How to keep raccoons and pests out of your trash can
Raccoons are clever, patient and good with their hands. A loose lid is a door to them. In Horry County they work the edges of neighborhoods near woods, creeks and the Waccamaw River, and they work the dumpster enclosures of restaurants and condo complexes too.
A tipped cart and a yard full of bags is an easy problem to prevent. Most of the fix is about three things: access, smell and timing. For shared enclosures at condos, restaurants and offices, regular dumpster pad cleaning removes the grease and residue that keeps animals coming back.
This guide covers the home side first, then the commercial side, using steps that cost little and work with ordinary roll carts.
Why raccoons and pests target your trash can
Animals come for food. A trash can offers a lot of it in one place, and the smell tells them where. Raccoons, possums, stray cats and dogs, rats and flies all respond to the same cue.
The smell does not only come from the bag. A film of old food and liquid on the walls and the bottom of the can keeps releasing odor long after the garbage is gone. In a humid Grand Strand summer that film stays damp and gets worse in the sun.
Three things draw pests most often.
- Open or loose lids, including lids propped up by an overfull cart.
- Bags left outside the cart, or set out the night before pickup.
- A dirty can that smells like food even when it is empty.
If you only fix the first, you reduce damage. If you fix all three, you reduce visits.
Lids, straps and latches that work
A heavy roll cart lid closes by gravity. Raccoons can lift it. Add a simple lock and the job gets harder.
- Keep the lid fully closed. Do not overfill the cart so that the lid sits open on top of the bags.
- Use a strap or bungee across the lid and under the cart handle or axle. Check that it holds when you push up on the lid.
- Try a lid lock or latch made for roll carts. Many hardware stores carry them.
- Weigh the lid down with a brick or a paver on top if your cart has no strap hooks. It is not elegant, but it works.
- Check the hinge. A cracked or loose hinge lets the lid tilt, and animals find the gap.
Avoid latches that you will not use. The best system is the one you do every time without thinking.
Where to keep the cart
A garage, shed or fenced side yard removes the target between pickup days. If you must keep carts outside, set them on a flat spot against the house so they cannot tip. A cart that stands against a wall is harder to knock over than one in open grass.
Timing and habits around pickup day
Many pest problems begin the night before pickup. A cart at the curb at 9 PM is an overnight buffet. Put carts out the morning of pickup if your hauler allows it, and bring them back that same day.
Check the schedule with your city or county office. Our guide to finding your trash day in Horry County explains where to look. If your hauler comes early, some HOAs and city offices set rules for when carts may go out, so follow those.
- Double-bag anything with raw meat, shells or fish, and freeze it until pickup day if you can.
- Rinse food containers before they go in.
- Keep liquids out of the cart. Pour them down a drain.
- Never leave loose bags next to the cart. If the cart is full, hold the bag inside until the next pickup.
- Put pet food and bird seed in sealed bins, not open bags in the garage.
Grills, pet bowls and compost heaps pull pests too. If animals visit your yard but ignore the cart, look at what else smells like food.
Lighting and noise help a little. A motion light by the cart area can make a raccoon think twice, though a hungry animal gets used to it. Do not rely on it alone. Latches, timing and a clean can do the heavy lifting, and they work in every season, not only in summer.
Fall and early spring matter too. Animals look for easy calories before cold weather and after it. Do not drop your guard when the heat breaks. Keep straps on year round and keep the carts washed on a steady rhythm.
Clean the can to remove what attracts them
You can lock a lid and still draw pests if the can smells. Cleaning takes away the cue.
A DIY wash starts with an empty can right after pickup. Wear gloves. Hose out loose residue. Scrub the walls and bottom with a long brush and dish soap or a cleaner made for the job. Rinse and let the can dry upside down in the sun. Never mix bleach with ammonia or vinegar. Keep the wash water on grass or gravel, away from storm drains, because storm drains here feed the Waccamaw River and the Intracoastal Waterway.
A hose uses cold water. Hot water breaks up grease and kills fly eggs better. Water above 140 degrees kills fly eggs and larvae. Our trucks use 200 degrees, then sanitize and deodorize the can and capture the wastewater in a holding tank.
If you want help, a scheduled clean on your trash day takes care of the cans without any lifting on your part. Our monthly plan is $25 (sample) a month for the first can.
Which pests you are dealing with
Different animals leave different signs, and the fix is slightly different. Use this table to match what you see with what to do first.
| Compare | Raccoons and possums | Flies and maggots | Rats and mice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signs | Tipped cart, torn bags, scattered trash, usually at night | Flies near the lid, larvae in the bottom corners | Gnaw marks, droppings, chewed bags or nests nearby |
| What draws them | Food smell and loose lids | Heat, moisture and exposed food | Food waste, pet food and cover near the cart |
| First step | Strap or lock the lid, move the cart against a wall | Empty and wash with hot water to kill eggs and larvae | Remove loose food, seal pet food and trim cover near the cart |
| Cleaning role | Removes the smell that tells them food is inside | Essential, since eggs survive a cold rinse | Removes residue and the smell that keeps them returning |
| When to get help | If they keep returning after a latch and a wash | If you find maggots, book a deep clean | If you see signs inside the house, contact a pest professional |
If you find maggots, our maggot removal guide covers what kills them and why they hatch so fast in Horry County heat.
Condos, restaurants and shared enclosures
Shared dumpsters have a harder job. They hold more waste, they are opened many times a day, and the pad underneath collects grease, liquid and spilled food. That residue draws raccoons, rats and flies even when the dumpster is empty.
Fencing and closed gates help, but the pad is the key. Grease and food residue soak into concrete and keep smelling. A hot-water wash with wastewater capture removes it without sending runoff to the storm drain. We do that for restaurants, condos, churches and offices across the county, from $125 (sample) per dumpster pad visit, with quotes by site.
- Keep enclosure gates latched, especially overnight.
- Repair gaps in fencing or gate bottoms where animals squeeze through.
- Schedule pad cleaning on a regular rhythm, not only after a complaint.
- Have staff break down boxes and bag kitchen waste before it goes in.
- Make sure the lid on the dumpster closes fully each time.
For business roll carts, our commercial bin cleaning follows your pickup schedule.
When to call us
If your cart keeps getting hit after a latch and a wash, or you find maggots, you can book a clean. For condos, restaurants and offices, call (843) 222-0207, Monday to Saturday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and we will quote the site.
If you see a sick or aggressive animal, or one that does not run away, keep your distance and call your local animal control office. Do not handle it yourself.
Rather not do it yourself?
We clean on your trash day and text a photo when the can is done.
