Vinegar has such a pungent smell that it is no surprise that it is effective at keeping lizards away. wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. There are a number of essential oils that can help to keep snakes and geckos away. Citronella does a good job of repelling ticks, gnats, ants, wasps, bees, roaches, fleas, moths, flies, and other biting insects on dogs and humans. negative potential of diseases they carry outweighs the positive, Mighty Mints Peppermint Oil Insect & Pest Control Spray, this one about using houseplants to prevent flies. Moreover, the garlic plant gives off an oily residue if a snake slithers over a clove. If you have small children or pets, be careful not to let them get near the traps you've set. Now, spray onto walls or other areas where lizards often visit. Pine-Sol also comes in several scents that use pine oil as the principal ingredient, making them safe and effective for pest control and offering options for you to choose from to best suit your scent preferences. Not all companies are equal, and some may be better equipped for certain pests like lizards and some may be better for insects, so do some research and choose the best ones for you. Did you know that you could use lemongrass oil for a wide range of uses including lizard control? What are the pros and cons of using essential oils? If you typically rely on. When used properly, essential oils can provide a wide range of benefits. These oils can be used in a diffuser or added to a spray bottle of water and sprayed around the perimeter of your home. For longer lasting protection or when in areas at risk from serious mosquito borne diseases, chemicals such as DEET offer better protection. Remedy any standing water or really moist areas. Apart from repelling lizards, citronella oil is also an excellent remedy for mosquitoes, fleas, cockroaches, ticks and so many other pests. Look no further than essential oils! What you can try is to be patient and wait for geckos to come down and cover it with a towel and release it outside. Use 10 drops of citronella to a pint of warm water. They eat fresh fruit mainly, but also like to eat bugs, such as cockroaches, mosquitoes, moths, crickets and worms. However, there are some anecdotal reports of people using essential oils to repell snakes and geckos successfully. Capsaicin is a strong irritant to geckos among a host of other annoying small animals. Generally, the negative potential of diseases they carry outweighs the positive. Below we will answer why and how to keep lizards away to find the best solution for you lets get to it! Avoid spraying areas that you and your family frequent too heavily. These diseases can be potentially serious to humans if contracted. When Im not out roaming around 50+ acres of pastures, woods, and a freshwater bass pond, Im at my computer writing on Pest Pointers. These include the elimination of moisture such as leaky pipes, properly storing fruits, and sealing up holes and cracks around your building. Essential oils are a natural and effective way to keep these pesky critters away. Citronella candles and oils are a popular mosquito repellent, but the citronella plant is toxic to pets. Tend to the landscape. We hope you found this article helpful, and hope that you check out more articles to keep any pesky critters you may have out of your home! If you just barely brush is as you walk by and you will get a blast of citrus/ floral fragrance. However, vinegar does come with a drawback- most people do not find this smell as relaxing as other scents on this list. This method may not be available to everyone, but if you have the option to cool your house into the low 60s even for a few days, this may work to drive out the lizards making your home their own. What more? The citronella plant or oil does not actually eliminate flies, however, it simply repels them. "wikiHow is a silver ray between dark clouds!". On the plus side, they are natural and can be used to treat a wide variety of issues. Kotaro Seki Community Answer Completely removing all decorations from your yard may not be the path you want to take, but closing any gaps they may hide in and making it harder for them to access certain spots will drastically reduce the number of lizards that are hiding on your property. Citronella will not eliminate flies in the sense that the flies go bye-bye forever, BUT, citronella will repel them so that they are eliminated from your spaces. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 41,432 times. The smell of peppermint is one of the most versatile scents to use when repelling just about any kind of pest. Professional pest control services will offer both immediate solutions and long-term prevention that will go a long way. If it is difficult, it is also important to get used to it! The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. You can rub the oil on the plant skin and deter the flies from the surroundings. Taking advantage of its repellent properties, all you have to do is get some peppermint essential oil and dilute it with water in a spray bottle. To help the solution stick to smooth vertical surfaces, add about half an ounce of cooking oil. Exclusion is one of the best methods for dealing with a lizard problem, as its more or less permanent and doesnt require you to disperse toxic chemicals around your home. To keep dogs from digging up or otherwise disturbing certain plants, cover the ground around them with chunks of mulch or pebbles, as dogs . Cutting down on food sources for lizards is one of the best ways to keep them out of a certain area. This can include black pepper, chili powder, cayenne, and even plain ol hot sauce. Wearable mosquito control is no exception. Instead of planting citronella to repel mosquitoes, try dog-friendly mosquito repellent plants that won't harm dogs, like basil, lemon balm, rosemary, and catnip. A few of these include aphids, fleas, caterpillars, beetles, flies, moths, lice, mice, etc. Now, lizards are known to frequent walls and other surfaces. Try scattering loose feathers and eggshell fragments around your property to make geckos think the area is unsafe. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. What Is The Difference Between Bonding And HardWall. Chlorhexidine is an all-purpose cleaner that will not harm geckos, other animals or you. 2 - Tansy. Both the original scent and the lemon scent work well to clean most surfaces and the ingredients in them will keep lizards searching for a new place to hide. Dry out. Citronella, an essential oil extracted from grasses in the Cymbopogon family, helps repel bugs largely thanks to the way it masks the scent of people. Some people also find them to be irritating to the skin. Another scent lizards despise is that of eucalyptus essential oil. "As a matter of fact, it's really not significantly more effective than any other candle would be." Required fields are marked *. Another is to use a mixture of garlic and water. Now, one of the problems caused by lizards is the salmonella disease which can be spread by direct contact or from their droppings. Just to add when you shop using links from Pest Pointers, we may earn affiliate commissions if you make a purchase. By using our site, you agree to our. Most of these methods are based on natural smells and use non-poisonous ingredients that are environmentally friendly. Youll also need to apply the oil directly to the skin, as snakes and geckos have a keen sense of smell and will be able to smell the oil from a distance. You can also make your own snake repellent spray by combining equal parts water and vinegar with 20-30 drops of your chosen essential oil. Apart from being used for aromatherapy treatments, these oils are also useful as pest repellents. Citronella has been registered as a gentle, plant-based bug spray ingredient in the U.S. since 1948. Some gardeners swear that it works, but studies have found that it doesn't. Even if you plant a whole garden full of citronella plants, it still won't be enough to have a repellant effect on mosquitoes. The plants themselves can keep lizards out of certain areas, and essential oils can be vaporized, mixed into a spray, or even using soaked cotton balls strategically placed to act as a deterrent. By the way, I also recommend taking a look at our guide the reasons why lizards are in your yard in order to better understand where you should use these scents! Lizards are small and able to sneak into places they do not belong. The plant itself does not repel mosquitoes. But while they are pretty and pleasantly scented, studies have shown them ineffective in repelling mosquitos. 7. X This helps form a barrier around areas sprayed or applied. This site is owned and operated by Pest Pointers LLC | pestpointers.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. In essence, your home is left pest-free by simply using this natural remedy. Get a cat. 4. The occasional cleanup is good for your property, even if youre not combating an infestation. [11] A bug zapper or set of sticky traps can also be useful for warding off insects near your porch or patio. New Phytologist, 220(3), 692-702. This process should be repeated whenever the scent wanes. But does citronella actually work? On the health side of things, there are so many benefits to using eucalyptus oil. If you have wasps in, Read More 7 Ways Wasps Got Into Your House (And How To Get Them Out)Continue, Raccoons can often find their way into your home or your personal property. The plant itself gets its name from the potent aroma it emits. Here, well show you which of these essential oils can serve your lizard repellent needs. One, Read More 9 Simple Reasons Bees Are Flying Around Your RoofContinue, Weve all been there; youre sitting outside on the porch or standing over the kitchen sink, enjoying your morning coffee, when you notice there is, Read More Hot Pepper: Heres How To Use It To Repel RaccoonsContinue, Your email address will not be published. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. If you keep geckos as pets, you can even use chlorhexidine in a spray bottle to clean and disinfect their cage. Making the proper citronella oil solution is key to the success of using citronella oil as cat repellent, particularly if you are going to use the solution indoors. One of its most distinguishing characteristics is that, in addition to being successful, it is also an affordable, effective, and risk-free [] Internal consumption should only be done with certain oils and under the supervision of a qualified health professional. Citronella is actually an essential oil derived from two grass varieties. This may be a task too big for the average homeowner as well, and calling a professional will provide a complete solution to lizard-proofing your home. That's my buddy, Vito. Some essential oils are thought to have snake-repelling properties, and they may be effective at keeping geckos away as well. Diffuse lavender essential oil to keep bugs away from your home, or wear it directly on the skin to keep flying insects away. Citronella Essential Oil Apart from repelling lizards, citronella oil is also an excellent remedy for mosquitoes, fleas, cockroaches, ticks and so many other pests. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, Citronella can cause increased heart rates and allergic skin reactions for some people. Cuteness may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Use a DEET-based insect repellent on your clothing, and wear long sleeves and long pants to provide a barrier against bites and irritation. However, there isn't any objective evidence that just having Citrosa plants around will repel mosquitoes, even though they give off a citronella odor. wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. This question often arises because most lizard species are harmless. Because the plant releases its smell when touched, it is thought to work best as a repellent when the leaves are crushed and rubbed on the skin as mosquitoes are supposed to be offended by its citronella scent. Drop in mosquito pellets or disks into water. It is the oil inside the grass leaves that possesses repellent properties. However, harmless doesnt translate to something being okay. In fact, citronella can be toxic to pets. So, as long as theyre around, you are likely to contact such a disease. Geckos are cute little lizards with chubby feet and the ability to make chirping sounds, unlike other lizards. Enjoy! Citronella oil is a naturally occurring oil on a perennial plant called citronella grass. The oils evaporate quickly. Hot pepper extracts can bother your airways if accidentally inhaled. Essential oils to consider for your lizard control needs include citronella, eucalyptus, peppermint, and lemongrass essential oils. Citronella plants should be safe to keep in the garden around your cats, but we'd recommend planting them in areas that your cat doesn't frequently use. While most humans don't mind the light citrus scent, mosquitoes reportedly hate it, so citronella is used in a variety of products like candles and wristbands and sprays. Eucalyptus is another effective essential oil that is incredibly effective at keeping most species of reptiles at bay. Adding 15-20 drops of any essential oils such as peppermint, eucalyptus, lemongrass, or adding chili powder can be a powerful at-home lizard repellent. Even in nature, you wont find lizards climbing in eucalyptus trees and we can take advantage of these properties as a great lizard repellant. Most compounds that are poisonous to insects are just as toxic to geckos. This is shaken and sprayed onto infested areas. These oils contain the plants essence, or its most important characteristics. Setting up a sprinkler system in your lawn may also deter them from coming near your home. Tammy Slater is the founder of arew.org, a home and garden blog that provides inspiration and resources for homeowners and renters alike. o Use Sites: Oil of Citronella is used on humans to repel insects. There are three main ways that essential oils can be used: -Aromatherapy: This is when the oil is diffused into the air so that you can breathe it in. Trending:Are Maltesers Poisonous To Dogs? People who live in tropical areas, such as Hawaii, Asia and Australia, live with geckos in the house pretty much as a fact of life. However, it is also found to be useful in deterring insects like: Flies Ticks Ants Gnats Information shared from an EPA senior biologist notes that lizards themselves are rarely dangerous and have positive potential. Citronella grass, Cymbopogon nardis is a native grass of Sri Lanka and a major source for the essential oil citronella. Citronella will also repel mosquitos, which are an insect that most people would not miss. And with new content being added every day, there's always something new to discover. Other common plants and seeds that are poisonous to geckos include apple seeds, apricot pits, peach pits, pear seeds, oak trees, English ivy and tomato plants. What does a blinking blue light on a smoke detector mean? "The smell of citronella, in a more concentrated way like you get with a candle's . The benefits of growing lizard repellant plants include the natural beauty they add and taking advantage of their natural properties. It will also prevent them from reproducing and only making the problem worse. Plant marigolds as edging, borders, in containers or intermingled with your other garden plants. Some of the most common reasons that lizards may infest an area are because it provides shelter, sources of food, and warmthtaking away these benefits for lizards or making it more difficult for them to access in combination with scents that they hate will be more effective than only using one or the other. However, its pleasing scent affects lizards differently. Burn citronella oil, incense, or sandalwood to repel swarms of insects in the summertime. But you may be wondering,, Read More Can Woodchucks (Groundhogs) Actually Chuck Wood?Continue, As the weather shifts from freezing your toes off cold to roasting your skin hot, insects come out of hibernation to bug us all. This may cause it to be even more stress relieving by getting rid of those pesky critters! 39 gangsta_seal 3 yr. ago Lavender too. One is to use a mixture of cayenne pepper and water. Visit our Terms and Conditions for more information. I grew up in an area of Upstate, NY where dealing with wildlife pests is a common occurrence. How to use essential oils to get rid of snakes and geckos? Can Woodchucks (Groundhogs) Actually Chuck Wood? what essential oil can get rid of lizards? All forms of citronella is toxic to dogs. The National Pesticide Information Center describes oil of citronella as an effective repellent of insects. Relieving migraines. Rosemary. Hiding places can range from pieces of wood to rocks and even something like a bench can offer many places to hide. So theres no doubt you dont want a family of wasps living in your house. Management Of Biological Invasions, 11(3), 461-475. Lavender oil is yet another essential oil to consider. Are you having pest problems and wonder what lizard repellent method to apply? Azaleas are fatal. 2. 2. For extra protection, you can create your own bee repellent using essential oils, or soap and water . Scatter them away with a broom, a rolled paper, and an aggressive demeanor; 3. Nawi, M., Ishak, M., Rosli, M., Ayub, M., Khor, C., Ahmad Termizi, S., & Ishak, N. (2020). Foster & Smith:Leopard Gecko Habitat. Root-knot nematodes. Basil ( Ocimum basilicum) is a culinary herb that does double duty by repelling flies and mosquitoes, too. Not as well as we'd like. Adding draft guards under doors, caulking windows, and filling in any other gaps they may get in is a lengthy chore. [2] All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Both plants give off a smell that snakes not only dislike, but it also confuses them. The standing water may attract insects, which will in turn draw geckos. Garlic and onions are very useful in repelling snakes, too. Essential oils are basically just concentrated oils that have been extracted from different plants. This should be shaken to ensure it mixes properly. Besides snakes and mosquitoes, this plant deters ticks from your garden, as well. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. This article has been viewed 26,786 times. A solution is made by adding a few drops of lemongrass essential oil to water. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I'm Zack DeAngelis, the creator of Pest Pointers. It is however not suitable for large open areas with free-flowing air as the scent gets dispersed quite quickly and might not be strong enough to repel the insects. If you have lots of places for lizards to hide in your yard, including rocks and other decorations, some landscaping may be in order. Where to find lizards around the home? You dont need to know where they live. Insects, rodents, and reptiles, including lizards. By using our site, you agree to our. While citronella essential oil has a pleasant smell, the same pleasing smell irritates pests including lizards. Lavender is proven to relieve stress in people, but did you know it is also a smell that lizards hate? Snakes and lizards represent bad omens in many cultures and many species of venomous reptiles exist, which further adds to their scary nature. Can I put citronella oil in water when I wash the floor? So far, weve seen four key essential oil products that would give you the needed relief. Last Updated: December 8, 2020 But while the oil of citronella does repel mosquitoes to some degree, "in the amount and concentration that is put out via candles, it's not very effective," says Joseph Conlon, a technical adviser for the American Mosquito Control Association. Contrary to its name, mosquito plants are not actually mosquito repellent. Wasps are unfortunately, no joke. Lemongrass is a spa essential, can be made into a soothing drink, and most importantly, is a natural insect repellent. And the Environmental Protection Agency does say that it is a minimum risk . This oil has a characteristic citrus smell that lizards detest. If you are thinking about using essential oils, be sure to do your research and talk to your doctor first. Lizards are known to detest the scent of peppermint oils and will keep their distance. Thankfully, there are many ways to deter lizards from certain areas simply by using certain smells that they hate. While eggshells are not the most effective way of drawing in natural lizard predators, the idea is solid to keep lizards away. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. The occasional lizard sighting doesnt constitute an infestation, and is usually nothing to worry about. Citronella is a well-known mosquito repellent. Products that contain natural repellent ingredients like essential oils are only worth a try if they contain Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus, since this is the most effective natural alternative . Society Queensland:Discouraging Geckos, Drs. Candles, which have a very weak concentration of citronella, are actually of very little use. Using peppermint essential oils mixed in a spray bottle with water, you can spray around entrances and anywhere lizards might hang out to keep them away. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Why do plants produce so many terpenoid compounds?. They are used in a variety of ways, including for fragrance, cosmetics, and as natural remedies. They are hardy perennials in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 10. Do this by sealing tiny cracks in your home with a waterproof caulk and patching up holes in window screens (or replacing them). Place a few sprigs of rosemary into the bottom of each mason jar. What are the benefits of using essential oils? There are a few essential oils that can help to repel snakes and geckos. This method will work for any of the essential oils mentioned previously in this article so you can shake it up if you tire of one scent in particular. X Society garlic is an ideal example. Put two lemon slices and two lime slices on to of the rosemary. Fill the air around them with some hot pepper spray. The main purpose for using citronella is to discourage insects. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science And Engineering, 743(1), 012010. Citronella candles. Citronella oil has different uses, but the best way to utilize this material is to use it on your skin to repel mosquitoes and other flies. The coffee grounds can be used to keep bugs and insects away from your surroundings. You can contact pest control services in your area (or wildlife) to choose the ones best suited for the job. . To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The Verdict. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. If these little lizards disgust you and simply must go . This should be enough to drive out the reptiles. Like most essential oils, lemongrass has its own health benefits. Not only with the smell of tansy repel most flies, it will give you clusters of pretty yellow flowers to brighten up your home. They all work, I've used them. The expiration date on food is there for a reason. Keeps the bad bugs away. Not only do they come in large numbers, but they also are often tiny and able to get into homes and other areas where they may not be wanted! % of people told us that this article helped them. After all, there wont be any lizards in a house if they cant get in. Pour the water with the essential oils into the mason jars. Eucalyptus oil simply needs to be diluted in a spray bottle by adding a few drops to water. In some cases, this may be treatable with some at-home solutions, and in others, a professional may need to be called to remove lizards and lizard-proof areas to prevent similar incidents in the future. Its important to use a carrier oil (like coconut oil) when applying essential oils topically, as they can be very concentrated and might cause irritation if applied directly to the skin. For tips on using diluted pepper spray, read on! {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/c2\/Use-Citronella-As-an-Insect-Repellent-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Use-Citronella-As-an-Insect-Repellent-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/c2\/Use-Citronella-As-an-Insect-Repellent-Step-1.jpg\/aid7631418-v4-728px-Use-Citronella-As-an-Insect-Repellent-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"