9 Ways to Get Rid of Lizards Fast, Straight From Pest Experts

While lizards aren’t harmful, they’re probably not the type of creature you want skittering around your home. Luckily, there are some simple DIY measures you can take to get rid of lizards using ingredients or tools you likely have on hand.

Learn how to get rid of lizards in and outside your home with these nine simple methods.

What Attracts Lizards to Your Home and Garden?

Lizards are attracted to the food, water, and shelter around your home. Small insects and plants provide nutrition for lizards and any sitting water around your home, such as a pond or leaking pipe, is a water source for them.

Dense bushes or vegetation in your garden are also attractive to lizards so they can hide and get out of the sun’s heat.

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How to Get Rid of Lizards

If you have a lot of these reptiles around your home, here are a few measures you can take to get rid of lizards. 

Pepper spray

Pepper is irritating to lizards, so spraying pepper spray in areas inside your home or around it outside is a great way to keep lizards away. 

Wilson says you can DIY your own pepper spray by mixing water and cayenne pepper or chili powder. Spray the mixture in empty corners near entry points and other hidden nooks so the spray doesn’t affect you or other occupants in your home.

“The pungent smell will make the lizard think twice before crossing the pepper-sprayed entryway,” Wilson says.

Onions and Garlic

Place onions and garlic around your home to deter these pests from entering your home. Or, you can put onions or garlic in a bottle with some water and spray the water in corners and around entry points.

The strong odor of onions and garlic is unappealing to lizards; they’ll avoid places with that smell. 

Vinegar

Mix a solution of white distilled vinegar and water and spray the solution around your home’s entry points. Vinegar’s strong smell is unappealing to lizards and will encourage them to leave your house. 

Mothballs (Naphthalene Balls)

Mothballs have a strong scent to deter multiple types of pests, including lizards. Place them in areas where you’ve seen lizards, such as underneath your kitchen cabinets, in your bathroom, or in the basement, and eventually the lizards will find a new dwelling away from the smell.   

Peacock Feathers

Peacock feathers and their scent will scare lizards and keep them away, according to Wilson. The lizards associate the feathers with the predators themselves, so survival instincts should keep them away.

Place the feathers in your home for decoration or even around your garden to deter lizards. 

Eggshells

Eggshells are another way to keep lizards away due to their strong scent. Place eggshells around your garden to create a natural barrier to deter these reptiles. Bonus: Eggshells are biodegradable and will add nutrients to your soil!

Reflective Surfaces

Placing shiny and reflective surfaces like CDs or mirrors inside your home can be another natural way to deter lizards since they are afraid of the movements reflected on the surfaces.

Plants

Some plants have unappealing scents to lizards, such as peppermint, eucalyptus, or lemongrass. Plant these varieties in your garden for a maintenance-free way to detract lizards from your yard. 

Coffee Grounds

“Coffee grounds are an effective home remedy for keeping lizards out of the home, as their strong smell and abrasive texture are unpleasant to lizards,” Dench says.

Sprinkle grounds around your home’s foundation, in the garden, and near entry points to deter lizards from crossing into your space. 

Cats 

It’s not just mice that cats love to chase. They also enjoy chasing and catching small reptiles like lizards. Any lizards remaining will be scared away.

“Even if your cats aren’t natural born hunters, oftentimes lizards will be spooked off enough not to set up camp in your home once they get chased around by an inquisitive cat,” Bennett says. 

How to Prevent Lizards from Getting into Your Home

• Keep your home cool. Lizards prefer warm environments and won’t like the cool air from the air conditioner running frequently.
• Use a fan or dehumidifier. Lizards also like humidity and won’t be attracted to a home with dry air. 
• Dispose of unused food and scraps in sealed cans or bins so lizards can’t access the food. 
• Eliminate other pests, such as gnats and small insects, that can be a food source for lizards. 
• Pick up the clutter. Messy spaces provide lots of shelter and hiding spots for lizards to sneak in and out of your home.
• Seal entry points near ventilation systems, doors, and windows.
• Check for ripped screens on windows and doors where lizards may be entering.
• Eliminate water sources such as pet water bowls or dripping faucets and pipes.

When to Call a Professional

If you’ve tried multiple DIY methods to get rid of lizards around your home with no success, it’s time to call a professional. They will inspect your home and may be able to find and seal entry points you may have missed.

They also may apply a stronger commercial lizard repellent to keep the pests away from your home and outdoor space.