Keep Lizards Out Of The House With Two Ingredients From Your Kitchen

Discovering a lizard hanging out on your wall or scurrying across the floor can be alarming, and preventing these small critters from entering your house may be difficult. While some find lizards and other reptiles to be interesting and have them as pets, it's best to keep wild lizards out of your home. Surprisingly, a little garlic and onion will help deter lizards in a humane manner.

These reptiles are known to carry Salmonella even if they are healthy and could contaminate whatever surfaces they touch. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), many reptiles and amphibians, including pets, carry the bacteria in their digestive systems. The lizards breaking into your home might crawl across your kitchen counters or come into contact with your food, which could prove dangerous for your health. If you have children under five years old in the home, picking up a lizard out of curiosity could be harmful since they are more susceptible to the Salmonella bacteria that could make them ill.

Reptiles have intertwined senses of smell and taste, which is why using scents to deter them is an effective pest control method. Lizards are put off by the strong scents of onion and garlic, making these ingredients an easy, natural way to keep these creatures out of your home. Try leaving slices of onion and cloves of garlic in areas where lizards frequent. If you have cats or dogs, this is likely not the best method, since garlic and onions are poisonous to these pets if ingested, according to Bloorcourt Veterinary Clinic.

Another way to use garlic and onions against lizards is by making a spray. Simply squeeze or smash the ingredients to release their juices and put the liquid in a spray bottle with water. This solution can be spritzed by windows and doors, in your kitchen, or anywhere that could use protection from lizards. If you're having a serious reptile infestation though, calling a pest control agency is the best option.