Throughout Singapore, there is a common guest we have all seen but can’t get rid of, no matter how hard we try. We wish we could make them pay rent, but they are too cunning and too fast to catch.
If you are a victim of lizards or geckos that dart across walls and floors, scaring you as you go about your household chores, this is your chance to stop them from giving you endless frights. And, of course, to keep your house free from pests.
Here are 11 reliable ways to get rid of lizards at home.
Table of Contents
Eliminate Insects in Your Home (Mosquitoes or Flies)
The best way to get rid of lizards at home is to not give them a reason to enter in the first place. You can do this by getting rid of their main food source: insects. If you can get rid of the insects, you can get rid of the lizards.
To prevent insects like mosquitoes and flies from entering your home and attracting lizards in the process, you should:
- Wash dishes immediately; don’t let them sit in the sink for too long.
- Always take out the trash.
- Add liquid soap (any kind will do) to any stagnant water to prevent mosquitoes from breeding in your home.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator immediately after meals; don’t leave them out in the open for too long.
Clean Up and Organize Your Belongings to Reduce Clutter
Lizards love to hide behind picture frames, hanging art or portraits, bookshelves, and even cupboards. Therefore, be sure to clean your rooms to eliminate their possible hiding spots:
- Throw away or donate any personal items you no longer use or need.
- Clean shelves, cabinets, and cupboards regularly.
- Keep your belongings organized.
- Don’t let trash pile up anywhere in the house.
- Clean the back of any artwork or pictures hanging inside the house.
Any food crumbs, Milo or coffee spills, or just plain dirt at home will attract insects, which in turn will attract lizards. So, clean and tidy up as much as possible and remind those living with you to do the same.
Use Essential Oils like Citronella Oil
Citronella oil is known to be an effective essential oil for repelling mosquitoes, and it can also ensure that lizards are not attracted to your home. They don’t smell too bad either, so this could be a win-win situation for you.
Mix Coffee Grounds and Tobacco to Make Lizard-Repellent Balls
Whether you drink coffee or not, you are probably familiar with its strong smell. It is the fuel for most coffee drinkers and can also repel lizards.
To permanently eliminate lizards, you can mix wet coffee grounds with tobacco powder. Here’s how:
- Buy some coffee powder from a nearby supermarket.
- Mix it with tobacco powder and water – a combination used by gardeners as a natural insecticide.
- Form it into small balls and stick them on the ends of toothpicks.
- Place these coffee-tobacco balls in areas of your home where lizards are often seen.
Place Naphthalene Balls in Drawers, Cabinets, and Cupboards
Even if you’ve never heard of naphthalene balls or mothballs, we believe you’ve seen them before. They are the small white balls you might find in a dresser drawer, most likely placed there by your mother.
Naphthalene balls have a distinct chemical smell that repels lizards, so consider placing them in your wardrobes, dresser drawers, kitchen cabinets, cupboards, and on shelves.
However, if you have young children, be careful when placing these around the room. While generally safe to use around adults, small children might mistake them for Mentos and eat them, or just taste them. This can cause nausea and vomiting, so be mindful of your children and warn them not to touch them.
Mix Hot Sauce and Pepper to Create a Spray Solution
You can use any type of hot sauce—although we’ve heard Tabasco sauce works best—and mix it with black pepper or cayenne pepper. Lizards are said to hate spicy smells, so try mixing hot sauce and pepper to use as a spray when you encounter a lizard at home.
Place Chopped Onions and Garlic Cloves Where Lizards Usually Hide
Just like with vampires, garlic can repel lizards, and so can onions. Chop some of either and place them around your room (if you don’t mind the strong smell) to drive away these unwelcome guests.
However, we have to say, the smell might be too overpowering even for you. So, try it out and don’t leave the garlic cloves and chopped onions out in the open for too long.
Some sources say you can make a spray solution with garlic or onions to spray on counters and drive away lizards. Alternatively, you can have the spray on standby to use when you need to deal with a lizard immediately.
Trap Lizards with Sticky Flypaper
Here’s an odorless trick for catching lizards. If you’ve read everything above and thought it’s a bit “too smelly,” you can start by placing flypaper on walls, ceilings, or floors—especially in corners and crevices where flies tend to hide. They are sticky enough to catch insects like flies and work well for catching lizards too.
Place Some Eggshells in the Kitchen
The next time you make scrambled eggs, keep the shells and place them on kitchen counters, floors, or windowsills. And don’t wash them. The subtle smell of the eggshells is said to keep lizards away.
Ventilate the Cabinet Under the Sink
As mentioned before, insects like mosquitoes, flies, and lizards are attracted to moisture. So, if you have a leaky pipe, be sure to fix it, ventilate the area regularly, and try to keep it dry.
You can line the bottom of the cabinet under the sink with newspapers—this also helps prevent wood rot, making your cabinets last longer.
💡 Some other tips:
- Keep doors and windows closed, as insects and other pests can easily enter through these openings.
- Patch any cracks or holes in windows, walls, doors, and other structures that lizards can pass through.
- Try to keep your living spaces well-ventilated with a fan or air conditioning, as lizards tend to prefer warm places. In sunny Singapore, it’s inevitable that your home will get very hot at certain times of the day.
Splash Lizards with Cold Water
Cold water is said to hinder the movement of lizards. So, when you see one scurrying across a wall or ceiling, splash some cold water on it. This will make it easier to catch and dispose of.
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