property less appealing to them. By combining strong garbage cans, odour control, secure storage, and deterrents, you can significantly reduce your chances of an unwanted visit.

If you’ve taken these steps and are still facing issues, we’re here to help. Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control in Hamilton specializes in long-term solutions to keep raccoons and other wildlife off your property.

You don’t have to deal with raccoon problems alone. Request an estimate from us today to take the first step toward a raccoon-free yard and peace of mind.