How to Get Rid of Lizards in the House, Garden, Yard, Porch (2024)

In many parts of the country, lizards are abundant. While that might not seem like a big deal to some, others are incredibly bothered by these reptiles. Many people find them creepy, and some worry if they’re dangerous. Since that’s the case, “how to get rid of lizards” becomes a priority.

When it comes to how to get rid of lizards, several techniques work well. Usually, it’s best to start by eliminating food and water sources. After that, natural repellents like peppermint, eucalyptus, spicy peppers, and garlic are worth trying. You can also use commercial solutions.

However, that just scratches the surface of the available options. Here’s an in-depth look at how to get rid of lizards in the house, garden, or yard.

What Attracts Lizards?

Generally speaking, lizards are looking for three basic things: food, water, and shelter. If your home, yard, or garden is brimming with insects, you cover the first base. The same goes if you have fruits, vegetables, or many other food scraps around.

With water, anything from a drippy faucet to a pet bowl is considered a viable source for a lizard. As for shelter, dark, cool, covered areas are a favorite for lizards. Wood piles, under sheds, and behind furniture can all meet that need.

Are Lizards Dangerous?

Most lizards aren’t overly dangerous. The types of lizards people usually find in their home, yard, or garden aren’t venomous or poisonous. There are only two venomous lizards in North America: the Gila Monster and the Mexican Beaded Lizard.

Otherwise, most lizards pose little threat to humans. The majority of lizards aren’t going to aggress a person. Instead, they’re usually going to run instead of try and fight.

Some lizards may indeed bite. Additionally, larger ones could cause notable skin damage. However, the bite itself isn’t the most imminent danger. Often, that honor goes to bacteria, particularly salmonella.

Lizards carry a range of bacteria on their bodies and digestive tract. In some cases, those bacteria do pose a threat to people and pets.

How to Get Rid of Lizards in the House, Garden, Yard, Porch

1. Eliminate Food and Water Sources

If you want to get rid of lizards, eliminating food and water sources is your best starting point. Generally speaking, no animal will take up residence in an area where it can’t easily get a meal or a drink. Instead, they’ll move onto another more accommodating property.

Eliminating food sources can be a little tricky. Lizards will eat insects, along with some fruits and vegetables. Since that’s the case, your first step might be to eliminate other pests in your yard, including ants, beetles, worms, and other bugs.

After that, you want to limit the presence of other items lizards might view as food. Cleanliness can play a big role, as lizards may view crumbs or dropped items as a potential meal. If you have a garden or fruit trees, make sure to pick up fallen fruit and vegetables quickly.

Additionally, you may want to use natural deterrents around the outer edge of your garden or near the tree. That makes the spotless appealing to lizards, reducing the odds that they’ll go there for a meal.

For water, make sure there aren’t any standing sources, including dishes, birdbaths, or even long-lasting puddles. Also, repair any dripping faucets.

2. Peppermint or Eucalyptus

Like many animals, certain odors aren’t pleasant to lizards. Two of the biggest are peppermint and eucalyptus. Both scents are typically very strong, so animals with sensitive noses or lungs don’t usually enjoy them.

If you want to use these aromas as deterrents, you have a few options. First, you can plant fresh peppermint or eucalyptus in your garden or pots. Potted plants can be ideal for placing around windows or doors, potentially preventing lizards from coming inside. Planted peppermint or eucalyptus may protect your garden.

Second, you can use essential oils to create a deterrent spray. Take a spray bottle and fill it with water. Then, add a few drops of essential oil and a couple of drops of either dish soap or vegetable glycerin. Give it a shake, and then spray it around windows and doorways.

If you use the spray near the garden, make sure you don’t spray directly on the leaves. Instead, focus on the ground around the area.

3. Spicy Peppers

Lizards aren’t big fans of spicy peppers since they’re an irritant. As a result, you can use that to your advantage. You could plant peppers in your yard or garden, decreasing the odds of lizards going through those areas. Creating a spicy pepper spray is also an option.

If you want to go with a spray, some approaches can work. Soaking sliced jalapenos (including the seeds) or similar hot peppers in water can work, giving you a simple spray. You could also mix dried peppers like cayenne in water.

4. Garlic and Onion

Like spicy peppers, garlic and onions aren’t scents that lizards are fond of generally. Plus, they can be irritants.

Like spicy peppers, you can either use these items outright or create sprays. Often, a garlic spray is the simplest option, as you can simply soak some garlic in water inside of a spray bottle. You could even soak it with spicy peppers, making the spray more potent.

For onions, using cooking scraps may work. You could also plant onions in your garden if you prefer.

5. Mothballs

If you happen to have mothballs around, you could potentially use them as a lizard deterrent. Keep them near potential entry points to your home, such as doorways and windows. You could also place them in containers near a possible shelter or food sources.

Just keep in mind that mothballs are potentially dangerous to people and pets. As a result, it isn’t a great option for all households.

6. Pine-Sol

Pine-Sol isn’t just known for its cleaning power; it also has a strong scent.

Like many aroma-based deterrents, lizards don’t typically enjoy spending time around the potent smell of Pine-Sol.

Since that’s the case, you can potentially keep lizards away by cleaning with Pine-Sol. For instance, if you use Pine-Sol near doorways and windows, lizards may assume that coming inside isn’t a great idea.

Just keep in mind that this only works while the scent is lingering. That could mean needing to wipe down strategic spots frequently if lizards getting inside is a major problem.

7. Ultrasonic Indoor Repeller

If you’re trying to keep lizards out of your house, an ultrasonic indoor repeller might do the trick. These produce a sound that many animals – including lizards – find irritating. As a result, they don’t tend to hang around.

There is some debate about the effectiveness of ultrasonic indoor repellers. However, they don’t cause any physical harm, so it’s an approach that’s potentially worth exploring if you prefer deterrents over more aggressive options.

Usually, the main drawback to using this approach is that ultrasonic indoor repellers aren’t just annoying to lizards; they irritate a wide range of animals. Additionally, they may have limited coverage, particularly since the sound doesn’t always travel through walls well.

8. Remove Wood, Rock, or Trash Piles

Wood, rock, and trash piles are prime sources of shelter for lizards. Plus, they can serve as homes for insects that lizards may eat. By removing them from your yard, you’re making your property less habitable in the eyes of lizards. As a result, they may choose to move on pretty quickly.

9. Get a Cat

Cats are predators, and they’ll commonly set their sights on lizards. By having a cat in your home, any lizard that comes it may get chased off, at a minimum. If you have an indoor-outdoor cat, then your yard and garden might get some protection, too.

Just be aware that lizards may bite a cat if they’re threatened. Additionally, some of the bacteria that lizards carry that are harmful to people are also potentially harmful to cats. However, sometimes that’s a non-issue, as simply having a cat in the area may prevent lizards from venturing too far into your property.

10. Tobacco

Tobacco could be your answer if you’re looking for a solution beyond deterrents and repellents. It’s a potentially lethal approach, primarily due to nicotine in tobacco.

Many people combine tobacco with coffee powder, creating small balls. Then, they position them in places that the lizards tend to eat or pass through, making it look like a convenient treat. However, tobacco is poisonous to lizards, so they typically die quickly after consumption.

It’s important to note that tobacco is potentially lethal to various other animals, including household pets. Since that’s the case, it’s best to go in another direction if you have pets or if there are other outdoor animals in the area that you don’t want to harm.

11. Reduce the Temperature

As cold-blooded reptiles, lizards typically prefer spots that help them stay warm. If you cool your house down by a few extra degrees, it may make your home seem less inviting to lizards. The coolness makes lizards slower and sluggish, which isn’t ideal for remaining safe. As a result, they may quickly head back outside.

Just keep in mind that this could bump up your electric bill during the summer, potentially significantly depending on where you live and the outside temperature. However, it’s an option worth considering.

Plus, it could result in cost savings in the cooler months. By lowering the temperature of your home a bit, it’s less of a haven for chilly lizards, potentially encouraging them to head elsewhere for warmth.

12. Turn Off Lights

While lizards are more active at night, that doesn’t mean they shy away from light. Instead, they may head to areas where light is plentiful, mainly because bugs may gather around the light source.

If you have issues with lizards, turn off as many lights as possible. Deck and porch lights are critical places to start, as they may bring lizards closer to your home. Similarly, indoor lights may attract lizards to your house, so either keep them turned off or use blackout curtains to make your home seem darker from the outside.

13. Commercial Repellents

Commercial repellents are designed specifically to deter specific kinds of animals from being in an area. The approach they use can vary. Some involve techniques similar to those above. For example, there are peppermint sprays available commercially, others use more chemical-based ingredients.

Regardless, using them is typically simple. The most common forms are sprays, allowing you to spritz spots you want lizards to avoid. Some options use granules that you sprinkle in the area instead.

If you want to try a commercial repellent, make sure to read the packaging, especially the ingredients list and any warning labels. That way, you can ensure that you are comfortable with what it uses and won’t pose an undue risk to your family or pets.

14. Pest Control Experts

If you aren’t just dealing with the occasional lizard and are instead of battling a bit of an infestation, you may want to contact pest control experts. They can assess the situation to identify the cause of your lizard problem. Then, they can recommend solutions designed with your specific needs in mind.

This option is particularly wise if you struggle to eliminate insects that serve as a food source. Pest control professionals can use solutions that target specific bugs. Plus, they can use safe options for your home and pets, ensuring your yard doesn’t end up off-limits.

In many cases, pest control experts can also recommend exclusion methods. Even if a lizard ends up in your yard, it won’t likely make its way inside your home.

Do Eggshells Repel Lizards?

One widely-touted way to repel lizards is spreading broken eggshells around your home. The reason people think this works varies. Some say lizards don’t like the smell. Others claim it makes lizards believe that predators are around.

The problem is that many lizards aren’t just scared of eggs; they view them as a food source. Since that’s the case, it could make your home seem more habitable to lizards, not less, making this a poor choice for dealing with a lizard problem.

Does Baking Soda Kill Lizards?

Another misconception about lizards is that baking soda will kill them, but that isn’t typically true. It’s possible the rumor came about because baking soda is lethal for certain pests, including many insects and some rodents. However, it won’t notably harm lizards.

However, baking soda may kill insects that lizards view as food. A combination of baking soda and sugar is a popular way to kill co*ckroaches and ants in homes. Along with being effective, it’s relatively safe for people and pets, making it a better option than some conventional poisons.

As a result, you could potentially use baking soda to eliminate food sources lizards may turn to, depending on the kinds of bugs present in your yard. That could allow you to use baking soda to drive the lizards away, primarily because there isn’t a quick meal available on your property.

Smells That Repel Lizards

When it comes to smells that repel lizards, strong odors from spicy peppers often deter them. Peppermint and eucalyptus scents are overwhelming to many lizards, so they’ll typically head elsewhere instead of tolerating the odor.

The benefit of using those deterrents is that they’re generally safe for people. However, they can be potentially harmful to some household pets, so keep that in mind.

How to Keep Lizards Away Permanently

If you want to keep lizards away permanently, your best bet is to eliminate food and water sources and limit access to shelter. That makes your property seem less habitable to the lizard overall. So, while they may pass through, the odds that they’ll stick around drop dramatically.

Incorporating some natural deterrents into the mix can also be wise. For example, you could plant spicy peppers, peppermint, or eucalyptus. Consider surrounding your food garden – a potential food source for lizards – with deterrent plants. Then, you can enjoy fresh fruits and veggies while decreasing the odds that lizards will turn your garden into a source of snacks.

Best Lizard Repellent

Exterminators Choice Lizard Defense Spray

If you’re looking for a more natural solution,Exterminators Choice Lizard Defense Spray is a solid choice. It uses a combination of essential oils to create a scent that most lizards don’t find pleasant. Plus, some of the essential oils are functionally irritants, making it less likely that lizards that come in contact with it will stick around.

The main essential oils involved are peppermint, clove, and cinnamon. In most cases, the resulting scent isn’t unpleasant to people, which isn’t always the case with some chemical-based solutions. Additionally, it’ll deter a range of other potential pests, including some rodents, raccoons, and similar critters.

It is important to note that these essential oils may irritate pets. Further, peppermint oil can harm the respiratory systems of cats. As a result, it might not be ideal if you have pets that will travel through the treated areas.

Victor Snake-A-Way Snake Repelling Granules

While Victor Snake-A-Way Snake Repelling Granules specifically mentions snakes, it also works quite well on lizards. It contains both naphthalene – which is found in mothballs – and sulfur. The odor is potent, creating a functional scent barrier that drives lizards away.

This option is designed for outdoor use only, so keep that in mind. Additionally, the scent can irritate people, pets, and various forms of wildlife, not just lizards. It’s also dangerous if consumed, as naphthalene is toxic to people and many pets.

Still, this option can be a somewhat long-lasting solution, offering up to three months of protection in a single application. As a result, it’s worth considering, particularly for a household without pets or smaller children.

What’s the Best Way to Get Rid of Lizards?

In the end, several techniques for getting rid of lizards are surprisingly effective. If you prefer cost-effective options, try eliminating food sources, reducing temperatures, and turning off lights. If you’re open to investing, solutions like commercial repellants, adding the right scents, using tobacco, and any other option above are worth considering.

Did you learn everything you wanted to know about how to get rid of lizards? If so, let us know in the comments section below. Also, if you know anyone who’s battling with lizards that could benefit from this article, feel free to share it.