How To Keep Animals Away From Disposal Bins

It can be a pain dealing with animals and pests that raid, knock over, or rummage through your trash, leaving an unsightly mess every day. If these creatures find a constant source of nourishment in your trash, they may even make a new home in your shed, basement, or garage, leading to even more problems.

If raccoons are your problem, then getting a more durable trash bin may not necessarily help because these creatures have razor sharp claws and strong jaws that help them get past any obstacle once they target your bin. The instant an opening is created, other animals and pests can gain entry, resulting in a mess. Fortunately, there are a number of solutions to keep animals away from your garbage disposal bin.

Dispose of garbage properly.
Wild animals, including raccoons, opossums, and rats, are drawn to your trash because of the odours emanating from the leftovers you disposed of. Reducing this odour can prevent your trash from being a target. Rinse any cans, containers, or wrappers before throwing them in the bin to ensure that there are no food remnants in the trash. If there are some leftovers that you need to discard, place them at the bottom of the bin and pile other garbage on top to limit access. You can also consider composting leftover food to reduce the amount of food you throw away.
Pour ammonia directly on the trash bin lid or the trash bags.
You can easily deter all animals from accessing your trash by pouring a capful of ammonia directly onto the trash bags or on the lid of the trash bins. Ammonia has a pungent smell that puts off animals no matter the smell of goodies in your trash. However, you will need to reapply the ammonia every time there is precipitation because it will be washed away and diluted. For convenience, put some ammonia in a spray bottle and spray as the need arises. You can even use this tip to keep pets away from indoor trash bins.
Keep the garbage can lid closed at all times.
Avoid filling your garbage bins completely to reduce the risk of trash overflowing, and to make it possible to close the lid securely. If your bin company does not offer screw-on lids that are harder to open, consider placing a heavy object on the lid to secure it, or looping bungee cords through the lid and side handles to keep critters out.
Switch to a metal bin.
You can switch to using a metal bin that can withstand animal attacks better than plastic. It also won’t absorb the odours like plastic, saving you the headache of dealing with messy trash every morning.

All of the above tips are sure to help you keep animals and other pests away from your disposal bins.