23 Highly Effective Ways To Get Rid Of Lizards From Home

There are over 6,000 species of lizard present across the world. To prey, they resort to various techniques like camouflage, venom, reflex bleeding, and sacrifice and regrowing their tail. Let’s focus on the house lizard or the common house gecko. Having too many lizards in one’s home can create many problems. Some people are extremely scared of lizards, some people feels creepy. Whatever the reasons are everyone wants to keep them away from your house and out of their sight and you and I are no exception. Because of that I did some research and created 23 ways to get rid of lizards from house.

So, what are these 23 highly effective ways to get rid of lizards from your home? Out of these 23 ways these 10 stands out the most. Here are our top 10 recommendations:

1. Mоvе Furnіturе Tо Exроѕе Hiding Plасеѕ
2. Tabasco Sаuсе Sрrау
3. Gаrlіс
4. Onіоn
5. Cayenne Pерреr
6. Pеасосk Feathers
7. DIY Pерреr Spray
8. Rаіd
9. Naphthalene Bаllѕ
10. Remove Anу Open Or Lеftоvеr Food Frоm Around Thе Hоuѕе

These 10 are easy to use and will get you going however as the title suggests all 23 of them are highly effective so continue reading to know all of the 23 ways to get rid them.

These are nocturnal creatures, which hide during the day and come out at night to feed on their prey. They can be seen climbing walls and building in search of insects and make chirping noise occasionally. They grow to around 3-6 inches and live up to about five years.

Habitat And Diet

These lizards are mainly present in urban settings, near bright light, which attracts their prey. They prefer to come out to hunt during the night and quickly escape to dark corners or cracks, in case of any threats. In the absence of any escape route, they would prefer the cover of darkness to hunt and return to their hideouts during the day.

They feed on invertebrates like the cockroaches, beetles, butterflies, moths, termites, and spiders.

Physiology

The common house gecko is cold-blooded or ectothermic. They are quinodiurnal, which means they forage at night and thermoregulate during the day. Since they don’t lose body water, they are capable of surviving under extreme weather conditions.

Reproduction

The female gecko lays two hard-shell eggs at a time. They can store the male sperm up to 36 weeks in their oviduct. They lay their eggs when they feel that the spot is secluded, and the eggs have a chance of hatching.

Communication

The common house gecko seems to exhibit three types of chirping sounds to communicate with each other. They are:

Long chirp: These are very rare and get found only when two males have a difference of opinion and have come up to a face-off situation.

Single chirp: This is a distress call, mainly among males. They chirp once when they feel threatened and nowhere to hide.

Multiple chirps: This is a signal relating to territorial matters, after feeding or mating. These shrill chirps emanate from the males, while the female might reply with a very faint chirp.

Reasons For Lizards Invading Homes

Lizards don’t bite or harm humans and pets. They are there only to survive. Given below are a list of reason why they get attracted to our living spaces:

• Your Home Is Full Of Insects

Lizards are attracted to their food. If your house is full of their prey, it is natural for them to invade your home. Insects are generally attracted to bright lights, food spills, and general cleanliness.

• Doors And Windows Open

If you leave your doors and windows open, you give access to the flying insects and also the lizards. Even cracks and holes near your door and windows can provide access to these creatures.

• Depending Upon Where You Live

Lizards are prone to thrive warmer climate. If you live in a tropical climate zone, chances of lizard infestation are higher, compared to those living in colder terrains.

• Warm House

These cold-blooded creatures get attracted to a more temperate and humid atmosphere. If your living spaces are more heated, compared to the exterior, you are sure to attract these pests inside.

• Many Places To Hide

In case of clutter in your house, there is scope for the lizards to hide. They always seek escape routes during their foraging. More wall hangings and cupboards entice these geckos to find quiet comfort.

• Leaky Pipes And Bad Drainage

Lizards get attracted to the moist environment. If you have bad plumbing and puddles of water inside or outside your home, lizards will get attracted.

• Uncovered Fruits

Lizards get attracted to fruits and worms associated with them. Hence uncovered food and plants inside your living spaces may lead lizards to your homes.

Why Are Lizards Considered Pests?

There are many reasons why we avoid lizards to be present in our habitat. Some of them are:

• Fear Phobia

Most humans are averse to lizards. Primarily since they are present behind closets, washroom doors, or kitchen counters. They also fear those lizards darting across the ceiling falling on them. Some people are just not agreeable to share common space with lizards!

• Bite

If you have young children, they, by mistake, may get too close to a lizard on the wall or floor. As a self-defense mechanism, they may bite and scoot.

• Sanitary

It is not very hygienic to have lizards roam around your homes. Wild lizards are known to carry bacteria and diseases with them. This gets heightened if you leave uncovered food around and later ingest them.

• Machinery

Small lizards tend to hide behind crevices and small spaces. If they get into any machinery parts, they may become dysfunctional.

• Laying Of Eggs

Females search for uncanny places to lay their eggs. If this happens inside your home, you would have an additional headache to manage their families too!

• Getting Caught In Door Or Window

Many a time, lizards get found between windows and doors, leading to the issue of cleaning and disinfecting these spaces.

• Droppings

Lizards tend to leave their droppings all-around your home. They also shed their skin, which attracts other insects. This multiplies your lizard infestation. Their droppings stain the walls, frames, and artifacts.

• Hard To Catch

Lizards are very quick on their feet. They are tough to catch, since they always plan their escape route, well in advance.

• Crawling Insects

If you have a secondary infestation like termites and spiders, lizards are sure to follow. They always look for a sustained source of food.

• Dropping Into Your Food

There have been instances, where smaller lizards fall from their perch into your openly kept food, including the stew on your oven!

• Fruits

Lizards are known to feed on fruits. Small nibbles can transmit any bacteria they may carry from outside. This passes on to us if we eat this infected food.

• Plants

They are also known to feed on plants. A large infestation of lizards can destroy your garden, both indoor and outdoor.

Some Interesting Lizard Facts

• In case a lizard is threatened, or its tail gets caught in a door jam, they would gladly leave behind their tail. They can regrow them. They sometimes return to eat their tail!
• Lizards smell with their tongue. That is why we see them extending their tongue at a rapid pace for no reason.
• They live everywhere except Antarctica. Their species has been living on this planet from the dinosaurs’ age.
• When they are scared, their stomach turns into rust color. They also bleed from the eyes, when frightened.
• Geckos love to drink water. You will notice them near puddles and leaking pipes, lapping up the water.

How Are Lizards Useful

Many consider lizards useful and would not want them killed. Following are some reasons why people encourage lizards to dwell alongside:

Other Pest Management: They feed on insects and worms and keep your house free from these pests.

Garden Pests: The brown lizards eat worms and beetles in your garden, which are your plant’s pests.

Indian Culture: Over the ages, animals get considered as part of the ecological balance. Hence they respect and protect them. Lizards are in this list, and they never get killed

Indian Mythology: There is a belief that lizards are present over the ages, to look after and take care of humans. There are many lores concerning their calls.  And also being present at a particular place or wall in your house! All these seem to indicate some messages from beyond human imagination!

Symbolic Messages: People believe that if a lizard falls on someone, depending upon the body part and time, there is a reason behind this. Also, when they fall from the ceiling, there is a silent message being passed on!

Messenger of God: Since lizards communicate from beyond human understanding, they get considered as the messenger of God, the Almighty. Hence killing lizard is a sin and must get repented in the future.

Worshipped In Temples: There are temples, where lizards get worshipped. It is a belief that if we pray to the lizard, our good deeds in our present life multiples.

Keep Them Away: In case the people of such regions are opposed to lizards, they would get their homes sealed off, maintain hygiene, chase away the geckos, but never kill them!

Lizard Control And Extermination From Homes

Lets now look at various ways, how we can control lizard infestation and finally get rid of them from our homes:

1. Move furniture

Common house geckos look for dark spaces to hide during the days. Natural hiding spots are behind furniture, under the bed, and in the narrow areas behind photo frames. Make it a routine to move your furniture around. Clean the spaces behind your frames of cobwebs. Lift your floor furniture to check if the lizards are hiding underneath. This activity must be done once every month so that the lizards avoid such spaces to hide in the future.

2. Tabasco sauce spray

Lizards are averse to the smell of Tabasco sauce. Mix two tablespoons of this sauce with one liter of water. Pour the mixture into to spray. Use liberally on the walls, ceilings, and corners, where you usually find lizards at night. The smell of this sauce mixed with water vapor, will keep them away for some time. Repeat this process, as and when you spy them on your property.

3. Garlic

The strong and pungent smell of garlic does not go well with lizards. They would prefer to stay far away from this odor. Keep cloves of garlic near the areas infested by lizards. You could also get the juice extracted from the cloves, mix with water and spray the ceiling and crevices, where lizards haunt. This pungent odor will keep the lizards at bay till the smell diminishes.

4. Onion

Lizards can’t stand the strong smell of onions. Slice pieces of onions and place them near window and door entrances, thro’ lizards frequently enter. You can also extract the onion juice, mix with water and spray on the walls, ceiling, and behind photo frames, where lizards usually are found. Onions contain sulfur, which exudes this smell and is an irritant to the geckos.

5. Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper is a good repellant against lizards. Mix crushed pepper with warm water thoroughly, place in a spray and use in the areas where lizards get typically seen. After the water vapor evaporates, the pepper residue stuck to the walls, ceiling, and corners are irritants to lizards. This will keep them at bay till the power of the pepper vanishes. While using this spray outdoors, you may have to use this regularly, since the pepper residue may get washed away due to rain and dew.

6. Peacock feathers

Peacocks feed on lizards. By placing peacock feathers near the entrances and corners, where lizards hide, can keep these pests away. Since they get preyed upon by peacocks, the presence of their feathers would keep the frightened geckos away. This is a fear psychosis that is getting employed in keeping the pests at bay.

7. Pepper spray

Crush black pepper, mix with water and spray all over the house. Remember to spray on the walls, ceiling, corners, behind cupboards, and under the bed. Lizards are allergic to pepper, and the odor will drive them away from their hideouts and keep them away. Repeat this DIY process every fortnight, so that geckos are kept away for good.

8. Raid spray

Raid Max spray is lethal. If you do not have any other option to rid your home from lizards, spray raid max on the body of the lizard. They would remain dazed for some time. Slide it inside a container and drop it inside your garbage bin, where it would soon die.

9. Naphthalene Balls

Place naphthalene balls inside your cupboard, drawers, under your bed, and in the corners, will keep the lizards away from these places. They do not like the pungent odor of naphthalene and would stay clear from these areas.

10. Remove Open And Left-Over Food

Open and left-over food attracts insects, both crawling and flying. To prey on these insects, lizards follow. To keep lizards at bay, keep their food sources away. Cover all fruits and vegetables at home. Remove all left-over foods from the kitchen counter or dining table. Store the food away inside the refrigerator or throw them inside the closed wastebasket. The aroma or stink of these fresh or stale food attracts pests.

11. Ridsect Lizard Repellant

This lizard repellant does not kill them. Spray this repellant on the walls, ceiling, and near the doors and windows. This repellant has a property that deters lizards foot pads to hold on to the wall surface. This will prevent them from entering your abode and keeping them away until the effect of this spray lasts. You have to keep spraying this regularly to make this method effective.

12. External assistance

There is an umpteen number of professionals who would be able to help you manage these creatures at a price. Some of the methods are temporary and while others have some shelf life. They usually come with a dual solution of spray cum powder. Residue chemical is essential to keep these pests away on a long term basis. A most important point to note is the effect of these chemicals on humans and pets. Ensure that this aspect gets ascertained before such help gets sought.

13. Eggshells

You can place broken eggshells at the corners or near the entrances. Lizards don’t like the odor of the eggshell. Also, the presence of these large shells will make the gecko realize the presence of larger reptile or bird nearby, thereby frightening them away from this vicinity. This is a trick solution, which works most of the time.

14. Coffee Method

Mix coffee and tobacco powder very well. Add a small quantity of water to make a paste of this mixture. Then make small balls from this paste. Place it in corners and entrances, where lizards mostly frequent. Coffee entices the lizard to the balls. Consumption of tobacco would kill them since it’s very toxicto their internal systems. By consuming these pills, the geckos would either run away from your house or die at one corner. This DIY repellant is very potent on lizards.

15. Seal the house

One of the best and safe way to keep the lizards at bay is to seal the house. Ensure all your windows have mosquito nets at all times. This would keep all flying and crawling insects from entering your home thro’ the window. Similarly, ensure that your kitchen and washrooms are also protected at the windows and near the vents.

When you open your main door to enter and exit, shut it tight behind you. Don’t let the front door remain ajar over some time. If there are cracks and holes near your doors and windows, seal them off. Ensure that your basement gets sealed correctly, and there is no way these pests can enter your home. Once you have completed this task of sealing your home, ensure you maintain hygiene inside and outside your home.

16. Flypaper

Flypaper is as effective in trapping and killing flies as with the lizards. Place these flypapers in the corners, under the bed or near the entrances, which the lizard frequent. Once the gecko gets trapped on to this flypaper, you will have to dispose of the dead creature inside an outdoor garbage bin. This method kills the reptile since the glue gets stuck to its body and cannot get removed.

17. Plastic No-Kill Trap

There are ready-made plastic traps available in the market. Place some dead insects at the end of the trap. Once the lizards get lured inside the trap, the trap shuts on them. Take the trap to your external garbage bin and shake the trapped lizard out. You can reuse your trap all over again.

18. Coldwater

This is another DIY technique to slow down a lizard on its track. If you spot a lizard on the floor, happily gobbling its prey, pour chilled water on top of it. For a moment, they would stay startled and frozen. Use a stick to slide it inside a container. Take them away from your home and throw them out.

19. Avoid Succulent Plants In The Porch

Do not place succulent plants in your porch area. These plants attract insects, which in turn brings the geckos. Keep these plants away from your home, if you wish to keep lizards at bay.

20. Phenyl Tablets

You can place phenyl tablets around the house, which will drive the lizards out. They get repelled to the phenyl smell, and this keeps them away. Cleaning your floors with water mixed with phenyl is also an excellent option to keep your floors gecko free.

21. Lemongrass

The citrus smell of lemongrass does not go well with a lizard. Keep some blades of lemongrass around your house. The odor is refreshing to humans but would keep your crawling friends away.

22. Catching

If there are circumstances that the above may get failed in ridding your house from the gecko. If there are only a few, you could try to catch them and throw them out. Following are some ways, this can be done:

• Get along the container and urge the lizard to get into it. Once inside, close the opening, take the box outside and empty it away from your home.
• Some people wear thick gloves, catch them swiftly and throw them outside the window, as and when they find these creatures lurking indoors.
• Creating a noose with a strong thread, lowering the same over the head needs skill and deftness. Once secure, they are released away from your home.

23. Commercial Options

There are many other retail options available to control lizards at home. Given below are a few options:

Lizard Defence: This a very popular lizard repellant available in the market today. This has natural ingredients that are not harmful to humans and pets. It has a fresh odor, which is pleasant to our nose. However, this same odor is not agreeable to not only the typical house geckos but the entire lizard family.

Spray Lizard Defence inside and outside your homes. Respray outside, in case of rain, since the water washes away the spray residue. Feedback for this product is good. A regular spray of this repellant keeps lizards at bay.

Lizard Blocker Granules: These granules are made from natural elements and are not harmful to humans and pets. Even if pets eat these granules lying on the ground, no harm will befall them. The smell released by these granules is repulsive to the lizards, which makes them stay away.

These granules can get sprinkled inside and outside your home. In case of rain, pellets get washed away. Hence the further spread of these granules is necessary for those washed out areas. These are preferred by those who do not wish to use the spray. These granules do not kill the lizard, chases them away.

Pest Rid Manual Spray: This is another variant of spray made from a natural substance. This spray is not only active on lizards, but also other amphibians like the frog and snake. This spray does not kill the pests, chases them away.

Spray this repellant along the corners, behind the cupboards, and under the furniture. Look for places like the crevices, where lizards hide typically during the day. The pungent smell of garlic and cinnamon, would bring them out of their hiding and make them go away. Since the scent bothers some of us, we tend to avoid this spray.

The spray can get used inside and outside your homes. In the case of rain, reapplication would get required in external spaces favored by the geckos.

Catch Master Glue Traps: These are cost-effective and useful traps for lizards, mice, beetles, and other crawling and flying insects. These are cardboards, with very strong glue surface on one side. These can be placed flat or in folded forms. When the pests walk upon these boards, their bodies get stuck the glue.

If you are not comfortable to see live lizards and other pests stuck to these surfaces, avoid this trap. Once you find the lizards, attached to the surface, throw them away into external garbage bins. These creatures die due to dehydration.

This type of traps is beneficial to check other types of infestation and also identify the area where most of the pests live. Since lizards get attracted to other insects, this trap would give you a clue of other insect infestation at your home.

Mikado’s Organic Gecko Repellant: This is a herbal product made of natural ingredients. They are odorless, non-poisonous, and safe for humans and pests. Fill your spray with this liquid repellant and spray on the walls, roofs, and cracks to keep the geckos away. Lizards do not like the residue of this vapor and run away from the sprayed areas.

This product also comes with repellants against ants and beetles too. These can be sprayed internally and externally, where another pest infestation gets found. If you have multiple insect and lizard issues, this product is pretty useful.

Lizard Apps: These days, there are various apps available online. You need to download the app on your mobile phones. These apps produce sound waves, which is unbearable for the lizards. They would keep far away from the source.

You could place this app around the lizard infested area and switch on to the frequency, which is active on the lizards. You may have to move from room to room to chase these lizards away, till the exit thro’ the doors and windows.

If you use this app, make sure that you plan to seal your doors, windows, and crevices so that the geckos don’t re-enter when the app is not working. Also, ensure that foods get covered and left-overs are either get stored away or disposed of.

This is an excellent option to look at if you wish to avoid a messy solution like the spray, granules, or sticky mat.

Conclusion

Lizards get considered as a boon and a pest, over time immemorial. Most of the DIY and commercial repellants are to get the geckos away from your homes. There are suggestions on how they can get kept away. Some humans get used to lizards in their living space, while others cannot tolerate them. There are very few methods, which exterminate this creature. It gets left to us humans, how we wish to control these species – keeping them away or by killing them!