Raccoons are among the most common nuisance wild animals you’re likely to encounter on your property. It’s not uncommon for homeowners to hear raccoons rummaging through their trash cans at night, and wonder what they need to do to prevent that from happening.

But before we can talk about that, we need to understand a couple of things about who we’re dealing with here.

Raccoons are nocturnal mammals that can weigh between 11 to 57 pounds, which are made all the more perilous (for your trash cans, at least) by the fact that they are omnivores. This means that raccoons really aren’t picky about their next meal, which in turn, makes it trickier for you to ward them off.

• Switch up your cans.

Many specialty stores (or online stores) now sell trash cans that are trickier to open. These aren’t your average trash cans, where any semi-skillful critter can shift off the lid, or topple, to gain easy access to all the yummy edibles within.

So one thing you can do to prevent raccoon invasions in your trash is simply opting for better, sealable trash cans that only you can open. Trust us. The raccoons will get tired of trying to open your trash cans quickly, and leave to look for easier prey.

Alternatively, you could just invest in special trash can straps that’ll keep your trash lid secured (although it may weaken or become damaged in time).

• Clean them regularly.

One common issue for many raccoon-attractive households is that they don’t clean up their trash cans regularly. Obviously, since you’re always dumping food items, liquids, and other trash within, the cans themselves will get dirty pretty quickly, and the filth will only keep mounting as time wears on.

And since that dirt is also, basically, edible, the smell will attract raccoons, as well as other night-time predators. So another important step is hosing down and scrubbing your cans regularly.

• Bring them indoors.

If changing the trash cans for sealable ones isn’t on the agenda for you just yet, you could also try bringing the trash cans indoors at night (most commonly in the shed or garage). This can provide ample protection against trash can raiders like raccoons or opossums.

• Put up a fence.

Really, one of the easiest, most common ways to keep nuisance wildlife off your property is putting up a fence. If they can’t get to the trash cans, you won’t have to worry, right?

Fencing your whole yard will also protect other common attraction points like fruit trees, bird baths, pet food bowls, ponds, and garden patches. Not to mention the great part about a fence is that it keeps several other critters away, as well, not just raccoons.

• Spruce up your yard.

One easy trick that homeowners often neglect in their battle against vermin is regularly trimming and caring for their lawn. It might not sound like much, but a lot of animals, including raccoons, tend to shy away from well-maintained lawns. If the grass is low, this will give them poor coverage from larger predators (including you).

Similarly, caring for your yard also involves removing excessive wood log piles, and other such items that may provide an easy hiding place for foraging raccoons.

• Turn on the light.

Since raccoons are nocturnal, this means their eyesight is pretty poor. So something as simple as turning on the porch light can be enough to deter them from raiding your yard.

Alternatively, you may want to purchase special yard lighting equipment, or even invest in a raccoon light deterrent.

Raccoons are a common wildlife threat. These animals love to enter your garden and destroy it, as they look for things to eat. They also carry several parasites and diseases, like rabies, so you should be cautious around them.

Here are a few techniques you could use to prevent raccoons from entering your garden.

Remove Their Food Source

Raccoons enter your garden in search of food. By removing any potential food source, you’re giving them one less reason to enter in the first place.

1. Seal Your Garbage

Raccoons are notorious for rummaging through trash cans. They do this to find food amongst all the garbage. That’s why you should fasten the lid on your trash can every time you throw something out.

The lids prevent the smell from getting out and attracting wildlife. It also stops raccoons from climbing into the trash can.

2. Remove Animal Food

Whether you have pets or love to feed nearby birds, you should consider where you place this food. Both pet food and bird seeds attract raccoons, so it’s a good idea to remove them from your garden.

If possible, feed your pets indoors. This way the smell can’t get out to attract wild raccoons. You could also clean up the food immediately after your pet is done with it.

If you don’t want to completely get rid of your bird feeders, you could try changing the food you give them. Certain bird food has been covered in spicy substances that don’t affect birds, but which irritate any raccoons trying to steal from them. These are an excellent choice, but the effectiveness may vary.

3. Remove Vegetation

Another way to remove the raccoons’ food is to remove any fruits and vegetables in your garden. You could either grow more cosmetic plants, or simply harvest the produce the moment it’s ripened before any wildlife gets to it.

4. Remove Standing Water

Like food, raccoons are always on the lookout for sources of water. If your garden has a small puddle or other standing water (such as on a bird feeder or for your pets) then you should consider removing these.

Without easy access to water, raccoons are much less likely to stick around.

Use Repellents

Repellents are an incredibly attractive choice as they offer an easy fix to a raccoon problem. However, none of these methods are guaranteed to work because the allure of food and shelter may be too great.

1. Install Bright Lights And Loud Sounds

Just like any other animal, raccoons get scared of sudden movement, lights, and sounds. You can use this to your advantage by installing radios, sprinklers, strobe lights, or more specialized devices that trigger when a raccoon approaches at night.

2. Use Strong Smells

Certain substances like vinegar, garlic, cayenne powder, ammonia, and predator urine give off a strong stench that irritates raccoons. You could try spreading these substances around the perimeter of your garden to ward off any raccoons.

3. Grow Different Plants

There are certain plants that raccoons seem to dislike, so it’s a good idea to plant these in your garden in hopes of repelling the animals.

One option is to grow cucumbers. Raccoons don’t like these plants because of their large leaves and prickly vines.

Another option is the squash plant. These plants are also very prickly, so raccoons will be hesitant to try and eat them.

Block Their Entry

You can prevent raccoons from entering your garden by making it a much more challenging endeavor.

1. Install A Fence

One approach is to install a fence around your garden. This fence should be at least 4 foot high. But raccoons are excellent climbers, so you should consider installing an electric fence to make it harder for them to climb.

2. Remove Access Points

Sometimes a raccoon has a small entry that you don’t realize, like a small gap in an existing fence. You should take the time to find and seal these access points to make it harder for the animal to get in.

3. Clear Any Debris

If your garden has debris and other items lying around, you should take the time to clear them up. These things provide raccoons with hiding spots as they enter your garden. By removing them, you can make them feel more uneasy about entering.