Raccoons are capable of all sorts of carnage, from scattering your trash cans to killing your precious garden. Due to their unselective diets, they will eat any and all leftover food that you’ve left behind. Not to mention their nomadic nature and affinity for attics, which can pose more problems down the line. Having things in place to prevent these inconveniences before they occur is always suggested so that no nesting occurs.

There’s a simple, yet effective solution when a raccoon is scurrying into your attic, chimney, spacious porch, or anywhere else inside your home. Sealing any entryways into the home, such as a hole near your attic, is the most effective route to keep any raccoons from trying to live rent-free. Sometimes raccoon prevention just isn’t that simple, though. Depending on your situation, you’ll have to get creative. Fences work in a variety of situations, and another preventative method with some success is a simple bungee cord to keep a trash bin from being scavenged. Other situations are nearly hopeless, such as removing them from a yard or garden. For the most part, raccoons setting up camp in your attic is the worst-case scenario since it’s where they typically birth and raise their young.

Repair Open Entryways

The most widely-used method of raccoon prevention is a simple home repair. If a raccoon has made its way into your attic, or under your porch, there’s always an entry point to be found. Patching these openings so that access is cut off will permanently solve the issue. Using mesh wiring with small, half-inch openings is a viable choice, though it’s important to first check for any current inhabitants. Any animals already inside your attic, porch, or chimney need extraction before any access points are sealed for good. 

Put Up Some Fencing

This is a great option if your yard or garden has seen some recent raccoon damage, though there are some caveats to putting up fencing in a raccoon prevention effort. The fence should be tall and buried deep since raccoons are skilled climbers and often dig for access. A roofed fence would be ideal as its entry points are already sealed. If your fence isn’t doing the trick, consider an electric variation: a 2-wire electric fence with wire placed close to the ground would help a great deal.

Protect Your Garbage

Raccoons enjoy trash-hunting because it’s easy. Considering the amount of food thrown away on an annual basis, it’s no wonder why they love our scraps. If you can’t seem to shake a local raccoon off your trash trail, it’s all about preventing access. For example, remembering to pull your garbage cans into the garage every night will cut off open access. Whether they’re placed inside or outside, locking the lids in place should be a priority too. Try tying a bungee cord across the lid, or buy a more sophisticated lid with a locking mechanism to secure it in place. 

Keeping the area outside your home clean and free of trash, fallen fruit, or any food is always suggested, as raccoons are sure to pounce on easy pickings. Checking around each night to ensure that there are no inviting scraps will work wonders in warding off your pesky neighbors.

Say No to Noise Machines

There are some more preventative raccoon products on the market that won’t hold up as long-term solutions, if at all. Any expert will deny the genuine effectiveness of recent gadgets like sprinklers and high-frequency noise machines. A popular choice in novice raccoon prevention is a combination of motion-activated lights and a sprinkler system to force out any possible nesting. Still, this is only a short-term solution, as they usually return and try again. Noise machines are flat-out useless, designed to emit an irritating noise that only animals can hear. The idea is, a nesting raccoon won’t be able to stand a constantly blaring sound and will eventually leave the area. Sadly, raccoons don’t seem to care and many people can hear the bothersome noise themselves, resulting in a total backfire. 

Strategize Your Prevention

With all this in mind, it’s clear that different raccoon issues require various prevention methods. If an entryway is identified, patch it up. High or electric fencing will protect your garden or yard. Bungee cords or a locking lid are great anti-scavenging tools to bolster your trash protection and remember to keep your trash cans in the garage for less access. Lastly, keep in mind that products like motion-activated lights, sprinklers, and high-frequency noise machines are short-term and generally ineffective in the eyes of raccoon prevention experts.