How To Prevent Racoons From Getting Into Your Grill

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One of the problems that grill owners face is a raccoon infestation. This is due to raccoons’ attraction to food and shelter hideouts. If your grill is continually used, you should be prepared to repel them when they appear.

A raccoon infestation can expose your family to diseases such as rabies, which is one of the consequences of raccoons raiding your grill. You may have already dealt with raccoons and have run out of choices.

We realize how frustrating dealing with this pest may be. That is why we have written this post to help you deal with raccoons messing around with your grill. Before you continue reading, if the thought of setting a raccoon trap has crossed your mind, we strongly advise you not to do so on your own.

Raccoons get violent when threatened and can cause injury.

By the end of this article, we guarantee that you will know everything concerning preventing raccoons from getting into your grill.

Why are raccoons attracted to my grill?

Raccoons are naturally attracted to cluttered and dirty areas. Raccoons will be drawn to your grill if it is not kept clean. Your grill will be unclean after each use due to the accumulation of food particles.

The failure to clean is a major reason why raccoons will always raid your grill. They usually search for food leftovers and surfaces with spilled drinks. Removing leftover food and grease is an effective way to make your grill unappealing to raccoons.

Raccoons will raid your grill if they realize that it provides a consistent food source for them. Their strong sense of smell would lead them to any leftover meal crumbs that had been left on your grill.

In addition, raccoons are attracted to your grill because it provides shelter for them. Raccoons will pitch their nest in any area they deem secure. There are different ways to keep raccoons out of your grill.

How to Prevent Raccoons from Getting into Your Grill

If you don’t want raccoons in your grill, check out the preventive measures below.

Always keep your grill area neat and clean. Clean your grill after every usage.
Never keep a trash can close to your grill.
Spray raccoon repellants around your grill area.

Make your grill inaccessible by ensuring your grill’s lid is securely closed. Never leave your grill uncovered.
Spray your grill area with ammonia. This helps ward off raccoons.
Use a motion-activated sprinkler. A motion sprinkler spritzes water when it detects movement.

You can use an ultrasound raccoon repeller. Some products combine sound and light to repel raccoons. The Repeller can be installed on your grill or in an area close to the grill.
Seal every entrance through which raccoons can gain access to your grill’s area.
Secure the area with a high fence. You can install an electric fence to repel raccoons.

Don’t place your grill near trees or climbing plants.
Store your grill indoors if it will not be used for a long time.
Use natural deterrents such as spraying your grill area with peppermint, onion, or garlic.

Never season or marinate your food on the grill as there are spillovers that can turn to stuck-on grease.

How to get rid of raccoons in my grill

Below are different ways to get rid of raccoons in your grill.

1. Thorough cleaning

Usually, whenever raccoons detect movement, they scamper away. However, they tend to leave debris.

It is necessary that you thoroughly clean your grill once you discover that it has been infested by raccoons. Cleaning will prevent the food you will grill from becoming contaminated with raccoon droppings. To make your grill safe to cook food on, you are expected to clean and disinfect the grill.

Here are the procedures to follow when cleaning your grill:

Scrape, brush and sweep off food debris and feces from every part of the grill.

Heat the grill to remove stuck-on grease and food.
Get a soapy solution and scrub every part of the grill.
Clean the grill with a vinegar solution.

Using clean water, rinse the grill to remove soap residue.
For the final clean, wipe the grill with a dry napkin.

2. Services of a professional

If a raccoon infestation cannot be managed, seek the services of a pest and animal control company.

Maintenance and safety tips for your grill

Here are some simple safety precautions to take if you suspect racoons doing their business around your grill.

Always check for raccoon feces to determine if there has been an infestation. Also, check for leaks and damaged pipes. These are indicators that raccoons have been raiding your grill.
After each use, clean your grill.

Keep your grill away from residential areas and trees.
Never leave your grill uncovered.
Give your grill a deep cleaning to keep it in good shape.

Final note

Raccoons can be avoided by maintaining good grill hygiene. The most basic anti-raccoon precaution is to clean the grill after each use and to use deterrents to keep them away.

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