How to Get Rid of Lizards

Even though lizards are beneficial as they gobble up a whole lot of nasty insects and spiders in your house, most people feel fear and disgust for these creepy creatures.

These creatures are common in warm areas, where cover and food are abundant. However, a 2010 analysis predicts that one-fifth of lizard species globally will become extinct by 2080 due to global warming. The analysis, led by a University of California–Santa Cruz professor, used data from more than 1,200 lizard populations worldwide.

Nevertheless, there will be plenty of them still around for decades and centuries to come.

Being small in size, lizards can easily enter homes and buildings through vents, pipes, cracks around windows, sliding doors and other crevices.

They are usually inactive during daytime, preferring the early evening to go in search of insects that are attracted to light. They eat bugs of all kinds – wasps, ants, grasshoppers, beetles, mosquitoes and spiders.

There are different species of lizards and most of them are harmless to humans. In fact, many people keep some species like iguanas, bearded dragons, geckos and anoles as pets.

However, black droppings with white tips that lizards leave behind are not only yucky to find but also potentially harmful to your health. It’s important to get rid of the droppings, as lizards frequently carry salmonella. Exposure to it can cause serious problems in humans.

Many people cannot bear the sight of these scaly creatures and want them off their property. Eradicating lizards and preventing them from returning to your house can be a difficult but not impossible task.

If you have too many lizards in your house to deal with on your own, you may need to try special pest-control products for efficient elimination or seek help from experts.

Here are some effective ways to get rid of lizards.

1. Keep Your House Clean

To prevent lizards from entering your home, you must make them feel unwelcome. This can be done by simply keeping your house clean.

Bear in mind that a dirty and messy house invites lizards, as it provides both hiding places and food for them.

• Sweep and vacuum your house regularly.
• Mop the floor regularly and especially after having your meal.
• Don’t let dirty dishes and dusty clutter pile up too much.
• Take care of garbage, piles of magazines and storage boxes.
• Move your furniture from time to time to expose their hiding places.
• Keep the temperature inside your house cool, as lizards prefer a warm environment.

2. Get Rid of Their Food Sources

Any creature needs food to survive. So, cutting down their food supply is one of the best ways to get rid of lizards.

• Do your best to keep your home insect-free. When lizards do not find their prey, they will naturally go elsewhere.
• Remove standing water sources, which are breeding grounds for insects that attract hungry lizards.
• Put away any open or leftover food you’ve got around the house. Also, clean up food crumbs as soon as possible.
• Do not keep trash cans filled for too long, as these attract lizards. Take out the trash frequently.
• Don’t leave pet food out for too long.

3. Seal Entry Points

When dealing with lizards, you must work diligently to seal up all the entry points they use to get into your house.

These creepy crawlers can squish their scaly bodies through very small openings, so even small holes and cracks become their private doorways. Thoroughly inspect the outside of your house and deal with any cracks and holes.

• Seal small cracks or holes in the walls using sealants.
• Use metal screens in your windows and repair any screens that are torn.
• Repair any fissures in the corners of your doors and windows.
• Water pipes in your kitchen and bathrooms should be crack-free.
• Ensure that your screen doors close tightly.

4. Use Simple Cardboard Traps

Using commercial or homemade traps are a good way to get rid of lizards. However, for this particular method to work, you must identify how and where the lizards are getting into your house. This is important so that you can place the traps near their entryways.

You can get lizard traps easily in the market, and they are not very expensive. Cardboard traps come with attractants that lure the lizards in and sticky surfaces that prevent them from getting out. Once caught, dump the trapped creature outside.

You can even make your own lizard traps with shoe boxes or water bottles. Put food and a sticky pad (can also use wax strips) in the traps.

If you have too many lizards to catch, multiple traps will be needed over a few days of trapping and removing.

5. Use Pepper Spray

There are only a few pests that can bear the burning sensation that pepper spray causes, and lizards are no exception. Pepper spray will irritate the lizards and make them run away.

1. Fill a small spray bottle with water.
2. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of pepper powder to it. You can also add a little chilli powder to it.
3. Put the cap on and shake it well to thoroughly mix the ingredients.
4. Spray the solution around your kitchen racks, corners, under the stove, windowsills, behind furniture and anywhere else you’ve seen lizards.
5. Repeat once daily for a few days until you are satisfied with the results.

6. Scare Them with Peacock Feathers

It has been found that lizards are afraid of peacock feathers. While the reason is not known, experts believe that these pesky pests associate large feathers with birds who prey on lizards.

Many people have successfully used peacock feathers to deter lizards in their house. You can buy peacock feathers in local markets or order them online.

Using a tape, stick a cluster of peacock feathers on the wall where lizards live. You can even put them in a flower vase or corners where you see lizards. This will cause the lizards to evacuate your room.

7. Spray Ice Cold Water on Them

Lizards are sensitive to changes in temperature, which can even affect their mobility. This is why spraying cold water on lizards is considered an effective method to get rid of these creepy creatures.

1. Filla spray bottle with ice cold water.
2. Keep an eye out for lizards and spray the ice cold water on them as soon as you see them.
3. As their movement slows, trap them in a cardboard box.
4. Finally, release them outside of your house.

8. Lemongrass

Insects and pests hate the strong citrus smell of lemongrass.  It works as a great lizard repellent, too.

• Put a few drops of lemongrass essential oil in different areas of your house where you spot lizards frequently.
• Another option is to hang used lemongrass teabags in areas where you find lizard droppings. Replace every few days.
• Alternatively, you can burn lemongrass and walk around your house with it to spread the smell to help repel lizards. Do this every couple of days.

9. Camphor

The strong smell of camphor can also help drive away lizards from your house.

• Place camphor balls in different corners of your house where you usually spot these creepy crawlers.
• Another option is to put a few drops of camphor oil in areas of your house where you find lizards most.

10. Get a Cat to Chase Them Out

If you do not have a pet cat, it is time to bring one home.

Cats simply love to catch lizards and rodents. They’ll quickly nab lizards whenever they see one. With little training, cats will work on your behalf to keep your house free of pests. In short, get a cute, cuddly, blood-thirsty predator.

A 2014 study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences reports that in areas where cats were plentiful, lizard populations were approximately half those of areas where there were no cats.

So, to take control ofthe lizard population in your home, get a cute cat to help you out.

Additional Tips

• As light attracts lizards, it is recommended to keep the lights off when you discover any lizards.
• It’s best to chase away lizards at night, as most of them prefer to come out in the evening.
• Keeping some egg shells around the corners of your house, doors, and windows can also help lizards at bay. Change the shells every three to four weeks, until you no longer see any of these creepy creatures in your premises.
• Suspending onion slices or garlic pieces against the walls of your house can help repel the lizards.
• You can also try coffee and tobacco balls. Mix equal amounts of both powders, add a little water and prepare small balls with the mixture. Place them in the cracks on your walls, behind cupboards, and under the bed for lizards to eat them and die.
• If you have an ongoing battle with lizards, you may want to buy an electronic pest repellent. The sound, vibrations and ultrasonic waves that they produce keep lizards at bay.
• Approach lizards quietly and cautiously, as even a small signal will cause them to run and hide.

Resources:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/may/13/lizards-mexico-extinction-climate-change
https://phys.org/news/2014-06-impact-feral-cats-lizards-greek.html