The Bear Necessities: How to Bear-Proof Your Trash and Keep Bears Away | Delmolino & Sons Trash & Recycling Removal

We get it—bears live outside. After all, we're the ones living in their backyard! But while bears may call the outdoors home, most homeowners would prefer their trash to stay inside the tote rather than scattered across the yard in hundreds of tiny pieces.

You work hard to bag up your household waste and set it out for collection (and we appreciate you for choosing Delmolino & Sons!). The last thing anyone wants is to wake up to a mess created by a hungry bear or curious critter.

That's why we've put together some practical tips to help keep bears, raccoons, and other wildlife out of your trash.

Storage & Sanitation

Most effective ways to keep your bins safe!

Indoor Storage

The best way to keep bears, racoons, or other animals from getting into our trash bins, is to keep them inside somewhere where they can't be accessed. This could be a garage or specially built enclosure. *** If you do not have something like this available, don't fret! Keep reading for our alternative options below! ***

Frequent Cleaning Upkeep

Periodically on your trash pickup day, it helps to spray out your trash bins and get rid of any food or liquid residue that may be attracting animals. This also helps to reduce bad smells -- especially if your totes "live" in direct sunlight for most of the day. Using bleach or another deep cleaning solution (like Pine-Sol) to scrub any grim off the inside of the tote can help deter critters.

Strapping & Latching

If you can't fully enclose your bins, here are the next best alternatives!

Ratchet Straps

A common practice we recommend is using heavy duty ratchet straps to help secure the lid down. They can be hooked onto our totes either vertically or horizontally and make sure they are snug. Be mindful they aren't too tight as they could warp the trash tote and make it difficult for our drivers to pick them with with the tote tipper on the side of the truck. ***On your pickup day, please make sure they are taken off or easily removable as to not slow down the driver from the rest of the route.

Bungee Cords

Bungee cords are another popular option many customers have gone with if it is a once-in-a-while issue they endure. It can be enough to deter them from trying too hard if bears aren't a huge issue in their neighborhood. If they're frequent flyers or are unfazed by the bungees, looking into stronger upgrades might be a better move.

DIY Modifications

Sometimes the best way, is the YOU way!

Specialized Locks

You can purchase from most big retailers a lock specifically designed to keep bears out of your trash bin. Make sure to follow installation instructions to ensure they work properly.

Hitch Pin Locks

Many people have drilled holes into the front corners of the lid and installed steel trailer hitch pins to secure the tote.

If you have any additional questions, comments, or concerns about bear-proofing your trash or other trash & recycling removal topics - please don't hesitate to text or call us at:

413-743-5397