Keep Raccoons Out Of Your Trash With One Easy Gadget

Along with millions of others, you may have stopped scrolling when a video appeared on your socials earlier this year of three Michigan men saving a raccoon from choking to death on a piece of cheese. The animal found the cheese in their trash can, often the most reliable and abundant source of food for raccoons in highly populated areas. 

It's unlikely you'll be awake if a raccoon chokes at your house in the dark of night, but it's not definitely recommended to give the animal the Heimlich as raccoons pose serious health risks. For one, there is a chance of coming upon a rabid raccoon, which can be deadly. Additionally, if raccoons regularly go through your trash, they may create a latrine for droppings, which carry a roundworm that is particularly dangerous to young children and people with developmental disabilities, according to the Centers for Disease Control. If you try to clean up a site yourself, wear gloves, boots, and an N95-rated respirator, the latter in the event that you inhale eggs. Avoid the hassle altogether with one of the surefire ways to banish raccoons from your property — locking up your garbage can.

Some receptacles are specially built to be secured with a key, like the 65-gallon Lockable Trash Can from Uline for $195, but if you already have a bin, heavy-duty accessories such as a locking handle from Handleflex on Amazon costs less than $80. There are also a number of straps on the market, including the adjustable Garbage Strap from Garbage Commander for $18.99.

The most affordable solution is bungee cords, which are available for as little as $1 apiece at places such as Dollar Tree. You can use one cord running across the top of the can or two if the second cord is secured across the top in the opposite direction, criss-cross style. The hooks may attach to the bin's handles or bars; without a place to hook the cord, hardware can be easily installed to provide a grip. Some suggest clamping the hook so the cord is not lost on garbage pickup days. Call your municipality first to make sure that it is okay to use cords since doing so might be considered a service disruption.

There are other solutions for outsmarting trash pandas, as raccoons are lovingly known. As a general rule, keep your trash cans inside a shed or the garage until pickup. If you're an early bird, put the trash out in the morning before the garbage trucks arrive. Make sure to clean your trash cans periodically, and consider placing them inside a fence that raccoons cannot break through. You may even raccoon-proof your garbage the way campsites do, storing trash in locked plywood boxes screened with mesh to prevent nighttime break-ins.

Raccoon repellents, which come in sprays and granules, might be worth trying (just read labels for any warnings for use around pets or children), as well as natural solutions. You can banish raccoons from your trash cans with one common household ingredient: Epsom salt, which raccoons dislike but will not be harmed by. Other humane methods for keeping raccoons out of your yard include installing lights, sprinklers, and sound machines that are motion-activated in an attempt to scare and keep them away.