How To Keep Pests Out Of Your Dumpster!
It happens. You rent a dumpster and during the course of its time outside of your project site, you notice it has become a wildlife hotel. Whether it’s bears and raccoons or mice and maggots, piles of trash and debris tend to attract the attention of our nature dwelling neighbors. It may seem nearly impossible to stop a creature from crawling into your dumpster but there are definitely things you can implement to stop this habit.
The Right Place
Try and place your dumpster at least 50 feet away from your establishment or property. This helps deter any pests that may venture near from checking out your site as well or posing a safety threat to anyone coming and going. It also keeps obnoxious smells from lingering too close to where you lay your head down at night.
Always put the dumpster on concrete whether it be a parking lot, driveway or slab. If you put a dumpster rental in grass, rodents like to build nests underneath. You definitely don’t want to be tossing something in the container and have a family of rats skittering around your feet. Avoiding the grass also helps keep you and your environment safe. If you have anything inside the dumpster that may leak, that could potentially find its way into groundwater and cause considerable health and safety concerns. If you don’t have a driveway or slab, the street is your best bet.
No Food Debris
Pests are looking for their next meal and that is why they congregate near dumpsters or garbage cans. That McDonald’s bag you just tossed in might just be the trigger for attracting a whole slew of animals and insects. Food rots and creates a foul odor that immediately disperses into the surrounding air. Rotting food breeds flies that cause maggots and, trust me, there’s nothing more gross than a sweltering pile of them on some week old meat. The odors tend to attract larger animals such as raccoons, foxes and bears. Raccoons get into places you couldn’t imagine and can be quite aggressive when encountered. Your best bet for a safe, clean and pleasant smelling experience is to keep food waste OUT of your dumpster rental.
Cover It Up
A great way to keep pests out of dumpsters is by sealing the tops. Many smaller dumpsters come with lids that can be secured. Make it a habit to keep that lid secured when not in use. Dumpter rentals are a bit harder because they are usually open on top but you can buy a cheap tarp and some bungee cords from your local hardware store to secure it. They do a great job of not only keeping wildlife at bay but keeping the elements out as well.
Clean, Clean, Clean
One of the best ways to avoid pest infestation is by keeping your dumpster clean. In the case of dumpster rentals, your local dumpster rental company automatically cleans their equipment between clients. Just make sure that when your dumpster is delivered, the inside is clean and not full of gunk or debris. If it is, simply ask them for a clean container or that they take the appropriate actions to clean yours so it doesn’t attract critters. Your dumpster should always be empty and ready for you to use. A dumpster rental service that has dirty dumpsters is not one you should be using.
In the case of smaller dumpsters outside of businesses or restaurants, you can’t help that there is food waste in your garbage. To avoid buildup of nasty, rotting waste, use a hose and clean it out after it’s emptied. You can even hire professional dumpster cleaning companies to come freshen it up for you at certain intervals.
What Smell?
Depending on what you are disposing of, dumpsters can accumulate some crazy smells. While they may be positively nauseating to us, it’s these odors that attract bugs and creatures. Rats follow scents straight to their origins in search for food so it’s best to cap those smells as soon as you can. You can buy a dumpster deodorizer to break down the grease and organics causing foul odors to occur. Not only will you deter pests but you’ll give the noses of you and your employees a much deserved reprieve.
Repel ‘Em
Another great way to keep your dumpsters from becoming critter condos is to use repellents. Do not use anything with poison or harmful chemicals because these can not only injure or kill the animals but are harmful to pets, people and the environment. Ammonia and water is a common solution that keeps animals away and isn’t harmful if diluted correctly. For other pests, use what is already known in nature to your advantage. For example, if you have an infestation of rabbits or skunks, spray fox or coyote urine around the dumpster. This will alert them that a predator is near and scare them off.
No matter what solution you use, be sure to reapply after rainfall.
No matter what type of animals are prone to your area, there are different solutions for keeping them out of your dumpster. If you take the time to put a few of these into action, you will have less headaches in the long run and stay on track to a successful and efficient project completion. If you have any severe infestations that surpass the ideas presented here, contact your local pest control services or city/county animal control office for additional help. Above all, stay safe and keep it clean!
If you need tips on where to put your dumpster or how to make the most of your rental, contact Burr Ridge Dumpster Rental and find out!
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