Sasha CampbellHave you ever had those creepy lizards scurrying around your home or yard? Don’t worry; you’re not alone. Lizards can be annoying pests in homes and gardens.
The good news is that some great home remedies and natural ways to control them exist. Below are some tried-and-true tips to get you started.
Here’s how to get rid of lizards naturally:
1. Get a Cat
The easiest way to naturally deter lizards from sticking around is to get a cat. Their predatory instincts will kick in when they see these little creatures scurrying about.
Having an outdoor cat patrol your yard is one of the best ways to scare off lizards. The mere scent of a feline predator will send lizards running in the opposite direction.
If you don’t have a cat, consider borrowing one from a neighbor or friend for a few hours daily.
Even if the cat doesn’t catch lizards, its presence alone should do the trick. The lizards will run away when they see it.
2. Onions and Garlic
Onions and garlic are natural repellents that lizards hate.
Therefore, place cut onions and raw garlic cloves around your home and yard entry points. The pungent smell will deter lizards and drive them away to find shelter and food sources elsewhere.
3. Remove Standing Water Sources
Some lizards need access to water, so eliminating places where they can drink will make your yard less habitable.
Empty pet bowls, bird baths, gutters holding rainwater, and buckets—any container that collects and holds water. All this effort will help keep lizards away.
4. Eggshells
It is believed that some lizards dislike the smell of eggs.
So, spread crushed eggshells where lizards often enter your home, like under doors, windows, and cracks or crevices. The unpleasant aroma will encourage these reptiles to move on to another location.
5. Pepper Spray
Pepper spray irritates the lizard’s eyes, mouth, and nose.
Therefore, make a DIY pepper spray for lizards by mixing one tablespoon of cayenne pepper powder with one cup of tap water.
Mix well, then spray the solution on the corners around your home. The spicy scent and flavor will encourage the lizards to vacate the area for more pleasant surroundings.
If sprayed directly on them, this solution is a great lizard killer spray for wall geckos and common house lizards.
6. Keep Leftover Food Covered
Leftover food is a major attractant for lizards looking for an easy meal. Therefore, securely cover any leftover pet food, trash, compost, or food waste.
Garbage cans, compost bins, and pet food containers should have tight-fitting lids. Counters and floors should also be kept clean and free of crumbs.
Cover fruit bowls and seal uneaten pet food immediately. Leaving food out will draw lizards in and give them a reason to stay.
7. Reduce Humidity Indoors
Reducing humidity levels in your home is another way to get a lizard out of the house. Many lizards need warm, humid environments to live in.
Therefore, run a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture from the air in your house. Also, improve ventilation and reduce moisture around foundations, basements, crawl spaces, sheds, and garages.
Fix leaky faucets and clear clogged drains to eliminate standing water and the humidity they create.
8. Peacock Feathers
Peacock feathers are a natural repellent for lizards. The feathers (or their smell) will make lizards think a predator is nearby.
You can place peacock feathers in your yard or inside your house where you can see the lizards. The critters will avoid those areas.
It is a slick way to get rid of lizards without killing them.
9. Seal Cracks or Crevices
Another way to deal with a lizard problem is to seal any cracks or crevices leading into your home. Lizards will crawl into your home through small openings in foundations, under doors, around pipes, and in attics or basements.
Use caulk, weatherstripping, door sweeps, or fix damaged screens. These methods seal access points and keep lizards out. Also, inspect the exterior of your home, including the attic and basement.
Look for cracks or holes in your house, especially where pipes or wires enter the structure. Seal these to eliminate ways for lizards to sneak inside.
Tightly seal all holes or cracks leading to the attic, basement, or crawlspace. Blocking access to these areas will remove shelter and hiding spots for lizards trying to get in.
10. Eliminate Their Food Sources
Lizards feed on small insects like flies, ants, and moths [1]. Therefore, take steps to keep pests out of your house and garden.
Food should also be stored in airtight containers, and food waste and spills should be cleaned up. These steps will make your home less habitable for insects, forcing lizards to look elsewhere for food.
You should also clear yard debris, such as wood piles and leaf litter, where insects and lizards hide. In addition, trim plants, shrubs, and trees away from the house.
11. Repellent Plants
Some plants contain natural oils that lizards dislike and will avoid. Therefore, planting repellent plants around the yard or home is an easy, pet-friendly way to deter lizards.
The best plants for repelling lizards include rosemary, lemongrass, eucalyptus, and peppermint.
12. Keep Your Landscaping Tidy
Keeping your yard tidy and debris-free will make the area less habitable for lizards.
Lizards are attracted to places that provide shelter, food sources, and spots to lay eggs. So, by reducing access to these, you’ll make your yard less lizard-friendly.
Clean up any wood piles, brush, or leaf litter around the yard where lizards can hide. Also, trim plants, shrubs, and trees so branches don’t touch exterior walls or rooflines.
13. Essential Oils
Essential oils like eucalyptus, lavender, peppermint, and citronella naturally repel lizards. Their strong scents deter them.
Therefore, apply a few drops of the essential oil of your choice to cotton balls. Next, place the cotton balls around entry points to your home or where you frequently see lizards.
You can also make a homemade lizard-repellent spray with essential oils diluted in water.
For the recipe, combine 15 drops of oil of your choice in a cup of water. Spray it around the perimeter of your home.
With regular application, these oils will naturally repel lizards and protect your living space in a safe, eco-friendly manner.
14. Coffee Grounds and Tobacco Powder
The smell of used coffee grounds deters lizards.
So, spread fresh or used coffee grounds in areas where you see lizards, such as near doors, in corners of rooms, and on the patio. The lizards will avoid these spots.
However, if you want something deadly, you can make homemade poison for them. Just combine coffee grounds and tobacco powder.
Mix the two and leave the concoction around the house. This mixture is poisonous to lizards, who can die if they consume it.
15. Salt
Another deadly home remedy for lizards is salt. If you apply table salt directly to a lizard’s skin, the result will be dehydration and, ultimately, death.
16. Step On It
You can kill a house lizard in a variety of ways. But stepping on it is the most common method. The lizard (chipkali) will die immediately as the spine and internal organs are crushed.
Another method is hitting it with something heavy, like a log or rock.
17. Vinegar
Vinegar’s acidity can cause irritation and burns if it comes into contact with the skin. High concentrations of vinegar are also deadly.
The thin skin of lizards makes them more susceptible to vinegar’s effects. If inhaled, vinegar can also lead to respiratory issues in lizards.
As such, you can make a spray to keep lizards at bay. Combine equal parts of white vinegar and water, then spritz it around to ward them off.
18. Baking Soda
A frequently asked question is whether baking soda kills lizards in the house. The answer is no.
However, you can use it to kill their food sources, such as roaches, ants, and other insects they take as food. Removing lizards’ food sources will help keep them out of the house.
Takeaway
Try using these home remedies and natural deterrents near your home and yard entrances. Give them time to take effect.
When these critters have overstayed their welcome, you have some eco-friendly tricks to show them the door.
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