Raccoons & Garbage Cans: How to Keep Them Out

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We've all been there; woken up in the morning to be met by all of your trash strewn across your garden. A raccoon has probably done all of that damage, but that's not news to you now. It's the third time this week; those repellents you bought are showing absolutely no signs of working.



There are a few simple tricks you can use to stop raccoons getting into your garbage cans, including:
1. Move the garbage can inside. Do you have an outbuilding, shed, or garage you can store it in? You should only move the garbage can inside if you are moving it into a secure spot. If the raccoon can still get into the outbuilding, you won't have solved the problem.
2. Buy a new garbage can. If you can invest in a really good metal garbage can, do it. You'll be thankful for it. It should have a lid. You will also want to invest in something that can hold that lid down, such as bungee cords or rope that you don't mind replacing every few weeks. The raccoons might chew through them.
3. Use raccoon eviction fluid around the garbage can for a few weeks. This actually only really works on female raccoons, but it can work. Other repellents aren't really known for their great effectiveness, but you can also give them a shot too. Just don't bank on them being a long-term solution; they work out quite expensive that way.
4. Add a fence. A fence can actually work quite well, especially when it has a hardware mesh underground barrier, around two foot deep, shaped like an “L”. With three to four feet of protection above ground too, the raccoon will have a hard time getting whether it's climbing over or jumping. Additional layers can be added to the fence — wire at the top, for example, or tree branches trimmed back to ensure they aren't giving the animal a “bunk up”. You could also add an additional electric fence layer too.

For more information, you may want to click on one of these guides that I wrote:
How much does raccoon removal cost? - get the lowdown on prices.
How to get rid of raccoons - my main raccoon removal info guide.
Example raccoon trapping photographs - get do-it-yourself ideas.
Raccoon job blog - learn from great examples of raccoon jobs I've done.
Raccoons in the attic - what to do to solve the problem.