Discovering raccoons in your garage can be a challenging and potentially hazardous situation. These clever and resourceful creatures are known for causing property damage, spreading diseases, and posing safety risks.
In this guide, we’ll explore the reasons behind raccoon garage invasions, the risks they bring, and effective strategies for prevention and removal. Learn how to safeguard your garage and maintain a raccoon-free environment.
How to Remove Raccoons From the Garage
Here are some ways to get rid of raccoons by removing them from your garage:
- Use Smells: Raccoons dislike certain odors, such as apple cider vinegar or ammonia. You can soak rags in these substances, place them in a plastic bag, poke holes in the bag to allow the smell to escape, and hang the bag in the garage.
- Remove Food and Water: Keep the garage area free of pet food storage, birdseed, or any other food sources that might attract raccoons. Additionally, ensure there is no standing water in the garage.
- Seal Entry Points: Check the garage for any holes or gaps that raccoons might be using to enter. Seal these entry points with caulk, wire mesh, or other suitable materials.
- Use Traps: Live traps can be employed to capture raccoons, allowing you to release them safely in a different location. However, it’s crucial to check local regulations before trapping and relocating wildlife.
- Call a Professional: If you are uncomfortable dealing with raccoons on your own or if the problem persists despite your efforts, consider contacting a professional wildlife removal service.
Consider a swift removal of raccoons from your garage as they pose a risk to both the safety of your property and potential health hazards.
Risks of Having Raccoons in a Garage
Having raccoons in your garage can pose several risks, including:
- Disease Transmission: Raccoons can carry diseases such as salmonella, leptospirosis, and raccoon roundworm, which can be transmitted to humans through contact with their droppings or urine.
- Property Damage: Raccoons are intelligent creatures that can cause damage to your garage by tearing up insulation, chewing through wires, and damaging structural elements such as roof eaves and gaps between studs.
- Safety Risks: Raccoons can be aggressive and may attack if they feel threatened. They are also known carriers of rabies, which can be transmitted to humans through bites or scratches.
- Trapping and Removal Risks: If you decide to trap and remove raccoons from your garage, there are risks involved. Raccoons can become aggressive when trapped, and improper handling can result in injury to both the raccoon and the person attempting to remove it.
It is important to take steps to remove raccoons from your garage as soon as possible to avoid these risks. If you are not comfortable dealing with raccoons on your own, consider calling a professional wildlife removal service to safely and humanely remove them.
Cleaning up a Garage After a Raccoon Invasion
If you are looking up to clean up a garage after a raccoon invasion here’s where to start:
- Wear Protective Gear: Before cleaning up, put on rubber or plastic gloves, a mask, and protective clothing to avoid contact with raccoon droppings, urine, and other waste.
- Ventilate the Area: Open all doors and windows for at least 30 minutes to ventilate the space before cleaning.
- Remove Debris: Clear away any debris, such as insulation or nesting materials, that may have been left behind by the raccoons.
- Clean and Disinfect: Use a bleach solution or disinfectant to mop the floors and clean any surfaces that may have been contaminated by raccoon waste. Avoid disturbing the droppings and causing them to become airborne. Spraying a mist of water can help.
- Dispose of Waste: Double-bag all waste, including gloves and protective clothing, and dispose of it in the trash.
- Sanitize Attic Space: If the raccoons invaded the attic, it’s essential to sanitize the area to prevent the spread of disease. This may involve removing and replacing contaminated insulation and thoroughly cleaning the space.
- Prevent Future Infestations: Seal any entry points that the raccoons may have used to enter the garage to prevent future infestations.
If you are not comfortable cleaning up after a raccoon invasion on your own, consider calling a professional wildlife removal service that also offers cleaning and sanitizing services.
Encountering a Raccoon in the Garage
If you encounter a raccoon in your garage, it is important to take precautions to avoid any potential risks. Here are some steps to follow: Do not approach the raccoon, as it may feel threatened and become aggressive.
Leave the garage and close the door behind you to prevent the raccoon from escaping into your home. Contact a professional wildlife removal service to safely and humanely remove the raccoon from your garage.
Once the raccoon has been removed, take steps to prevent future infestations by sealing any entry points that the raccoon may have used to enter the garage.
It is important to remember that raccoons can carry diseases such as rabies, so it is best to avoid contact with them and leave removal to the professionals.
How to Raccoon-Proof Future Garage Invasions
To prevent future raccoon invasions in your garage, consider these strategies:
- Seal Entry Points: Inspect the garage for any holes or gaps raccoons might use to enter and seal them with caulk, wire mesh, or suitable materials.
- Remove Food and Water Sources: Ensure the garage remains devoid of pet food storage, birdseed, or other food sources that could attract raccoons. Also, be vigilant about preventing standing water in the garage.
- Secure Garbage Cans: Raccoons are drawn to garbage cans, so use heavy-duty, tightly sealed trash cans to prevent them from accessing the contents.
- Trim Trees and Shrubs: Raccoons can utilize trees and shrubs to climb onto roofs and access the garage. Trim branches that could provide access.
- Install Motion-Activated Lights: Raccoons are nocturnal creatures and are less likely to approach well-lit areas. Install motion-activated lights around the garage to deter raccoons.
- Consult a Professional: If you’ve experienced a raccoon invasion previously, consider reaching out to a professional wildlife removal service. They can assess your property and offer recommendations for preventing future invasions.
By implementing these measures, you can effectively deter raccoons from invading your garage, safeguarding your property from damage and the transmission of diseases.
