Keeping animals out of the garbage

[monkeywrangler71]

Is there any way to deter raccoons and other pests from ripping apart your garbage bags and strewing the contents all over the place?

We keep the garbage in the garage normally, but I accidentally left a small bag on the step last night What a mess I had to clean up this morning! I won't do that again, however, tomorrow is garbage day and I have to put them out the night before because they pick it up very early.

Is there anything I can put on it to deter pests? We used to pour bleach on it to keep the crows away, but I don't know if that is safe or recommended - or if raccoons would even care.

[frugalwarrior2]

We got those 40 gal. locking trash cans and keep it outside. Obviously keep as much food out of it as poss. Do you have a garbage disposal??
We let our cats in the garage and out in the yard to spread there smell for small pests. My best hunter is ending the vole population daily.

[Contrary Housewife]

We have a pair of these: Roughneck Trash Can, 33 Gal # 1339-00BLA by Rubbermaid

Use them in the fall to haul leaves, too.

[Paws]

Don't know if this actually works, but a friend of mine uses moth balls to keep critters away from her flower beds, veggies, and garbage cans...she swears by them...

[McD]

Our city provides a huge trash can and recycle bin for us. The only time I had an animal get into ours was when a squirrell gnawed through the lid. Our squirrells are evil evil little beast.

[Saule]

I have bungee cords securing my lids, the waste people hate the locking lids, anyway this works for us.

I have not had problems with squirrels in the garbage - my squirrels keep chewing through the power lines, causing power outages, and the end of the squirrel of course - they only do it once! Three years ago the power pole caught fire and almost took my garage - thank heavens for alert neighbors who called the fire dept!