When renting a dumpster, regardless of how long it will be on site, there are a few things to consider to keep critters away. Taking precautions to protect your dumpster will help ensure that your property stays clean and free of litter caused by pests. After all, who wants to spend time cleaning up a mess that could have been avoided? Whether your roll-off dumpster is a permanent fixture due to business needs or you are in the middle of a project, if you follow these tips, you will find that critters and pests stop invading your trash and project waste.
Critter Proof When Renting a Dumpster
While a dumpster might not be on your property for a long time, it doesn’t take very long for critters and pests to gain access. From larger nuisances to small crawling pests, only debris should be occupying this space. Here are a few helpful tips you can use to help critter proof your rented dumpster.
1. When Renting a Dumpster Cover it With a Tarp or Lid
Regardless of the dumpster size, you have rented, they are an inviting haven to wildlife and domesticated critters. The simplest method to prevent pests and dumpster divers is to close the dumpster lid and secure it with a lock. If there isn’t a lid, cover it with a tarp and secure it with bungee cords to seal it as best you can.
2. Mask Odors
To stop critters from getting into your trash, it is important to minimize odors. Useful tips include double-bagging all your trash before you bring it outdoors and place inside a dumpster. Another way to keep animals and critters at bay includes spraying a mixture of vinegar and water over your trash bags. Most animals find these odors offensive, which helps to keep them away from your enclosure. You can also use a dumpster odor commercial-grade odor-eliminating solution in the dumpster as soon as the trash is removed to stop critters from detecting a potential source of food.
3. Seal Food Waste In Bags
Most dumpster companies do not allow food waste in their roll-off dumpsters. Even though food waste is permitted in landfills, they attract critters and rodents. For this reason, it is a better idea to dispose of this type of waste through traditional trash pickups. With this is mind, even the smallest amounts of food waste, often attract critters and pests from miles away.
For example, raccoons can travel as far as 18 miles in their search for food, while dogs can easily detect smells from up to 40-feet below the ground. Critters are generally attracted to refuse areas due to odors. To ensure critters stay away when renting a dumpster, seal food waste securely in the appropriate trash bags. Picking up a mess created from vermin and other critters is no fun! It is also a good idea to double-bag overstuffed or leaky bags.
4. Use Deterrents
Most critters will steer clear of an area when they feel threatened by a predator. Think about using hunting decoys close to the dumpster to scare away small animals. Scarecrows, fake snakes, and owls can help to keep certain creatures away from the dumpster.
You could also position a radio close to the dumpster, turning in on at night when most of the nocturnal animals are active and searching for food. This will make the animals think that someone is close by. Some animals also shy away from items that sparkle. You can use compact discs tied with strings that dangle over the enclosure. When the compact discs spin or turn the shimmering light helps to keep critters away.
5. Repellants
Wildlife and pest repellents are available at most retail chains and hardware stores. Some of the common repellents include traps for rats or mice and chemical pesticides. If you prefer “green” repellent alternatives, use diluted ammonia in a spray bottle to mist the dumpster area and the trash bags. Most critters cannot stand the odor of ammonia. Another alternative to straight ammonia includes household Windex that you can spray directly onto your trash bags.
6. Animal Traps
If after trying all these tips you still have a problem with creatures and critters invading your dumpster, you can either hire a professional and reliable pest controller or consider setting up humane wildlife-traps. To ensure your safety, avoid confronting or cornering rodents and wild animals. They can carry dangerous diseases such as distemper or rabies. Wild animals are also unpredictable and can attack when they feel threatened. It is better to contact experienced pest-control service providers or companies that specialize in the removal of wildlife.
7. Make Sure Your Rented Dumpster Is Clean
When you receive your dumpster delivery to your business premise or your residential home, make sure the container is clean. It is also important to clean the container after every use, particularly when you are making more than one trip to either recycle centers or landfills.
8. Roll-Off Dumpster Placement
If your dumpster is sitting on mulch or grass, this invites rodents and insects to crawl and climb over the walls of the dumpster. Positioning the dumpster on either gravel or concrete can help to eliminate these risks. At the same time, if something starts to leak out of the dumpster, placing the container on gravel or concrete will ensure that anything that is leaking out of the dumpster does not find its way into your groundwater.
9. Position Your Dumpster Away From Foliage
Critters are generally afraid of humans. This is why most of them hide away in tall shrubs and grass, bushes, and trees, waiting until no-one is around. Destructive and clever critters like rats, possums, squirrels, skunks, and raccoons are just some of the creatures that are hiding in lush foliage. You should consider this before renting a dumpster. Ask your dumpster rental company to position the dumpster far from any foliage. If you do not have a lot of space, and you have to place the dumpster close to grass, shrubs, or trees, prune these areas and mow your grass before delivery of the dumpster.
Final Thoughts on Renting a Dumpster
Renting a dumpster is one of the easiest ways to deal with commercial and residential waste. However, critters and pests can become a challenge when you have not taken precautions. We hope that these tips will help you to keep your project area critter and pest free! When you are ready to start your next commercial or DIY project, or you are just ready to get rid of clutter, contact KC Dumpster Company, your favorite Dumpster Rental Company in the Kansas City Metropolitan area!. We are here to serve all your dumpster rental needs!
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