How to Keep Raccoons Out of Your Trash With a Common Pantry Item
Nothing is worse than discovering a pack of raccoons ransacked your garbage can in the middle of the night. Sure, your trash might seem tasty to them, but it’s smelly and gross to everyone else. Luckily, you can use a common household item to keep raccoons out of your trash every night.
Raccoons can overcome almost any obstacle to get inside of your trash can, but grabbing a bit of epsom salt will be the trick to keeping them away. After putting your bins out, sprinkle a few teaspoons of the strong salt all around them. Raccoons hate the way it tastes and will steer clear after getting a nibble of it.
Epsom salt is so unpleasant to the little critters due to its combo of magnesium and sulfur. Add in oxygen and you get the mineral epsomite, where the salt gets its name. This is much stronger stuff than the sodium and chlorine found in common table salt, making it a great raccoon deterrent. But if it doesn’t do the trick, there are other natural ways to keep the critters at bay.
What is a natural deterrent for raccoons?
A common deterrent is to use a blend of spices that are irritating to critters. Apple Pest Control says a mixture of cayenne pepper, onion, and hot sauce in boiling water is a great combination that irritates raccoons. Spray it around your trash cans at least twice a week and after it rains for best results. You can also use this around your home if they’re getting into other unwanted places!
What scent will keep raccoons away?
This tip will be smelly to humans too, but raccoons hate the smell of ammonia. Soak a rag in ammonia and put it at the bottom of your trash cans to keep them far away. But be warned: You might hate the smell just as much as them!
Next time you wake up to trash strewn all over your yard, remember these easy tips and get ahead of the little rascals. They’ll be out of your trash in no time!
