Is Bleach The Secret To Keeping Pests Out Of Your Trash Cans?

One of the most important obligations of being a homeowner is maintaining a hygienic environment, not just for yourself and your family, but for your neighbors as well. This resolve can be tested when you have to deal with yard pests, particularly the ones that mess with your trash can. Raccoons, rats, and other pesky critters can be the cause of many a sleepless night. Getting rid of these yard pests isn't always easy. Using chemicals can bring harm to your kids and pets that play around the yard. Meanwhile, calling the exterminator can leave a sizable dent in your savings. Instead of opting for harsher chemicals or hiring expensive professional pest control, some people use bleach in their trash before leaving it out for collection.

A yard frequented by pests like rats, maggots, raccoons, and other critters can sicken its owners. When these animals visit your trash can for midnight feasts, they leave behind droppings, urine, and saliva. These waste products can easily be picked up by roaming pets or shoes and can lead to a host of infections. Bleach just might be the secret to keeping these pests off your property.

If you're thinking of using bleach as a repellant or even a pesticide, but aren't sure if it'll do the trick, we say do it. According to Rodentologist Bobby Corrigan, bleach is a great way to sanitize your trash can and repel rats. As he noted to the Washingtonian, using a diluted bleach solution in and around your garbage will dissuade the rodents from choosing your yard for their supper plans: "If you keep those cans really clean, and you wipe them down with any disinfectant, the rat is not gonna gnaw through that plastic."

Pest control expert Nicholas Martin explained to Homes & Gardens that a one-part water to one-part bleach mixture will rid you of maggots. "If the maggots are in your trash can, you can also close it after pouring bleach inside," he said. This will ensure that any maggots that didn't contact the bleach will still perish from the vapor.

To deter raccoons, a 1:10 bleach and water solution will keep them at bay. However, it will only repel them for a while, and the raccoons might end up getting used to the odor. Also, it's best not to let pets get near your trash to nibble away at anything during this time so they don't get poisoned by bleach. The solution to your pest problem just might start with bleach, so don't shy away from the versatile household staple as long as you're being careful.