How To Deter Racoons (PRO Tips)

Racoons have been a problem for homeowners for decades. They are smart and adaptive, but there are ways that you can keep them away from your home.

How to Repel Raccoons

Takeaways
Raccoons can cause damage to property by foraging and nesting.
Prevention is key to deterring raccoons from your property.
There are several natural options to prevent raccoons, such as using critter repellent or fencing.
Trapping raccoons should be a last resort and should be done safely and humanely.
Additional resources are available to offer advice and tips on how to prevent and get rid of raccoons.

Follow these tips to keep raccoons from destroying your property and your yard.

Table of Contents

Secure Garbage Cans

The first step to preventing raccoons from getting into your garbage is securing the can with a lid that has a locking mechanism. If you can’t find one of these, use heavy-duty bungee cords or rope to secure the lid in place.

If you don’t have access to either of these options, remember: garbage cans are for garbage! Keep them inside your garage or shed and make sure all food scraps (and pet food!) are disposed of properly in bins provided by local governments for this purpose.

There’s no need to leave anything out overnight—if it doesn’t smell good enough for human consumption, neither will it appeal to raccoons!

When it comes to catching raccoons, it’s important to have the right tools and techniques. Our easy guide on how to catch raccoons provides step-by-step instructions to help you safely and effectively capture these pesky critters.

Keep Your Dog Safe

If you want to keep raccoons from taking over your backyard, the first thing you can do is keep your dog safe.

Here are some tips for keeping your dog safe and making sure it doesn’t become a meal for a hungry raccoon:

Keep your dog on a leash at all times, even if it’s just going out back or being taken for a walk around the block. Raccoons aren’t afraid of dogs (they’re actually afraid of humans), so they’re more likely to attack if they’re not restrained by a leash.

Keep your dog inside at night. It may seem silly to keep him indoors when he’s perfectly fine outside during the day, but nighttime hours are when raccoons come out in droves looking for food sources like yours!

If you know there are raccoons in the area and you want to let Fido run around outside without being tethered, make sure that he keeps as far away from them as possible—and stay close enough so that he doesn’t wander into their territory!

Point	Description
Vaccinations	Make sure your dog is up to date on all necessary vaccinations.
Identification	Keep identification tags on your dog’s collar at all times. Consider microchipping your pet for additional identification.
Secure Fencing	Ensure that your yard is securely fenced to prevent your dog from running away or getting lost.
Safe Environment	Keep your home and yard safe by removing hazardous materials and keeping chemicals out of reach.
Proper Restraint	Always keep your dog on a leash or properly restrained to prevent accidents and keep them out of dangerous situations.

Remove Bird Feeders

Racoons are attracted to bird feeders. They can climb trees and poles to get to the feeder, knock over the feeder and spill seeds, or pick up diseases from the birds.

Keeping your feeder clean and putting it high enough so that raccoons can’t reach it will help keep them away.

Prevention is key when it comes to keeping raccoons away from your home. Our simple guide on how to keep raccoons away offers practical tips and advice on how to deter these animals and protect your property.

Bring in Pet Food

Because raccoons are omnivores, they can eat just about anything. They’ll eat insects and rodents for protein, but also fruits and vegetables if given the opportunity.

While you’re at work or out running errands, there’s a good chance that raccoons will be scavenging for food in your trash bin or looking for an easy meal from leftover cat food left out on the porch.

You may have heard that raccoons love watermelons—and yes, they do love them! But don’t fret: there are other ways to keep these critters away from your home besides planting watermelons all around your property (you’d get tired of them after awhile).

Try storing pet food indoors when not in use so that it isn’t available to hungry critters during their nightly prowls through neighborhoods nearby yours.

If this doesn’t work out with certain types of pets like cats who need fresh air while eating outdoors (or dogs who won’t come inside without coaxing), then consider putting all pet food into containers that raccoons cannot open–and always keep these containers locked up tight when not in use!

Pick Up After Your Pet

Pick up after your pet. Raccoons are naturally curious creatures and will investigate anything that smells or looks like food. This is why raccoons are attracted to pet food.

Pet food is not good for the animals that eat it, let alone raccoons. It’s possible that your dog could eat a piece of kibble lying in the grass outside of their bowl, but they probably won’t go out of their way to find more food on their own.

A raccoon, however, will make an effort to track down any extra morsels he can get his hands on as long as he knows there’s some sort of reward waiting for him at the end of his search (if you’re wondering why you’ve never seen a raccoon before now: it’s because they don’t usually leave their forest homes unless they absolutely have no choice).

Dealing with raccoons can be a frustrating experience, but our guide on how to get rid of raccoons can help. From DIY remedies to professional services, we cover all the ways to eliminate raccoons from your home

Seal Off Openings

It’s best to prevent raccoons from entering your home in the first place. If a raccoon has made its way into your attic or crawl space, removing it is not enough. You also need to seal up any gaps that allowed the critter access in the first place.

This includes sealing off any openings under doors and windows as well as around vents and chimneys.

Also make sure that there are no gaps between siding boards, eaves and gutters; you may need to replace weather stripping around doors and windows if necessary.

Raccoons can easily jump through small cracks or holes in roofs so make sure yours is thoroughly sealed with wire mesh over vents or chimney stacks if possible – this should stop them using these areas as entry points into your home too!

Point	Description
Check for Openings	Inspect your property for any openings that could allow pests to enter, such as gaps in windows or doors.
Seal Cracks	Use caulk to seal any cracks or gaps in your home’s foundation, walls, or other entry points.
Weather Stripping	Install weather stripping on doors and windows to prevent gaps and cracks where pests can enter.
Secure Ventilation	Install mesh screens or caps over ventilation openings to ensure they are secure and unobstructed.
Professional Services	Consider hiring a pest control professional to assess and seal off any potential entry points.

Eliminate Insects And Insects Hiding Places

Once you’ve identified the source of the raccoons’ food supply, your next step is to eliminate that resource.

Raccoons are omnivores and will eat just about anything they can find, but they rely heavily on insects for protein in their diet. Insects can be eliminated by using insecticides around the perimeter of your property and inside both your home and garage.

Insecticides can be purchased at hardware stores or online; follow instructions carefully when applying it to ensure you’re not harming anything other than insects!

If you have already caught a raccoon in one of your traps, do not release it back into the wild until all sources of food have been removed from its environment.

Raccoons are notorious for rummaging through trash cans, but there are simple steps you can take to keep them out. Our guide on how to keep raccoons out of trash offers effective solutions to prevent these pests from making a mess on your property

Keep It Clean

Keeping your yard clean is the most effective way to deter raccoons. Remove debris and trash, such as old vehicles, leaves and other ground litter.

If you have a swimming pool, keep the cover on when not in use. Make sure there are no food sources for raccoons in your yard, including pet food left out overnight (make sure it’s stored inside a secure container) and bird feeders where seeds can spill onto the ground below them.

Finally, remove any areas for raccoon shelter (such as piles of lumber or other material) or places where they might build nests (like under decks).

Set Up A Light Trap

A light trap is an effective way to trap raccoons if you can’t catch them in other ways. Light traps work by attracting raccoons with bait and luring them into a cage using bright lights, which they find irresistible.

The best place to set up a light trap is where you have seen the raccoon activity, because they will likely try to return to the same area once they become familiar with that location.

You should also set up multiple traps at different locations if possible, since setting just one might not be enough to catch all of the animals in question.

Once your trap has been set up, put some bait inside it (preferably something smelly like peanut butter) and turn on its lights at nightfall.

You may want to use less powerful lights so that this doesn’t attract too much attention from humans or other animals; however, keep in mind that raccoons are nocturnal mammals and thus won’t be attracted during daylight hours.

If you have a garden, you know how frustrating it can be when wildlife comes in and destroys your hard work. Our guide on how to keep raccoons out of garden provides valuable tips and advice on protecting your plants from raccoons and other critters.

Conclusion

Racoons are a nuisance, but they can be dealt with. If you have an infestation, it’s best to call in a professional who has the experience and knowledge to get rid of them quickly.

But if you want to try your luck at getting rid of raccoons on your own, there are some steps you can take first before calling in the professionals.

Keep these tips in mind when dealing with raccoon problems so that they don’t come back any time soon!

FAQs

What are raccoons attracted to?

Raccoons are attracted to garbage, pet food, compost, and bird feeders. Keep these items away from raccoons to prevent them from visiting your property.

How can I keep raccoons out of my garden?

You can keep raccoons out of your garden by using a fence or mesh netting, planting spicy or strong-smelling plants, or spraying a cinnamon mixture around your garden.

Are raccoons dangerous to humans?

Raccoons are generally not dangerous to humans unless they are provoked, sick, or injured. However, they can carry diseases like rabies and should be avoided.

How do I know if there are raccoons in my attic?

Raccoons in the attic may make scratching, thumping, or chirping sounds. You may also notice raccoon urine or feces in your attic.

Should I hire a professional to remove raccoons?

If you are unsure about how to safely remove raccoons, it is best to hire a professional. They have the tools and knowledge necessary to remove raccoons without harming them or your property.

Hellen James

Hello! I’m Hellen James, and I write about how to keep pests from invading your home. For the last 10 years, I’ve been working in pest control and am excited to share my expertise with you!