Like most essential oils, lemongrass has its own health benefits. 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 . Citronella is an oilderived from the leaves and stems from a cousin of lemongrass (specifically, Cymbopogon). But does citronella actually work? Citronella will also repel mosquitos, which are an insect that most people would not miss. Then, take steps to prevent them from coming back. Be safe and double check any plants that are in pet geckos' habitats, including both the vivarium and any areas where they are allowed to roam. As a result, it wont be possible to humanely release the gecko once it wanders onto the pad. 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! Cutting down on food sources for lizards is one of the best ways to keep them out of a certain area. Perhaps the most effective smells to start this list are strong spicy smells. 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. Be careful not to oversaturate low-lying ground. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. By using any of these, youre able to keep your home safe while also benefitting from the many health benefits of essential oils. If you're in a hot and steamy climate, you probably will get better insect control from geckos than from insecticides anyway. Rosemary. Did you know that you could use lemongrass oil for a wide range of uses including lizard control? When removed from their natural habitat, geckos frequently will eat anything that looks like familiar food. . By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Homemade Snake Repellent. Studies have found Icaridin can work as well as DEET . 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. X Internal consumption should only be done with certain oils and under the supervision of a qualified health professional. The dog may not be a fan of this delicious smell; this is the reason it's used as dog repellent, so if you start thinking citronella is safe for dogs, then the answer is yes. Common insect control methods include proper food storage, creating a less hospitable environment, and more, which we have articles about including this one about using houseplants to prevent flies. Plus, you get to enjoy its many health benefits. Remedy any standing water or really moist areas. However, there is only so much this fragrant oil can do to keep mosquitos at bay. wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Slice the lemon and lime into inch slices. While these methods are usually effective, they are most effective in combination with other methods of deterring lizards, such as eliminating their food source or closing gaps. 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. Some people also find them to be irritating to the skin. You can contact pest control services in your area (or wildlife) to choose the ones best suited for the job. Professional pest control services will offer both immediate solutions and long-term prevention that will go a long way. Hot Sauce or Cayenne Pepper. Citronella candles are suitable for repelling insects and mosquitoes in the home and on porch areas. Also, reduce their areas to breed. While this isnt true because lizards will be drawn to eggshells as a food source, there is some truth to it because eggshells draw in birds who will then eat lizards. For centuries, citronella has been used for a variety of purposes, including: as an insect repellent as an antifungal agent to treat parasitic infections to promote wound healing to lift mood. Just a few drops can provide a heavy scent to your skin, sending the bees moving away. They prefer the little wild geckos to spiders and cockroaches, which the geckos eat. To keep dogs from digging up or otherwise disturbing certain plants, cover the ground around them with chunks of mulch or pebbles, as dogs . Essential oils have been known to provide a whole lot of benefits to humans. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. What essential oils are effective against snakes and geckos? With over a million people getting salmonella a year primarily from contaminated food, there is no reason to increase your odds because of a lizard in the home. Many common flowers, including morning glories, calla lilies, Christmas cactus, hyacinths, periwinkle and rhododendrons, are toxic to your little lizard friends. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. When outdoors, citronella. There are a few pros and cons to using essential oils. . Therefore, owners need to be aware of the lengthy list of plants that contain chemicals that can sicken and even kill geckos. % of people told us that this article helped them. Bird feeders and baths are a great way to have birds in your yard thatll scare lizards 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. On the downside, essential oils can be expensive and they are not always effective. Can Woodchucks (Groundhogs) Actually Chuck Wood? How to Make the Citronella Solution. Many people also use bedding made of pine or cedar shavings for their pets, and both contain high levels of phenols. Vinegar has such a pungent smell that it is no surprise that it is effective at keeping lizards away. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Manage Settings 4. 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. Citronella does a good job of repelling ticks, gnats, ants, wasps, bees, roaches, fleas, moths, flies, and other biting insects on dogs and humans. 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. However, there isn't any objective evidence that just having Citrosa plants around will repel mosquitoes, even though they give off a citronella odor. Hot sauce and cayenne pepper have a lot of capsaicin, which is the compound that makes them spicy. 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. Citronella grass, Cymbopogon nardis is a native grass of Sri Lanka and a major source for the essential oil citronella. 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. Apart from essential oil treatments, there are other ways to rid your home of lizard presence. 9 Repellent Essential Oils To Get Rid Of Mosquitoes, Uses Of Lavender Essential Oil In Pest Control, Tea Tree Oil For Mosquitoes - Pros, Cons, Repellent Recipe &, 3 Yellow Fly Repellent Options For Humans, citronella oil is also an excellent remedy for mosquitoes. To help the solution stick to smooth vertical surfaces, add about half an ounce of cooking oil. Lizards have a strong sense of smell, and like a snake use their tongue to smell their surroundings. It is certainly very difficult to get rid of geckos from high ceilings. This process should be repeated whenever the scent wanes. Capsaicin is a strong irritant to geckos among a host of other annoying small animals. Garlic plants are thought to be the best plants that repel snakes. While eucalyptus may be a scent that lizards hate, this is a great essential oil to keep around to serve multiple purposes with relaxing and medicinal properties for people and is used worldwide. For this repellent effect to linger, youll need to reapply peppermint essential oil for about a week or more. Reptiles also strike fear in many people no matter how big or small they are, and the constant fear that they might crawl on you at night is enough to give anyone the heebie-jeebies. 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. And with new content being added every day, there's always something new to discover. Rubbing the crushed leaves on your skin may repel mosquitoes like any citronella-based repellent for the skin. If the idea of letting a cat catch and kill geckos doesnt sit well with you, you may be better off going with a non-lethal option. 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. How to repel geckos naturally from high ceilings? This guy right next to me? This pest control method is most effective during the winter or the beginning of spring before wasps become active. If you typically rely on. 7. They all work, I've used them. Birds are the number one predator of lizards and will effectively scare any lizards away from their location. Use a broom or a rolled paper to run them out of the house; 2. Look no further than essential oils! Citrus juice and certain oils can be applied to your pet's coat. Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. "Other botanical. They eat fresh fruit mainly, but also like to eat bugs, such as cockroaches, mosquitoes, moths, crickets and worms. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. However, it is also found to be useful in deterring insects like: Flies Ticks Ants Gnats Avoid spraying areas that you and your family frequent too heavily. You can also use a citronella candle to repel bees, giving you not only the scent of the citronella as a repellent, but the . Their natural habitat is anywhere tropical or sub-tropical. Lizard repellent essential oils have been the focus here. When used in a controlled quantity, it is safe for dogs with no side effects, but on the other side, it's not a dog repellent for the yard. Its characteristic sharp smell is what drives these reptiles away. In fact, Citronella is often used to repel many other pests as well. Pests are basically a nuisance to have around. References. The oil this plant produces is an essential ingredient used to repel a host of pesky bugs. ; Menu Toggle. Don't forget to keep your doors and windows shut so they can't get inside! One is to use a mixture of cayenne pepper and water. Benefits of using citronella essential oils include serving as an air freshener, being an antidepressant, stabilizing your nervous system, helps with the elimination of anxiety, and enhance sleep and relaxation. If youre in need of an exterminator or wildlife professional, you can learn more about our nationwide network of pest control professionals. Citronella will also repel mosquitos, which are an insect that most people would not miss. Just to add when you shop using links from Pest Pointers, we may earn affiliate commissions if you make a purchase. You dont need to know where they live. How to use essential oils to get rid of snakes and geckos? Trending:Are Maltesers Poisonous To Dogs? Even in nature, you wont find lizards climbing in eucalyptus trees and we can take advantage of these properties as a great lizard repellant. Other cleaners that have a pine, lavender, or lemon scent to them will also probably work just as well, but Pine-Sol specifically is tried and true at preventing many pests. The occasional lizard sighting doesnt constitute an infestation, and is usually nothing to worry about. In essence, your home is left pest-free by simply using this natural remedy. Lizards and other reptiles are very effective at pest control, including insects and small animals that may be a problem, but they may become a pest when they infest homes and properties. Lizards are often attracted to electronics because of the warmth they generate and may end up touching just the wrong spot. Understanding why you should keep lizards at bay is the first step toward finding the right solution to do so. Management Of Biological Invasions, 11(3), 461-475. A qualified pest control specialist will be able to help you identify possible access points that you might have otherwise missed. There is currently no scientific evidence to support the claim that essential oils can get rid of snakes and geckos. Pine-Sol is a fantastic cleaning product that doubles as a great way to keep lizards away. Nawi, M., Ishak, M., Rosli, M., Ayub, M., Khor, C., Ahmad Termizi, S., & Ishak, N. (2020). What Is The Difference Between Bonding And HardWall. While making your homemade fly repellent, beware of the petroleum-based citronella oil product to which citronella scent is added and marketed. One area lizards may cause issues is getting into anything electrical and causing short circuits. If youre considering using essential oils to repell snakes or geckos, its important to choose an oil that has a strong scent, such as eucalyptus or lemon. You can also use lemongrass oil as a repellent for mosquitoes, flies, and thrips just to mention a few. 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. This article has been viewed 26,786 times. 7 Ways Wasps Got Into Your House (And How To Get Them Out), 5 Simple Differences Between Male and Female Raccoons, 9 Insects That Eat Roaches (Common Predators). Onions and garlic are very useful garden plants for repelling snakes. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. This is a long-term solution that may take many hours to find and eliminate all entrances and fill them in but will have one of the biggest effects on finding a permanent solution. In general, lizards pose the risk of spreading salmonella through their skin, urine, or feces. Just hearing the word can elicit a range of, Read More 9 Insects That Eat Roaches (Common Predators)Continue, Woodchucks, surprisingly, are the largest animal within the squirrel family and can be found throughout different areas of North America. Keep the coffee grounds in a bowl and burn them to keep the bugs and pests away. Pichersky, E., & Raguso, R. (2016). Wearable mosquito control is no exception. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 41,432 times. Spray onto walls and other areas most affected by lizard presence. Many scents can deter lizards, including: While these lizard repelling scents are great and effective, they should be combined with more prevention methods to give you your best shot at a lizard-free home. The plant itself does not repel mosquitoes. These oils contain the plants essence, or its most important characteristics. https://citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/household/misc-house/ent-2006/, https://www.getridofthings.com/pests/animals/get-rid-of-lizards/, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pet-geckos-can-make-people-sick/, https://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/how-do-get-rid-of-geckos-or-lizard-infestation-qa-23433.html, https://www.hunker.com/13405981/how-to-get-rid-of-geckos-outside-your-home, http://mentalfloss.com/article/31622/why-do-chile-peppers-make-people-cough, http://www.sunherald.com/sports/outdoors/article183763986.html. First of all, my safe and all natural Gecko repellant consists of a combination of a few of the most effective Spices, Herbs and other common household items Geckos hate to be around, such as; powdered Garlic, Fine Ground Black Pepper, Coffee Grounds, Onion powder, Used Tea leaves, Peppermint Oil and LemonGrass Oil, even Cayenne powder, to name . Essential oils are generally safe when used in small amounts. They are also relatively easy to use and can be found at most health food stores. However, harmless or not, most people do not want lizards surprising them in the morning when getting dressed and making coffee, or finding them crawling on food or hiding under the fridge. Are you having pest problems and wonder what lizard repellent method to apply? Essential oils may just be what you need to take back your home. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). 39 gangsta_seal 3 yr. ago Lavender too. As for plants, studies indicate they don't work at all on their own. [11] A bug zapper or set of sticky traps can also be useful for warding off insects near your porch or patio. Contrary to its name, mosquito plants are not actually mosquito repellent. Citronella candles. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Its important that the water be room temperature or colderany warmer and it might not be unpleasant enough to be an effective repellent. Citronella plants themselves won't repel insects; it's only once the oils are extracted that they will be effective. A bug zapper or set of sticky traps can also be useful for warding off insects near your porch or patio. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. The result is an invincible barrier that keeps these reptiles at bay. Spray it on and around where you don't want birds to nest, and it will keep them at bay. How Do You Get Rid Of Hard Calcium Deposits In The Shower? As a predator that feeds almost exclusively on insects, lizards have no interest in being somewhere without easy access to food. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, Citronella can cause increased heart rates and allergic skin reactions for some people. This article has been viewed 41,432 times. New Phytologist, 220(3), 692-702. You should always use it with caution and watch for any signs of discomfort after applying it to your dog. If you're simply after a fresh aroma, use pine, eucalyptus, cedar or any woodsy essential oils. Another scent lizards despise is that of eucalyptus essential oil. Lizards will keep away while your surroundings smell pleasant. Lizards are known to detest the scent of peppermint oils and will keep their distance. So you do need to care for your plant well enough that it will bloom indoors for you. 4. Citronella is actually an essential oil derived from two grass varieties. However, its pleasing scent affects lizards differently. Rabbits. Both plants give off a smell that snakes not only dislike, but it also confuses them. Lower The Temperature In Your House This technique may be especially effective when the temperatures outside start dropping and lizards search for warm places to hide. 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. 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. Other Anti-Snake Plants They are used in a variety of ways, including for fragrance, cosmetics, and as natural remedies. Can I put citronella oil in water when I wash the floor? Consider leaving outdoor geckos be if they're not causing major problems. The naturally occurring oil does repel insects. Rosemary. If you keep geckos as pets, you can even use chlorhexidine in a spray bottle to clean and disinfect their cage. Kotaro Seki Community Answer Research has confirmed the effectiveness of citronella in repelling mosquitoes for short periods. Geckos can often be found basking in warm, open areas, but theyve also been known to take cover in dark recesses where their natural predators are unable get to them. 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. % of people told us that this article helped them. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/e0\/Get-Rid-of-Geckos-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Get-Rid-of-Geckos-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e0\/Get-Rid-of-Geckos-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid9504164-v4-728px-Get-Rid-of-Geckos-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"