It’s a regular Tuesday night. You put out your waste bin and recycling for Wednesday morning’s usual curbside pickup. And lo and behold– in the morning your bins are tipped over and there’s an absolute mess. Who’s causing the ruckus? A raccoon? Opossum? A bear, even? Unfortunately, food waste can account for up to 28% of all municipal solid waste, and all kinds of animals sniff out the yummy scraps through your garbage bags and cans. No matter what kind of critter is digging around in your garbage, here are some tips to keep critters out and your bins nice and neat for curbside pickup day.
Shine A Spotlight
Leaving out a bright light or installing a motion-sensor light near your trash cans outside can help deter all but the bravest of backyard animals.
Spray it Down
Some people recommend lightly spraying smelly substances like diluted bleach, Windex, or ammonia on your trash can or in the bags to deter food-seeking animals with their sensitive noses.
Simple Securing
Many people have had success using a simple bungee cord to secure garbage cans’ lids. Though this may not work for strong animals like a black bear, it should suffice for keeping out most raccoons, squirrels, cats, and dogs.
Mothballs — Not Just For Moths
Apparently, raccoons, in particular, dislike the smell of mothballs, so sprinkling some around your trash can could keep them from ever coming close.
Double-Bag
This wastes some bags and plastic, but double-bagging especially strong-smelling bags of garbage can help contain the smell and avoid attracting all the neighborhood scavengers.
Consider a Metal Can
Ask your curbside pickup service if you can buy a metal garbage can instead of plastic. Plastic readily absorbs and holds stinky garbage smells that appeal to animals, and it’s also much easier to chew through than metal.
Alternative Routes For Food Scraps
As food waste is the main draw for trash can capers, eliminating a lot of the food waste helps lessen the appeal of your trash. Try composting or using a municipal compost collection service. You can also just freezing food scraps until trash day, so nothing is sitting and rotting in your cans over the week and attracting bugs and furry food thieves.
It’s frustrating deterring furry trash thieves. Wild animals can get crafty and brave when their meal is on the line! Try some of these tips (hopefully some are new to you) and you shouldn’t have any more issues with trash strewn about your yard and driveway.
